Moving Large Blocks of Stone

[starsplitter]

Need some oldtimer advice... I need a cheap straightforward way to move a large irregular shaped rock that probably weighs at least a ton or two. No motorized equipment can be used. The site and nature of the operation preclude using that kind of stuff.

I'm speculating it was more or less on the vertical and either fell or was forced over a cleft like opening. Hoping that it is wedged in such a way that I can leverage/use a hydraulic jack to force it out of the way. Any other options come to mind?

Thanks.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[boogeyman]

Come alongs & a rock sling like the dredgers use.

 

[DevilDog812]

try this guy

 

[stasys]

 

[stevemc]

You could use a spud bar, or a huge crow bar, or a big A frame like you would pick up a big tree with in the woods to load on a trailer. The A frames I have used were made with 4 x4s, but you could use whatever you can get in the woods. That might be a lot to get in the woods with. If not just use a spud bar. Just get a good purchase on it, and a good fulcrum point and lever it out. Inch by inch. It would help if you had a helper to throw a rock in, and keep working it over till its out, or 2 guys with spud bars. If you get it up high enough, bring a bottle jack, and jack it up. Bring a bunch of chunks of 2 x4s and 4 x 4s to wedge in and under when you lever it up, and to use as a new fulcrum point.

 

[boogeyman]

Too much work. Used to use a couple comealongs & some cable to slide the halves of double wide trailers together with two people, one to crank & one to spot. When we wanted to look real professional, we'd bring a couple lengths of mine rail to slide the half on. Two comealongs a good length of cable & a rock sling will fit in a pack. You can haul it most anywhere with little effort & only one trip .

 

[Produce Guy]

I think a little TNT would do it.

 

[boogeyman]

I think a little TNT would do it.

C4 will fix most any pesky problem.

 

[starsplitter]

Haven't seen a block of C4 in over thirty years. Besides, I think it would make too much noise. We'll be using a power jack and heavy come alongs. Should work fine.

 

[boogeyman]

Haven't seen a block of C4 in over thirty years. Besides, I think it would make too much noise. We'll be using a power jack and heavy come alongs. Should work fine.

Thanks loads pal! Now you really made me feel old

 

[goldentruth]

Wedge it sound so it does not move, then dig under the rock and make a deep trail for it to roll and then remove the wedge and then wedge the back and pry forward. Do that make sense?
get a mule is my second thought and hook up a harness and pull & repeat.

 

[Gobpile]

They make a special dolly that landscapers use to move large stones.I have seen them on many job sites.I dont know what they call them but they are heavy duty.

 

[Red James Cash]

Get your hands on a micro blaster. Theyre not cheap but they are worth it. No explosives license needed. If you cant move it, blow it into pieces you can move.

 

[Curtis]

Use pipe! get it partially on the pipe, then it can slide on it similar to the rails mentioned above, but lighter. Also you can drill holes in it then put in the expansive stuff they use for fracking oil out of shale..its not very expensive and can crack really big rocks. A couple of holes in the right place drilled horizontally or vertically and fracked would cut it in half. That will make the jacks and comalongs easier work to finish moving the pieces.

 

[boogeyman]

I know this thread is older than dirt but I figured I'd add this technique for the less than oldsters & newbies.

Take a 55 gal plastic drum cut it in half lengthwise leaving the whole bottom intact and cutting the top off. You end up with a sled looking thing. Drill or cut a couple holes to pass a chain or strap through. Roll the object on or dig under. The sled glides real good and if there's water under it it slides like glass. We also moved a 10' tree around the house using this and a 5hp rototiller for power.

We tried putting one under each of a jeep wagoneers wheels, and I could pull it down the driveway singlehanded! Please note! I'm not a heman just an older than dirt busted up old fart with an attitude.

Hopes this gives you guys an idea or two.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

If he put an acorn under it the oak tree night be moving the boulder by now. Seven year old thread!

 

[Lost_Adams]

I know this thread is older than dirt but I figured I'd add this technique for the less than oldsters & newbies.

For those who read this you Need to Read Charles Kenworthy's book on Spanish Death Traps, before Moving Any Big Rocks in your THing endeavors.

We don't want to read about the THer who got Crushed by one of these old traps. AND Yes they were made to last for Hundreds of years.

 

[RTR]

Tannerite

 

[Lost_Adams]

Tannerite, will Not work!! not Slow enough or Fast enough.
The boulder could be Shattered with the proper FAST explosive, ie. 20,000fps or greater. You would have to place a shaped charge on the top and then put an apple box over that, and line the apple box with plastic and fill with a Mud slurry. Place the EBC in the top of the Cone Shaped Charge 2/3 embedded with the wires up. Your Boulder will turn to Pea Gravel if done properly.

other method is to use ANFO and Heave it out of the way, ala popping Stumps. Would Not be my preferred method as could produce too much Shrapnel.

 

[piegrande]

In such cases, you first need to know how much that big stone really weighs. Stone ordinarily weighs around 150 pounds per cubic foot. You can easily approximate how many cubic feet by measuring with a simple tape measure. If a dimension is very irregular, estimating will be sufficient. You can tell if a stone weighs "a ton or two." Which is a big difference. A couple men can move a ton with a bar as someone described here, but two tons is a different matter.

I live in a quarry town in rural Mexico, and they often take a large sledge hammer and break large rocks into small rocks. You gotta' be pretty strong with endurance, and there is a technique to it that you can learn with practice.

If that stone is truly "large" it may well weigh many tons. Hard to say. Photo?

Yes, I know this posting is old. Who cares? The issue is ageless.