Stone splitting/cutting is alive and well... there is a strong resurgence of drystone walling and this method gets a lot of us. Maybe not as much for building blocks... there is a group out in Rockport, MA that is doing a lot of hand splitting... Rockport Granite. Thanks for the comment!
that's just so amazing. I wonder if anyone has ever calculated the sideways force that the wedge exert on the rock to break it like that. I wonder if oiling the feathers makes any difference.
Here's my story of splitting sandstone boulders in eastern KY: One of my fields had 2 large boulders; one about 3 feet thick and other about 2 feet. Both had a diameter of a large car hood. I only wanted to break them small enough so I could handle them with my tractor and place on creek bank for erosion control. I searched out how to break them without using explosives or renting large equipment. This is where the feathers and wedges came in. Never heard of it before!!! I thought I'd try this out, ordered some, drilled the holes and put them in place. I was thinking the whole time--what a waste; there is no way this will work. Much to my suprise and very little effort--they where split. Easiest thing I have ever done with rocks!!!
Сверлить отверстия под перья и клинья не нужно было ! Достаточно было засверлить углубления на глубину 100-150 миллиметров и вставить в них перья и клинья . Результат был бы точно такой же ! Из Сибири с уважением,Владимир Мой город - Нижневартовск - Nizhnevartovsk !
DuckHill Workshop it is pretty cool...almost as cool as opening up a big log and seeing the grain for the first time! We’re going to need a big beer can for that drill when we use it to spin it!
Totally love this process of working with stone... as long as iron and stone work has been done, feather and wedges have been used! Have you ever split a stone using this method? *SUBSCRIBE for more stone and wood working videos: **th-cam.com/channels/FhAtPA-2EM-cHTyZZGVZrQ.html*
Hi! Can you explain the rationale behind tilting in the angle of the outermost holes? Having cut a bit of stone myself, it sort of makes sense now that I see it, but I'm curious why you do it.
I try to align the holes perpendicular to the larger mass of the Stone. Maybe some angle in helps with centering the mass. Thanks for the question! What are your thoughts? Best to you.
By the way, what are your thoughts on using water while drilling? I've seen people do it......but I have no idea of the pros and cons of it. (I would assume one big pro is cooling the bit.)
if you are working in a climate-controlled space doing production work that could be helpful with cooling, but probably more importantly controlling silica dust. Water would add a couple of steps to the process, especially the need to wash and dry each stone. It was winter time when I started working on the boulders… would have had some freezing water issues here. Water is used in cutting and finishing stone in production shops all the time. Thanks for the question.
We have some land that is littered with erratics and I fear it will be my retirement..... splitting stone. My question to you is equipment. Drill Bit's - How long do they last? How many holes can you drill before you have to replace the drill Bit? What type of Drill Bit should one use? Drill - Best type or attributes to look for? I'd like to deal with the stones in place instead of hauling them off to a central location. Would Electric Drill and Generator be best or Pneumatic drill with compressor setup be best, all put on a trailer and dragged around to where it needs to be? My goal is to break down the erratics as I find them, inventory the cut stone until I've enough volume to undergo a project using them. Knowing what I'm getting into on a cost basis would help.
Tell me how you can continuously drill a granite boulder without mushrooming the bit? I have an SDS rotary hammer drill (not a Hilti) 950 rpm and I am constantly melting the end of the bits and that is with spraying the bit every 15-30 sec with water to cool it. At times I see sparks coming out of the drill hole as if I hit rebar.
Trust me... I've burned out my share of bits... My guess in this case it that this rock was split in the middle of the winter here in Minnesota. It's a frozen piece of granite. I didn't take a reading, but I'm guessing that rock is only 20 degrees F and I try to let the bit do the work. Not over applying pressure. As of late I've been using @DiabloTools Rebar Demon with great results. Cheers!!
Would it be possible to find out the brand or at least the type of drill bits you use. Am I right in assuming that a regular concrete bit will not do the job. Thank you.
Nothing special for bits... however I like the bits made for concrete and rebar. they have four carbide cutting heads and are a little harder. seem to work better... having multiple bits and changing them out every dozen holes or so helps... the cooler you can keep them the longer they last... but, remeber you are drilling in granite so you will go through bits... best so far is the Dewalt SDS Max High Impact Carbide and looking forward to trying the Rebar Demon from Diablo... thanks for the question
These rocks were boulder cutoffs so the splits could be achieved closer to the edge. I'm trying to make 8x8" block for a project so yes you are correct. If I was starting on a fresh larger boulder I would start the line a least a third of the way from the edge... and trace the rock all the way around. thanks for the question!
the time lapse vid really extenuates the movement... not too bad when working on it. I do block the stone sometimes with other stones and wood. thanks for the comment!
