Concrete or Rock Removal for Ladies---- or for guys who don't like jackhammers and can't get their hands on a case of dynamite.
Note while this is extremely safe, it is extremely effective. Know what you are doing -- used improperly it could remove something you don't want to remove --- like --- I wanted to make a doorway in the basement but didn't make a relief gap and now my basement wall is destroyed.
Used with thought though, you can now do things you never thought you could. Thanks to my friend, Sparky, for telling me about this.
http://www.archerusa.com/Product_Dexpan_En1.html
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(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000BRPHQ4.01-AUZOTU9B1V1K5._SS400_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1129413336_.jpg)(http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000BRPHQ4.01-AUZOTU9B1V1K5.PT08._SS400_SCLZZZZZZZ_V1129413336_.jpg)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BRPHQ4/ref=olp_product_details/104-1018554-5367917?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=228013
Thanks for that link Glenn. I'm thinking about removing some rock but explosives don't seem to offer enough control and would probably be a bureaucratic nightware because of environmental concerns. I was looking at the Boulder Buster and Magnum Buster http://www.magnumbuster.com/, but they're expensive to buy (~ $5000) and I couldn't find a place that rented them. They use a cartridge the size of a shotgun's to send a shock wave through the rock.
Of course there's always the hard way...
(http://darkfrontier.us/hammer/tn_E2004-0215_1400_JPG.jpg)
(http://darkfrontier.us/hammer/tn_E2004-0215_1401_JPG.jpg)
(http://darkfrontier.us/hammer/tn_E2004-0215_1403_JPG.jpg)
http://darkfrontier.us/hammer/Page.htm
The hard way does not look fun. :(
This stuff looks handier than pockets in underwear to me, Bart and is available locally here. It calls for 1 1/2" to 2" holes. I have a big Bosch rotohammer or a gas powered wet diamond core drill of various sizes. Looks like fun to me -- about $100 for 44 lbs. It's the in thing even for lots of demolition now.
If you try it let us know how it works-- I may experiment with smaller holes and post some pictures later -- have to run down and pick some up first.
A pretty cheap reasonable answer for some pretty mean jobs.
I noticed in one of the pictures it looked like they used a 1" bit.
Interesting - it has some of the same ingredients as thermite.
I picked up a box of Dexpan at the local supplier today. Same price as Amazon supplier and I didn't have to pay freight. $98.50 plus tx. for 44 lbs. It also comes in a bucket now -- I think 11 lbs for $39.00 -cant remember for sure.
The lady there said Dexpan corporation told her that 1 1/2" was the minimum hole size and that 1" would not work. I haven't tried it yet but still couldn't wait to get it. :-/ :)
I was reading the FRACT.AG website, http://www.daighcompany.com/, and for their product they say the smaller the holes the closer together they should be. As a rule of thumb they suggested that the spacing should be about 10 times the hole diameter. They didn't specify a minimum hole size but the smallest example they gave was 1.25". I don't see why 1" wouldn't work, the stuff is still going to expand.
I also came across something called the Micro-Blaster, http://www.micro-blaster.com/index.htm or http://www.microblastercanada.ca/. Similar to the Boulder Buster but much cheaper, ~ $400, and only requires a 5/16" hole.
Good info-- thanks, Bart.