Splitting Granite the easy way
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- Hydraulic rock splitters make breaking hard rocks easy - provided that you don't have to drill the required holes manually.
Please like and subscribe, don't forget to follow us on Face Book
#Blasting
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Love watching this since 45 years ago, I was running an Ingersoll Rand drill with a Gardener Denver compressor. Dust was a constant. It is so enjoyable to see drilling with either no dust or minimal dust.
Thanks for watching KB, the dust kills, always best to vac it all up, I dread the rare occasions now when I have to drill without a dust vac system.
It was good seeing a side by side on the splitters. I think the one with the hammer would be more satisfying . If you had to do this days on end then I would do the hydraulic splitter . Nice Vid Dave
That's a great little drill rig. There's something very satisfying about the inexorable (and satisfying) force available from hydraulics and the wedge principle ... less dramatic than a boom but very effective, and probably quicker than plugs 'n feathers, though those are always fascinating in their own right. I imagine cost wise those hydraulic units represent quite an investment.
You would not believe how many holes this thing has drilled Chris, it's first big job back in 2006 was 2988 holes!!! on a very rocky housing estate development project. The hydraulic splitter is a medium size investment- very reasonable price as I imported it myself from China - the original German made Darda Splitter is hugely expensive, each Darda C12 splitting gun cost US$18,000 = 8000 PSI power pack.
Imagine the intense pressure created by the tectonic plates before an earthquake. This is a demonstration of that and the force required to split open the ground. Thanks Dave
Never thought of it like that Tom.
Those Splitters there just amaze me.
Me too, 320 Tonnes splitting force in each gun.
There is something very satisfying about splitting a rock with a hammer and wedges. After doing it a few times, you can tell when you are one or 2 hits away from splitting.
Using the hydraulic splitter make for nice neat pieces.
Nicely done 👍👍
Thanks for watching Jim.
8👍's up Dave thanks again for taking us all along with you for the great show
My pleasure
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast keep up the great job Dave
There is a blasting company near me that take old tires and make basting mattes. They make them so that a loader can just pull it over. You probably have seen it before, but this made me think of them. Cheers dude
Yes, I have a heap of them X's
Just listen the those rocks singing when they split! It is a mighty sound, reminding of the noise a frozen lake makes!
I've never heard a frozen lake.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Not to commn in Australia eh? 😉
Up here in Sweden it is one of the benefits of having cold winters, you get to go out on the ice and skate, ski, fish or just walk on the lakes when they are frozen ower! 😎 And they sing as the ice moves under tension from cold or vaterdisplacement!
I like how you appreciate the intrinsic beauty of the rock. I'm sure Michelangelo would agree with you.
The sound of the rock cracking must be so satisfying !
One of my favorite sounds Gordon.
Destroying rock doesn't alway have to be a bang. Just the sweet sound of them breaking.
👍👍
And it is a sweet sound
There goes Dave again playing musical feathers hahaha! Brilliant video thanks mate
It would have been beyond cool if he'd been able to play a tune on them. Twin-kle-twin-kle-lit-tle-star...
Stop making me learn stuff !!! ....Another excellent vid Dave 👌👌👌
Never stop learning.
Not earth shattering, but definitely Boulder shattering. 🥳
Thanks Dave. Have a great weekend. 😁
I liked the snap when it cracked . Thanks Dave
some of them give a real good pop and others just groan as they tear.
Poor old Dave, he sounded a bit dejected. They wouldn't let him blow anything up.
I did wonder when you would use those splitters again though.
those splitters are an amazing bit of kit
Sure are, should have bought them years ago.
Really glad to see you're taking care of your lungs.
Always! even if you can get another set fitted it is very hit or miss. I see so many people drilling on RUclips that make me shudder.
Best Rocks for built Dams for Water safe. Use them. Good Work Dave.
The drill on your mini excavator is sure slick.
Thanks, my gunsmith friend designed and built it, back in 2005, it has done a lot of work++++
Lol 'could be raspberry jam' I'm still laughing - ta for sharing this with us Mr D -please stay safe and well sending regards 😂👏❤️x
Glad you enjoyed it
..always good to see another semi quiet way to break up them rocks..lol.. good one, keep safe..
That was a great vid Dave.
Thanks for tuning in again.
There is nothing I like more than watching hydraulic pressure split rock, Dave how psi does the splitting machine produce?
about 8500 PSI Hank.
You know, Dave, it would be really cool if you could put a microphone up tight to the surface of a rock that was being split with plug and feathers, so we could here the sound a big piece of stone makes as it breaks. Just an idea.