I tried this method today on two different boulders. Pretty big ones. I drilled deep holes. Both stones just chipped in several places, didn't crack like I thought it would but just chipped on the surface :( what did I do wrong?
a couple things come to mind... holes only need to be as deep as wedges. sometimes wedges are too small for the split. sometimes not enough wholes for the split. different stone splits different... start on smaller boulders and work up in size. Tracing the stone is important as it introduces the micro cracks the split follows. I've also found that splitting the mass of the boulder in half works the best, I'm gussing equal pressures and tension. I've had a couple boulders do that and it can be disappointing, but keep at it!
@@WorkshopatTheGardens okey! I wasn't going to use it for anything. I just want it out of my lawn and the 8 tonne excavator I borrowed couldn't move it so it's pretty stuck in there. I bought pretty small (16mm) wedges because that's the biggest drill my makita can handle.. could that be part of the issue? Also, could I have been rushing it when hammering and ruining the cracking process?
@@Slisktord A couple things. Tracing is important if quality of split is important. Stone will still split hole to hole just not in a straight line. When splitting boulders try to find the hardest area available to drill you want wedges to work against the hardest area possible to get maximum effect Lastly we allow 1 sq ft of material to be split with each 3/4 ' wedge and 1/2 sq ft of material for each 1/2 "wedge Go to instagram and enter rockportcutgranite to see how granite is split . Process is similar and some info may help
@@Slisktord I just finished up a similar project to the one you're describing. The boulder I was breaking down had an inch or two of sandstone-like outer shell. I found that if I could chisel away about a 2"x2" square down to the harder inner rock, the surrounding rock won't chip out and I'd get a clean cut. You'll know you're to the harder inner material when you start getting whitish tool marks and it will be a little painful to hit the chisel with a hammer. After making a few dozen cuts with similar wedges to the one's you're probably using (the $20 for 7 sets ebay variety?), I settled on about a 4" spacing. Close spacing made a huge difference. When I started off with maybe a 10-12" spacing and didn't clean away the surrounding softer stone, it didn't work and I had the same chipping problem.
@@AaronEB good tip about the closer spacing! Will definitely try that the next time. We don't have sandstone here, like 80% is granite and similar rock. Hmm don't know what wedges that is but mine were 15$ each and looks pretty high quality, but they're small.
It's amazing all the granite that's been hewn BEFORE backhoes, trucks and power tools. The labor involved...
one of the basic materials that has been used since the beginning and will be here long after were gone... Cheers!
I love the sound of stone when it starts cracking . It's unique 🙂
it's the best... so rewarding! Cheers!
Hello there Henry Wilson here. That was a good split. The hammer makes all the difference.
I live south of Boston. I see many blocks with the marks of this method of stone cutting. Thanks for keeeping this old craft alive.
Stone splitting/cutting is alive and well... there is a strong resurgence of drystone walling and this method gets a lot of us. Maybe not as much for building blocks... there is a group out in Rockport, MA that is doing a lot of hand splitting... Rockport Granite. Thanks for the comment!
So cool watching people do things the old school way right on brother
thank you... I love the process and the results! Cheers!
that's just so amazing. I wonder if anyone has ever calculated the sideways force that the wedge exert on the rock to break it like that. I wonder if oiling the feathers makes any difference.
Перья никто не смазывает !
Here's my story of splitting sandstone boulders in eastern KY: One of my fields had 2 large boulders; one about 3 feet thick and other about 2 feet. Both had a diameter of a large car hood. I only wanted to break them small enough so I could handle them with my tractor and place on creek bank for erosion control. I searched out how to break them without using explosives or renting large equipment. This is where the feathers and wedges came in. Never heard of it before!!! I thought I'd try this out, ordered some, drilled the holes and put them in place. I was thinking the whole time--what a waste; there is no way this will work. Much to my suprise and very little effort--they where split. Easiest thing I have ever done with rocks!!!
Сверлить отверстия под перья
и клинья не нужно было !
Достаточно было засверлить
углубления на глубину 100-150
миллиметров и вставить в них
перья и клинья . Результат
был бы точно такой же !
