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Post by Tweetiepy on Feb 27, 2005 9:41:29 GMT -5
I have a friend of mine who got a hold of some rocks while camping out in the snow (don't ask ). We brought me maybe 10 chunks all about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2" in diameter. Well I bought a brand new cold chisel to crack them up, and I must have given them 40 whacks or more and they won't crack. (I even dulled the edge of that chisel) I'm assuming that if these were leaverites that they would have cracked before all that whacking - right? so can I assume that these will tumble well since they seem to be of a hard to crack material? How hard must you whack if these things don't have any fracture marks? Is it normal that they are difficult to split?
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on Feb 27, 2005 9:52:23 GMT -5
Hey Tweety, how hard a rock is to crack is more a function of it's crystal structure than it's hardness. Rocks that do not have any fracture or cleavage planes will be much more difficult to split apart. Rocks that do have a definite cleavage plane will split most easily if you find the correct plane and align your chisel with it. If the rocks have any flat sides, that would indicate a possible plane. Try to split it parallel to that surface.
Ron
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Post by Cher on Feb 27, 2005 10:28:30 GMT -5
Sorry you're having such a hard time with them Tweety but some of those aren't really that big. I wouldn't even try to break the ones that are only 1 1/2 inches.
Cher
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,095
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Post by stefan on Feb 28, 2005 10:23:16 GMT -5
What kind of hanner are you using- I use a 3 lb mini sledge To crack mine (less chisel bounce that way) But man 40 whacks- That seems like a lot of pounding! Time to get a saw!
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Post by Tweetiepy on Feb 28, 2005 10:54:12 GMT -5
I had a standard hammer, but I may have to get a mini sledge next time I have to bust up rocks. I even tried to wedge the stone between by steel plate but it kept moving around. But a mini sledge may do the trick - I could maybe ask for that as a Mother's day present. (I've never been one for flowers, roses & candy - but this is weird). I'm hoping they'll tumble well anyways. But I did have to bust up the bigger pieces as I only have a #3 bbl and I have other pretty big pieces going in there that I'm anxious to see finished *crosses fingers to get a good batch even though lack of patience seems to ruin my batches*
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