Interesting thought MLP, a geophone like we use when doing seismic refraction surveys would be easy to tightly attach. Another thing that I have been thinking about is making a break out lead so that I can extract the signal from the Three axis geophone that connects to my blast vibration logger, I could probably use the laptop sound card to capture it and dub that audio onto the video of the rock tearing, that would be way cool!!! Another interesting thing that I have found is that when you split rock using an expanding chemical cracking agent, the rock tears in slow motion, if you take a drill rod and press it against the rock and your ear load you can clearly hear the action.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast I don't know what your geophone looks like, or how hard it would be to record from, but in the audio world I would use a contact microphone.
Often used to record string instruments, pianos, etc
Amazon has them for a few bucks apiece, basically a piezo disc with a plug on a wire.
I would probably epoxy it to a stiff metal plate, and then you can stick the plate to the rock with some 5 minute epoxy for good sound conduction.
Would be interesting to do this on a blasting job, maybe stick it on a rock some distance away and bury it so you are mainly getting the ground shock.
Ive use the 16mm plug and feathers on limestone a lot and the sound the rock makes as its about to crack is really weird. You can hear it creaking and groaning and then pop. Its scary how easy it is to pop even large boulders with enough of them and SDS drill.
Gorgeous granite and yes slabbing it would be nice again hello from Lightning Ridge,just question would the harmonics from the hammer on the manual splitting have an effect on the rock and the outcome or is it just the spreaders that are finding a line?
I don't think the hammer action has any effect Sil.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Thanks for the reply just a thought,I have often wondered when mining the shin cracker up here,I have found a smaller hammer tends to shift more of the silcrete (natures concrete) than my larger hammer
Just a suggestion, have you ever considered dry graphite spray because it does not attract dirt and is very slick on the breakers????????????
No... good idea.
Awesome job Dave
Thanks Frank.
The new Hydraulic splitter works well.
Thought that big rock was not going to give with the old manual splitters.
I normally would not ask that of them... but I have seen over people do it.
I'm wondering that hose connected at the bottom of the drill. Is it blowing the dust away or vacuuming it up thanks.
It is sucking it all up.
Great stuff , I still like the mash hammer - there's nothing like the personal touch for satisfaction .
That was a technical job.
I'm a technical person...
Way cool old and new school ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks for watching Kelly
To me there is nothing better than seeing rocks or boulders split by wedge and butterfly's. Sometimes the old way is the best.
Nice job Dave, I hope that granite goes to get sawn and polished and not just got to the crusher, it's too mice to end up on a driveway.
I understand that these bits have a bright future ahead Robert.
How do you decide which side of the rock to drill? Is there a grain to the stone?
No grain in Granite, I just drill into the easiest side to access James.
Great job Dave alway interesting 🇦🇺👍
Thanks for watching Kerry, just slapped this video together in a big hurry.
Again, Would love to have your job...
G'day Dave very cool video mate
Thanks ML
As you work with granite, I'd be interested to hear what you have to say about the unfinished obelisk at Aswan in Egypt. The tool marks are all still present and visible.
Is that the one that they walked away from when it cracked in the wrong place?
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Yes it is. I try to figure out how they planned on finishing the job....somehow the bottom had to be cut to remove it.
That was so cool.👏🏻👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I love this tool Grumpy.
How long does it take to drill one hole in the granite?
a regular 35mm x 600mm hole in this granite takes about 90 seconds with a hand drill. These holes were 48mm, probably took about the same time with this little drill rig.
Leave as it is. A nice looking stone park. I have heard that people like those when they are upside down.
Not an option Olli, they had to be moved.
Dave, why would you choose to use hydraulic splitting (mechanical) vs expansion material splitting? Serious question as I am curious. Holes have to be drilled for both, right? Are mechanical hydraulics just quicker for results?
TG, when breaking over size rocks like these, I think that the regular large jackhammer driven plugs and feathers are probably just as effective, however, when trying to bust a piece off a much larger rock that will not necessarily break all of the way through you can drive them in all of the way and a crack opens up but remains extremely tight and you then spend a lot of time trying to get them out. With the hydraulic unit you just change the lever to withdraw position.
"Give it a crack" hehe! Only easy because the mini carries the drill rig! That combination must be the best thing since sliced bread, there are a lot of holes on this job. :) Are access and cost to haul itthe main things that make it unsuitable for many jobs?
Yes, both those reasons, and for short holes it is no faster because of the longer between hole set up time. I really wanted it for this job because there are 48mm holes and many holes at angles = murder with a hand drill. also very important that the holes are very strait as wonky holes break feathers and wedges.
Hey feathers and wedges! Love it.
Yeah... Big ones!
Dave do you know what force the splitters are able to exert? I imagine the wedge and feathers must be able to apply almost as much force as the hydraulic splitters, but not 'as' much seeing as you need more of them. Do you know how far back the wedge and feathers go? How long masons have been using them? I'm guessing that grease comes from China. We like to take the rise out of them, but the simple fact is that I am better equipped in my retirement than I was when I worked for a huge international company (Ford Motor Co). The only Starrett, Brown & Sharp, Mitutoyo type tools I own are up to 50 years old, while all my new stuff comes from China, and it mostly works just fine.