Из Сибири с уважением,Владимир
Мой город - Нижневартовск -
Nizhnevartovsk !
I can't get away from these stone cracking videos
they are even more fun to make....
That's so freaking cool to watch the stone crack! I can't wait to see it finished
DuckHill Workshop it is pretty cool...almost as cool as opening up a big log and seeing the grain for the first time! We’re going to need a big beer can for that drill when we use it to spin it!
DuckHill Workshop yep, the first time I saw stone splitting I was hooked... you’ll have time to wait, this is going to be a long project...
Glenn Switzer I’m sure we can empty a pony keg
A pony keg it is!
@@WorkshopatTheGardens Still waiting...
I must be weird because this sort of thing is asmr to me
then you should give it a go... very rewarding...
@@WorkshopatTheGardens I'm not fit enough to do it
Thanks for sharing, i´m gonna start my cabin construction and there are this nice rocks that may end up as part of my stairs : )
that sounds like a wonderful project! thanks for checking the video out!
Good Luck, keep all your joints full with sand and Portland Cement, Our Forefathers did, unless your drystacking.
Masonry Plus
Florida
Great vid, thanks. Have you tried creating 1 or 2 inch slabs from one stone?
I like that hilti I got one myself didnt like the price though.
it's worth it in the end... a lot less operator fatigue. Cheers!
Believe it or not whoever's watching this is how in the 17 and 1800s and some people in the early 1900s used to make the foundations for their house
Hi , finally I see someone cutting granite with an electric drill !
Please :
What is the bit diameter ?
How much power has the drill ?
1/2" or 13mm diameter
8 to 12 amps drill
the direction of breaking is facilitated by cleavage in minerals produced by ancient stresses suffered by the rock (plate tectonics).
hi, nice video. I have both 5/8" and 9/11" wedges, what size drill bits should I use?
I always aim for about an 1/8 of an inch larger hole then feathers...
Totally love this process of working with stone... as long as iron and stone work has been done, feather and wedges have been used! Have you ever split a stone using this method? *SUBSCRIBE for more stone and wood working videos: **th-cam.com/channels/FhAtPA-2EM-cHTyZZGVZrQ.html*
Is it possible to cut steps into a granite outcrop? I have a yard full of ledge and I would love to be able to cut steps into the ledge. Thanks!
It is... search rockportcutgranite on Instagram and they quarry granite... you may get some good ideas on how to work in the ledge. Thanks
Hi! Can you explain the rationale behind tilting in the angle of the outermost holes? Having cut a bit of stone myself, it sort of makes sense now that I see it, but I'm curious why you do it.
I try to align the holes perpendicular to the larger mass of the Stone. Maybe some angle in helps with centering the mass. Thanks for the question! What are your thoughts? Best to you.
By the way, what are your thoughts on using water while drilling? I've seen people do it......but I have no idea of the pros and cons of it. (I would assume one big pro is cooling the bit.)
if you are working in a climate-controlled space doing production work that could be helpful with cooling, but probably more importantly controlling silica dust. Water would add a couple of steps to the process, especially the need to wash and dry each stone. It was winter time when I started working on the boulders… would have had some freezing water issues here. Water is used in cutting and finishing stone in production shops all the time. Thanks for the question.
You mean... these don't actually get split with a single, well-placed karaté chop?! I'm devastated.
We have some land that is littered with erratics and I fear it will be my retirement..... splitting stone.
My question to you is equipment.
Drill Bit's - How long do they last? How many holes can you drill before you have to replace the drill Bit? What type of Drill Bit should one use?
Drill - Best type or attributes to look for?
I'd like to deal with the stones in place instead of hauling them off to a central location. Would Electric Drill and Generator be best or Pneumatic drill with compressor setup be best, all put on a trailer and dragged around to where it needs to be?
My goal is to break down the erratics as I find them, inventory the cut stone until I've enough volume to undergo a project using them. Knowing what I'm getting into on a cost basis would help.
How much to thin splitting granite?
priceless... I only produce for my own use.
Tell me how you can continuously drill a granite boulder without mushrooming the bit? I have an SDS rotary hammer drill (not a Hilti) 950 rpm and I am constantly melting the end of the bits and that is with spraying the bit every 15-30 sec with water to cool it. At times I see sparks coming out of the drill hole as if I hit rebar.
