Breaking Rock

**NortonDommi** · May 17, 2021, 07:08 PM

Anyone who has had the pleasure of removing set cement from a machine will appreciate this. On smaller mixers some holes drilled and a few gallons of acid help and if lucky big bits can be broken out after a week or two then tumbling large rocks can help. Worst case is some poor monkey has to put in ear plugs, stuff their grade 5 earmuffs with cotton waste, put on the breathing gear and get in with a rock-breaker finishing off with an air chisel in the tight bits.
I thought this was far better. 100 MPa Carbon fibre reinforced concrete!

**tlnixon** · May 18, 2021, 08:37 PM

Wow! I followed additional links that appeared of the blasting of rock. I was very impressed! I wish I had learned the trade lof blasting rock, turning it into small enough pieces to remove. I am intrigued!

**Toolmaker51** · May 18, 2021, 09:15 PM

One time was enough for me; and it was only a train car!

**the harmonious blacksmith** · May 19, 2021, 02:41 AM

I've always said that there isn't much that can't be accomplished with the judicious use of explosives. (Grin)

**NeiljohnUK** · May 19, 2021, 03:23 AM

Major concrete companies in the UK would simply replace the mixer drum on trucks where the mix had set due to traffic delays as it was more cost effective (UK explosives licencing was and is 'problematic') and faster, in the 80's we would pass a field near Little Marlow on the A404 where the old mixer drums were left until a foundations job where they could be incorporated came along.

**Toolmaker51** · May 19, 2021, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by NeiljohnUK

Major concrete companies in the UK would simply replace the mixer drum on trucks where the mix had set due to traffic delays as it was more cost effective (UK explosives licencing was and is 'problematic') and faster, in the 80's we would pass a field near Little Marlow on the A404 where the old mixer drums were left until a foundations job where they could be incorporated came along.

Get that marked quickly, before subsequent generations think they've found another Stonehenge. I can already see the travel posters!