Best method of breaking Limestones?

[mart]

I have some limestone at the bottom of my back garden that I need to move. They are too heavy for me to roll without great effort-very dense material.

Unlike sandstone, you cannot just smash them with a sledge hammer and watch as they fall apart. You also feel the shock up the handle.

I thought about drilling a row of holes up the middle of each piece using the Makita and various dia sds masonry bits, but it is hard material. Would still need to give the stone a wack after drilling.

I got thinking about the method that was apparently used years ago. Large areas of rock/limestone was heated with fires then rapidly quenched with water. This would crack the rock. Bit of a faff doing the fire/water method I think. Would need to workout how to get the rock on top of the fire area.

Any other suggestions how to break them?

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

If he can do it....

 

[addjunkie]

Micro digger and just move them in one piece!

 

[8ob]

Put the stones on ebay, buyer collects

Bob

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Look for natural fault lines, or frost lines. Drill a series of holes.
Do not drill any at end of crack/line. But just after it.
Work a wide bolster chisel into the line. Then with a thick masonry cold chisel, alongside the bolster strike hard.

It will let go.

Or if time on your hands. drill holes along the fault line and fill with vinegar.

Or if possible. Build a fire all round the block, get it hot and then cool rapidly with water, vinegar or stale wine. (Note, elephants may be needed)

Hire a breaker for a Saturday.

Or as suggested advertise them, free to collector.



You can buy hammers with shock absorbers on the handles.


All of the above I have done.

 

[pedrobedro]

If they are big enough hire a breaker and a point and a chisel. I had a thick concrete path on the back garden and hired one for the weekend thinking it was a big job. I decided to just "have a go" when I got it home and 4 hours later the job was done and I had to look for other stuff to break up just for fun.

 

[clift_d]

You need to use something like Dexpan or Dynacem. These products are expanding mortars - you drill a network of vertical holes in the rock / concrete you want to remove, mix up the mortar and then pour it into the holes, and then as it sets it expands and splits the surrounding material.

 

[mart]

If he can do it....

Good idea.

 

[mart]

Look for natural fault lines, or frost lines. Drill a series of holes.
Do not drill any at end of crack/line. But just after it.
Work a wide bolster chisel into the line. Then with a thick masonry cold chisel, alongside the bolster strike hard.

It will let go.
Or if time on your hands. drill holes along the fault line and fill with vinegar.

Or if possible. Build a fire all round the block, get it hot and then cool rapidly with water, vinegar or stale wine. (Note, elephants may be needed)

Hire a breaker for a Saturday.

Or as suggested advertise them, free to collector.

You can buy hammers with shock absorbers on the handles.

All of the above I have done.

Thanks. (I'll probably be able to remember what to do without the elephants).

 

[bigegg]

I use a set of sack wheels to move big lumps of sandstone about - 18" -2ft lumps so about 100-200kgs?

Or one of those flat plastic sledges?

Mind you, if you can get hold of an elephant to wee on the hot rocks, why not get it to move the rocks?

 

[AndersK]

Drill and whack down wedges

Drill and use expanding powder from Hitachi building solutions (don't know the UK trade name). Have broken huge iron ore rocks with just a few holes using that.

Cut a slot with 230 mm diamond blade and a good whack with a BFH