Trust me... I've burned out my share of bits... My guess in this case it that this rock was split in the middle of the winter here in Minnesota. It's a frozen piece of granite. I didn't take a reading, but I'm guessing that rock is only 20 degrees F and I try to let the bit do the work. Not over applying pressure. As of late I've been using @DiabloTools Rebar Demon with great results. Cheers!!
Would it be possible to find out the brand or at least the type of drill bits you use. Am I right in assuming that a regular concrete bit will not do the job. Thank you.
Nothing special for bits... however I like the bits made for concrete and rebar. they have four carbide cutting heads and are a little harder. seem to work better... having multiple bits and changing them out every dozen holes or so helps... the cooler you can keep them the longer they last... but, remeber you are drilling in granite so you will go through bits... best so far is the Dewalt SDS Max High Impact Carbide and looking forward to trying the Rebar Demon from Diablo... thanks for the question
Gotta love the Hilti for that kinda thing. I have heard the feathers and wedges work better w a little lube. What doesn’t? ha
Lube the wedge. Just a little. Never lube the outer edge of the feather.
it may be.. I haven't needed to do that
As far as "other things" needing lube, yes. As far as cheap F&W's, no need to lube, just makes a mess !
Bro I need this machine how mutch
they are nice tools... ask the google.
what kind of row spacing would you recommend (for a big rock)? The edge distance here (for the first row) looks to be 8".
These rocks were boulder cutoffs so the splits could be achieved closer to the edge. I'm trying to make 8x8" block for a project so yes you are correct. If I was starting on a fresh larger boulder I would start the line a least a third of the way from the edge... and trace the rock all the way around. thanks for the question!
thanks for the info
Hi. You have power and pneumatics, but you don't have two any pieces of any wood to make the stone not to quake or shake. That's so weird
the time lapse vid really extenuates the movement... not too bad when working on it. I do block the stone sometimes with other stones and wood. thanks for the comment!
Machine name?
I tried this method today on two different boulders. Pretty big ones. I drilled deep holes. Both stones just chipped in several places, didn't crack like I thought it would but just chipped on the surface :( what did I do wrong?
a couple things come to mind... holes only need to be as deep as wedges. sometimes wedges are too small for the split. sometimes not enough wholes for the split. different stone splits different... start on smaller boulders and work up in size. Tracing the stone is important as it introduces the micro cracks the split follows. I've also found that splitting the mass of the boulder in half works the best, I'm gussing equal pressures and tension. I've had a couple boulders do that and it can be disappointing, but keep at it!
@@WorkshopatTheGardens okey! I wasn't going to use it for anything. I just want it out of my lawn and the 8 tonne excavator I borrowed couldn't move it so it's pretty stuck in there. I bought pretty small (16mm) wedges because that's the biggest drill my makita can handle.. could that be part of the issue? Also, could I have been rushing it when hammering and ruining the cracking process?
@@Slisktord A couple things. Tracing is important if quality of split is important. Stone will still split hole to hole just not in a straight line. When splitting boulders try to find the hardest area available to drill you want wedges to work against the hardest area possible to get maximum effect Lastly we allow 1 sq ft of material to be split with each 3/4 ' wedge and 1/2 sq ft of material for each 1/2 "wedge Go to instagram and enter rockportcutgranite to see how granite is split . Process is similar and some info may help
@@Slisktord I just finished up a similar project to the one you're describing. The boulder I was breaking down had an inch or two of sandstone-like outer shell. I found that if I could chisel away about a 2"x2" square down to the harder inner rock, the surrounding rock won't chip out and I'd get a clean cut. You'll know you're to the harder inner material when you start getting whitish tool marks and it will be a little painful to hit the chisel with a hammer. After making a few dozen cuts with similar wedges to the one's you're probably using (the $20 for 7 sets ebay variety?), I settled on about a 4" spacing. Close spacing made a huge difference. When I started off with maybe a 10-12" spacing and didn't clean away the surrounding softer stone, it didn't work and I had the same chipping problem.
@@AaronEB good tip about the closer spacing! Will definitely try that the next time.
We don't have sandstone here, like 80% is granite and similar rock. Hmm don't know what wedges that is but mine were 15$ each and looks pretty high quality, but they're small.
I want working tools
Get them one at a time... by quality and take care of them! Thanks!!
jm
Nah not menly enough he use drill and other tech stuff like ruller and all that..
it is what it is...