Hi Trevor I can tell you that the hydraulic pressure is 8800 PSI and that the Egyptians used wedge and feathers.
7.45..... that is so satisfying watching it crack
👍🏻👍🏻
Is that grease anything special or can you just use any product? I know a company in the USA called shaeffers that sells a grease called chisel paste. They say “specifically formulated for use in hydraulic hammer, breaker and chisel applications.” Might be something you would be interested in?
I'm still trying to discern what the best grease would be FF It needs to be some extreme pressure stuff.
Darda grease is zinc based and made to take The 300ton pressure between The surfaces... Not like that axle grease you got with those splitters.. But it costs 50€/kg... You should run The Centre Part out fully once a while when you grease it..
I'm trying to get hold of some of that stuff, I understand that Darda buy it from Castrol, repackage it and put a zero on the price Castrol type M or something??
Have you ever tried splitting a rock with wood dowel rods and water? That would be a interesting experiment. The other old slow method is holes filled with water and frozen, which we know is not possible in your part of the world.
I can't imagine that expanding wood has a lot of pressure available, I hear that it does work though.
Large rocks wud make a cool fence
especially if you lived at the end of a steep road
stop any cars / trucks running into yur House 💥
wonder how much transporting this size rocks wud be $
transport cost is significant.
Is this equipment easy to use?
Yes, drilling the large diameter hole (48mm) is very difficult if you have to use a hand drill and not a machine mounted drill. I know I was hand drilling holes today for this splitter.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Do you think it is easy to use darda?
Yes
Every time you tap the feathers I keep thinking of John Henry
Did you make the drill rig
A good friend of mine did.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast I am a Stonemason in UK, trying to look after my arms. Is there any way you could show how this was made in a video, or just explain, by email, etc. It would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards
There is this video that I made for a guy some time back, mainly deals with the hydraulic system on the mast. ruclips.net/video/RfrTx2YDeaI/видео.html for more info, email me dave at demolitiondave dot com dot au
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Thank you so much Dave. Much appreciated. I'll watch this and will be in touch. Regards, Gwyn
12:35 : the bengladesh technologie !! Off course it works, but it's not realy effortless technique.
More seriously, doesn't exist a other technique to do holes in this granite, water jet or diamons drills with water, diamons hole saw, or other with less dust and noice ? Maybe too expensive, too long, i don't know.
Thank you for the vidéo.
You could make these holes with a diamond core drill but it is very slow by comparison and the consumption rate of the cutting faces is way way more expensive.
must be satisfying to do it by hand once in a while
who makes your excavator mounted rock drill? thanks in advance!
My friend Mike the gunsmith from Portland Oregon made it.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast I didn't expect a reply to this, and here I am a year later looking again, thank you so much!
The effort is setting up
Set up and pack up is a big part of my job LJ.
A tool for every job - but it all comes down to 'know how'!
In my job, if it does not go the way you want then you almost always get to have a second shot at it, but rocket science it is not Craig.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast May not be rocket science but it is ROCK science!
Have you ever been hired to use this method to make stone blocks for historic buildings or monuments?
Not yet.
Dave, are you using a lithium based grease? Something like an EP2.
No, just the crappy grease it came with and my own red grease at this stage, looking for recommendations.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Try Castrol SPHEEROL EPL 2 or SPHEEROL LMM, Valvoline Multi-Purpose Grease and Penrite MOLYGREASE EP 3%. If you're looking off brand then the grease needs to be lithum based and NLGI 2 thickness. Hope this helps.
@@tda2806 Thanks Tim, I'm trying to find out where I can locally get the grease that is supplied for the Darda Splitter ( the one everybody copies) this grease looks to be a white colour.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Dave, thanks for that snippet of information regarding the colour and the manufacturer of the original unit yours is styled on. A white colour indicates a high zinc content and the hazard data sheet on Darda's own grease confirms this. I did some googling and an American user of Darda equipment is using Castrol Molub-Alloy Paste White T as a cheaper alternative to Darda's own grease.
@Tim Allan No luck for me trying to find any Castrol Molub-Alloy Paste White T as yet, this is also the answer that I cam up with.
Just curious, why the splitter as opposed to using a jackhammer attachment on an excavator?
A jack hammer on an excavator won't touch this stuff, just ruin the point real quick Sara.
The first time I saw you use a pair of hydraulic splitter I had no idea how they worked. Imagine my surprise when I learned that they are nothing more than plugs and feathers on steroids. Once again we have proof that the old ways are the better ways.
Plugs and feathers on steroids, for sure.
Used the splitter to take out tights
Fun tool
Is that what you would call a quite day 😄😄
There were no bangs John but the drilling is anything but quiet.
