Making little ones out of big ones

[bluedog225]

These are left over from the slab pour. 6000 psi. Been putting off dealing with them. It’s time.

The idea is to break them up into manageable chunks, put on the dolly, and haul them through the woods to the creek about 100 yards away. That’s the idea.

Used to be the 16 lb sledge was my fav. Been many years since I picked it up.

15 min (ok…10 min) and I’m done. Like ditch digging, best to ease into it. Crazy how much it shoots concrete at you. I had to put on a face shield.

I thought wrong that it might be a lot easier with no rebar.

After wailing on it for a while, I got a couple of big breaks in the long one.

The round one is shaped like a big contact lens. It’s utterly solid and rings like a bell when hit. Completely indifferent to my efforts.

I’m not much interested in spending the money for a jackhammer for this little job. I’ve got a one inch bit and a bosch that does pretty well with this concrete. I could probably sink 4-5 holes in 15 minutes. Anybody know the specifics for drilling a hole and breaking it apart with a dowel?


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[JayInOz]

Keep hitting it in the same spot. Couple of whacks with the flat face of the sledge- listen for changes. If nothing happens hit it repeatedly with an edge and chip out a weakness then back to the hammer face. You don't have to hit it as hard as you can, and relax your grip as it makes contact- hammer head doing all the work, not muscle. After you get it all broken up and dragged off to the creek, you'll think of three jobs where those chunks would have been great for fill or packing I tend to pile it out of the way somewhere for later projects. JayInOz

[David G]

You've finally found your place in life... the Chain Gang!!! <G>

[StevenBauer]

Look up “feathers and wedges”. It’s how we break granite here in New England.

[Chris Woodward]

https://www.milessupply.com/product/...rs-and-wedges/

[Ron Williamson]

The soft ground under it will be absorbing some of your energy.
Get a fulcrum/ load point under it to concentrate the force and turn your compressive load (good for concrete,bad for you)into a tensile load( bad for concrete,good for you).
R

[StevenBauer]

The traditional tool for drilling the holes for the feather and wedges is a Star Drill.

[bluedog225]

Pretty cool. Thanks.

I was confused when Amazon pulled this up. It’s not even a wedge.

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[bluedog225]

Agreed Ron. Though that may be easier said than done. It is sitting on some nice soft ground. Not helping.

[JayInOz]

Soft ground isn't a problem- it's how you hit it. I have busted a lot of concrete and knapped a lot of rock. Technique more than brute force. Direction of the blow. Turn the chunk over and it may present you with an obvious place to hit it. Try yelling at it- sometimes that helps

[bluedog225]

Turn it over….you overestimate me.

[cathouse willy]

Dig a deep hole beside it and push it in, saves hauling it.

[JayInOz]

You under estimate yourself Dawg I could turn that chunk into twenty pieces in thirty seconds and I'm an old fart Dad and I worked together putting a road through rough country on the farm once. Sledgehammers and axes. I'd be swinging a twelve pound sledge for half an hour at a time and then pick up a four pound axe to chop down a sapling and the axe would feel so light that you'd reckon the head had come off it Mind you I was a lot fitter then- and half a century younger JayInOz

[Tom from Rubicon]

Dig a deep hole beside it and push it in, saves hauling it.

I have done that, giving future archeologists something to ponder.
My Grandad Elmer, would go to the hardware store and buy a box of dynamite. I still have an empty box we save photos in.
Feather wedges work well but the holes for the wedges you need a hammer drill.

[L.A Marche]

I’m concerned about your disposal plans, dumping it in a creek can’t be environmentally friendly.

[Jim Bow]

I’m concerned about your disposal plans, dumping it in a creek can’t be environmentally friendly.

I assumed he was going to put it beside the creek. Up here they call it riprap. Erosion control.

[willin woodworks]

6000lb concrete? what did you pour that required 6000lb mix? You building a bomb shelter?
Breaking it manually is gonna be a project. Rent an electric jack hammer.