MinnesotaEric
Super Member
I've used the Bosch Brute and it isn't as effective as this Bosch breaker in a personal-use side by side comparison.
Best rotary hammer (re-visit to splitting boulders)
- Thread starter gunns
- Start date
I've used the Bosch Brute and it isn't as effective as this Bosch breaker in a personal-use side by side comparison.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
That's on my wish list!!!!!
Eddie
Eddie
Cord
Veteran Member
I had a Hilti TE52 and it was a nice drill, but a bit light. When that one broke I upgraded to a TE76. That drill rocks! I can pound a 5/8x12" hole into a granite boulder in a couple of minutes. Mind you, granite is way harder than concrete. In fact, granite will kill high speed hammer drill bits. If anybody has a source for feathers and wedges I sure would like to have a set. Even after pounding in aligning holes with cross holes I still have not been able to split a rock. It's harder than one would think.
HillStreet
Veteran Member
Cord,
I bought a lot of feathers and wedges, 5/8, 3/4, and 1 inch that correspond to the respective drill sizes. Trow & Holden in Vermont is my source for all rock splitting needs including chisels (did not buy my Bosch hammer drill there though). Real good service, tool quality and informative web site. You can buy their goods on Amazon too if you do business with Amazon. 3/4 drills and wedges are a pretty good all around set but I use 1 inch quite a bit too. I just use the 5/8 set for secondary splits of the smaller stone. I buy the larger sizes in Bosch through Amazon, the 5/8 I buy from Amazon too and they're made by Dewalt. Only the 4x carbide bits work, the 2x are a waste of effort and money. I did buy a set of 3 drill from Harbor Freight--- drilled 3 holes and the shaft snapped--- buried it in the hole.
I have been drilling and splitting boulders on my property for 3 years now, off and on. The secret is to drill along a fairly straight line, round or square stones don't matter. Feathers and wedges are the key. You do not have to slam the wedges in with a big hammer, I just use a 16 ounce rock hammer. Go in sequence 3 raps per wedge and then wait a minute and start the sequence again. Listen closely to the sounds--- wedges have a tinny ring at first, then they give off a dull thud when the stone is starting to yield.
Again, hit the wedges in sequence then wait a minute before hitting again. I read that the blows from the hammer transmit into the rock but it is not instantaneous (hard concept to grasp at first but the experts say to wait between sequences). Listen closely, most of the time the stone will "talk" to you and you can hear the cracking (especially when you're waiting between sequences). When you hear it talking, you're getting close.
Try to drill a line of holes with approximately equal mass on each side of the line. This reduces the chance that a thinner side will just chip off which requires drilling another set of holes. For example, I have a troublesome rock now that is in the ground and I am trying to split off the top. This stone keeps crumbling like it's a piece of corn bread. Now I have to dig deeper and drill more holes to have the "mass" to get a good split.
Grain in granite? I know the old timer experts can do it but I sure can't find grain. The good thing about granite is that it pretty much will follow your drill line. You will figure out eventually that you can split some stone with a line of four 3/4 holes 6 inches deep and 10 inches apart, and when you need to drill six 3/4 holes 6 inches apart and 10 inches deep.
oosik
Super Star Member
I don't mean to alter the thread, but I have to ask. Have any of you guys used your rotary hammers for holes in bedrock to set T-posts for a fence line? I still have 75-100 "wooden angles" sitting on bedrock where we can't get the neighbors commercial air compressor and jack hammer to. I need something more portable. My bedrock is called basaltic lava and is very smooth and VERY hard. What would you recommend?
varmint
Elite Member
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Sorry to interject if others have already posted this (I didn't read the whole thread) but 4shorts posted a video about using holes and an expansive pouring liquid to bust up a big boulder that he was getting rid of. Sort of like legal dynamite, purchased at Home Depot, I think. Worth checking out?
4shorts
Elite Member
You are correct my friend. It was a biggy too. Had to drill 17 1.5" holes down through the top and then pour Ecobust in each hole. It was unbeliever just how well it worked. This video shows the lower part of the rock that had to be drilled again to get below grade. This rock was part of the bed rock. The video is part 2. Part one is on our channel
crazyal
Super Member
I have a Hilti (not sure of which model). It easily puts 1/2" holes in any stone I have on my property. It's mostly some sort of blue stone with a very wavy grain pattern. I've tired using the feather and wedge technique with some success. Now I use my circular saw and a continuous rim diamond blade. It'll cut a couple of inches deep and leave a nice score line. It says wet or dry but I found wet works much better. I just trickle a little water as I cut. On thick stones I do both sides and then use feathers and wedges to split the stone. It doesn't always split where I want but it's much more likely then if I don't.
