Cinder Block

[TWINKLE_TOES]

While catching up on my reading a ran across a couple of posts which used Cinder blocks under jacks. Is this a bad idea or am I confused about what constitutes a Cinder block?I learned the hard way not to use concrete blocks as jack supports unless they were shimmed with wood blocks between the block and the jack and if the ground was at all rocky between the ground and the block and don't use concrete blocks at all for heavy duty work./w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

 

[MChalkley]

I don't worry too much about using cinder blocks under jacks, but only because I don't believe in crawling under something supported only by a jack. If you jack it up using a cinder block but then support it with a jack stand that's not on a cinder block, you're not really putting yourself at risk.

That said, you do need to be careful when using cinder blocks. The weight needs to be distributed fairly evenly, wood blocks should be used between the block and the jack, and between the ground and the block if there's any big rocks in the ground. And non-solid cinder blocks should never be used sideways (with the load resting on a flat solid side of the block instead of on a side with holes).

MarkC

 

[scruffy]

I was one of the ones in question (using the concrete block) which was NOT a cinder block per se. It was an capstone (same material - but solid) that is used on a cinder block wall. The 'capstones' are around 5" thick, and a hair larger in outside dimensions than a cinder block. What I used was a half piece of the capstone under the jack stand, and two quarter pieces as wheel chocks.
I would not recommend anyone use an actual cinder block to support anything by itself. Definately NOT a safe way to go.

 

[bpence]

Rather than using cinder or cement blocks, I use pieces of wolmanized 6 x 6 posts that were cut off when building a pole barn. I scabbed a 2 x 12 plate to the bottom and they are great as jack platforms.

Bob Pence

 

[Richard]

Having built a log home using 6x12 inch square cut logs, I gotta admit having utilized some of the left over lengths as a stand under the stabilizer arm of the 42 foot reach bucket lift we rented when staining the house. Since we're on a hill and the lift has to be FLAT I had to build up the downhill side roughly 18 inches worth...logs came in REAL handy. From the front, house is almost 3 floors (because of the hill) with ground floor being block. I also HAND sanded with 5 inch orbiter (actually used SEVERAL of them /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif) to sand each and every square inch of the exterior of the house (logs) prior to staining. Let me tell you...THAT was a fun weekend.../w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

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