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Rock in a Hole
- Thread starter kday64
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nspec
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I once had a rock about 5 foot in diameter that was buried just beneath the surface of my soon to be vegetable garden. My backhoe could shimmy it around by twisting from the sides, but obviously couldn't lift it. I dug all around it, then dug a ramp leading down into the hole. It took a little messing around, but I was able to wiggle it right up the ramp and out of the hole, where I could push/roll it off to the side.
keyman1808
Platinum Member
Like JT said, get a quote to have a larger machine come in and do it. Probably wont be all that much
CT Jay
Bronze Member
Had a big potato last fall that wouldn't budge. Tractor not strong enough. So, I winched it out. Used Warn 3700 winch, and looped the cable back with snatch block, to provide up to 7,400 lbs pull, and then chained up the rock.
Used the BX25 to provide DC power to the 12V winch. I had previously installed a short heavy duty quick connect on the tractor battery, made by Warn, for just things like this.....i.e., using winch out in the field.
I didn't pull against the tractor.....thought tractor would either slide along the ground, or bend something on the tractor if I dug in with toothbar to belay, or both....so instead I used a tree-wrap and tugged from there.
Of course, I first had to do some digging....that's how I found out a little rock was a big one. Dug all around, and undercut it a bit to get the chain into a good position.
As the rock started moving, I threw in small rocks, and some wedges to prevent it from falling back in, in case chain broke or for other reasons had to stop and re-set up.
Only thing I did wrong was I didn't throw a blanket or big branch across the winch cable. Forgot. But the cable held and didn't snap.....and I was standing well away in any case.
Irony is, just 2 weeks later, I hired a guy with an excavator to come in and pull some major stumps and excavate some rocks many times bigger than this one. Oh well, it was fun doing this one, anyway.
Used the BX25 to provide DC power to the 12V winch. I had previously installed a short heavy duty quick connect on the tractor battery, made by Warn, for just things like this.....i.e., using winch out in the field.
I didn't pull against the tractor.....thought tractor would either slide along the ground, or bend something on the tractor if I dug in with toothbar to belay, or both....so instead I used a tree-wrap and tugged from there.
Of course, I first had to do some digging....that's how I found out a little rock was a big one. Dug all around, and undercut it a bit to get the chain into a good position.
As the rock started moving, I threw in small rocks, and some wedges to prevent it from falling back in, in case chain broke or for other reasons had to stop and re-set up.
Only thing I did wrong was I didn't throw a blanket or big branch across the winch cable. Forgot. But the cable held and didn't snap.....and I was standing well away in any case.
Irony is, just 2 weeks later, I hired a guy with an excavator to come in and pull some major stumps and excavate some rocks many times bigger than this one. Oh well, it was fun doing this one, anyway.
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CT Jay
Bronze Member
This is what the guy with the excavator did in about the same amount of time that it took me to dig, chain, winch, and pull that one rock in my previous post.
After this guy got finished, I started thinking of excuses to go get an excavator for myself....but way too much $$$ and not enough excuses...
After this guy got finished, I started thinking of excuses to go get an excavator for myself....but way too much $$$ and not enough excuses...
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JOHNTHOMAS
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That was my point. I've done alot that I can lift, alot. One or maybe two grand, grand ones is OK but when there are multi's get a machine made for it.
I spent weeks cutting down pine and cedar trees (8"s to 14"s and some bigger already down) and left the stumps. Had man come in with dozer to dig my house hole which ended up being on solid rock. While he was here I had him push out/clear a section while leaving larger nice selected trees. He did that in a few hours and knocked down my 30 or so stumps and cleared out all the undergrowth and debris and leveled it out. He did in hours what I hadn't even finished in weeks of dangerous and hard work.
boggen
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never done it myself. but jut remember catching a glance at some DIY show on tv.
they used a masonry / concrete bit. drilled some holes. then used smaller size or maybe it was special wedges kinda like wedges for splitting firewood. to crack rocks, and cut them to shape and like.
it looked fairly easy to do. i guess about only way it would not work. is if you didn't put in enough holes/wedges. or not have enough wedges on hand. i remember basketball size to a few feet in size rocks being done this way on the tv show.
i might suggest a better drill vs a cheapo 1/2" chuck 40 buck drill. say a hammer drill or 3/4 inch chuck size drill. along with a spare bit or 2. if not it will break on ya.
EDIT:
not sure if it would help you or not. but *shrugs*
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/129506-tree-puller-hard-get-trees.html
they used a masonry / concrete bit. drilled some holes. then used smaller size or maybe it was special wedges kinda like wedges for splitting firewood. to crack rocks, and cut them to shape and like.
it looked fairly easy to do. i guess about only way it would not work. is if you didn't put in enough holes/wedges. or not have enough wedges on hand. i remember basketball size to a few feet in size rocks being done this way on the tv show.
i might suggest a better drill vs a cheapo 1/2" chuck 40 buck drill. say a hammer drill or 3/4 inch chuck size drill. along with a spare bit or 2. if not it will break on ya.
EDIT:
not sure if it would help you or not. but *shrugs*
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/129506-tree-puller-hard-get-trees.html
TonyF
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I've had good success cutting a ramp on the side of the hole, not sure of your situation but you may be able to dig a ramp using the FEL or even a shovel. In that way the rock is not lifted, but scooted up the ramp.
keyman1808
Platinum Member
If its not that large just dig a hole next to it and push it in then backfill. Not its not in the way anymore. Problem with pulling it out is you still need to put it somewhere.