What depth do you have to drill to use the Hydraulic splitters?
650mm for this one Dennis, I was deliberately drilling a bit deeper.
Dave, been meaning to ask a question about hole placement....I’ve noticed that you drill holes in a square grid pattern. Is there ever a need or reason to drill in a staggered pattern?
A staggered pattern will give slightly better fragmentation for the same load rate.
Quiet here too.
They look like the same splitters we use.
These ones were made by ProDrill.
98% of the job is having the drilling tool to quickly drill the holes, the other 2% is where you have the fun!
That's it, and being from New Hampshire, I'm sure that you would know Bob.
How did you get into this trade? My brother is a landscaper in vic and might your services
I had the urge to work with explosives from a very young age Jim. please share my channel with your brother, I do a lot of work with landscapers.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast I will mate
Id have sent the daughter out there with a small chisel n carpenters hammer..... 'come back when your finished' kind of thing...... i do believe i will cop it later. 😁
Your evil.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast i enjoy baiting..... its a bad trait.
That Granite would be worth a zillion dollars here in New Zealand as Gravestones!
I was in South Island a few years ago... and of course I do look at the rocks... and did not see any granite at all TTK. Do you have any??
We do not - as far as I know. Most of New Zealand was formed from marine sediments that were scraped off the top of the Pacific plate as it slid under the Zealandia plate, e.g. blue and yellow clays, sandstones and mudstones. There are some volcanic materials - mostly ash and pumice, but no lava so no basalt or granite. There are a couple of places in the South Island that formed from bits of the Australian plate, so have harder stones like Gneiss and Schists. Obtaining hard rock is nearly impossible, so all our gravel is crushed Greywacke (sandstone).
@@tutekohe1361 I did see some hardish looking grey rock around the North of South Island, interesting formations that had been worn by water and ice. Yes I did take pictures of them.
From the “Bible of Blasting”.
“And Lo, Dave came down to the site with his Hydraulic Leaves, and Fissures were spread amongst the rocks, which didst roll away. Hollowed be thy ground.”
Failing that I would then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it.'
yes they would be nice as granite bench tops , polish them for a beutifull look, maybe you could sell them to the right person .
The problem is Paul that granite come in from India, cut and polished for less than the cost of extracting it here.
Nice!!!!!!
💣👍🏻👍🏻
It must feel like a day off when you use the machine to drill.
For sure TOM!
Playing the plug and feather piano! needed a little tuning! LOL
👍👍👍
Thanks for tuning in Baron3D
g'day Dave ya splitter.
monty python humor lol
After much consideration, I can't place that expression Amanda.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast watch the following clip on RUclips for the reference:
Life of Brian - The People's Front of Judea
it's used as a derogative in the movie, but it must be a UK term as it make no sense to me.
i was just being silly
no kaboom still very interesting and enjoyable. i would enjoy the show if you were just cracking peanuts.
There was going to be a big boom this week but job got postponed.
Darn, I had hoped you'd blast them to flinders
Would have been quicker TF.
Cracked open all those Rock Eggs and didn't find one Rock Monster in any of them :)
In 99% of cases of metal to metal contact any grease is definitely better than no grease. You need to watch out for stuff with brass/bronze and compatability. But for steel vs. steel, run the best grease you got.
Yeah, looking for recommendations, molybdenum? Lithium?
Hi Dave if you used soap as a lubricant that would make it a soap opera
Not sure but it should be a clean sound.
Why greas and not oil?
It's strange that the places that have rock don't want it. The places that don't have rock want it and will pay a premium for it.
Why crack them? Why not just cut slabs off of them straight away?
Cut slabs off them.... great idea. How we going to do that?
How are you going to do anything with the big chunks you bucked off? How are you going to do anything with anything? 🤷🏻♂️🧐
They just had to be reduced in size so that the could be easily lifted into a truck with the equipment that was available.
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast ah I see thanks for the details
wedge and feathers!
The hydraulic splitter deff does the job, but not as musical as the old style plugs & feathers!
Did a little quick math. 100,000 kilos of splitting force?
Around 300 Tonnes per splitter.
Imagine doing that 3,000 years ago for King Rameses
almost thought the music was goanna solid rock
Back in the early days of RUclips I could have used that.
More valuable unsplit in the US
👍👍
David some 3/16 or 1/4" cable! a slurry of silicon carbide abrasive, a reducer, with an AC motor and bingo you're a stone cutter bubba! lol Off course there's a learning curve but you got this right?
Diamond wire sawing might well be my next offering to the market. Thanks for watching Ronnie.
Old historical way to break rocks is to split them.
Time consuming splitting those boulders got it done.
And then another guys turns up and says that he would have preferred to take them them just as they were....
@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Never fails can't please everybody lol