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Jackhammering for beginners
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05-03-2013, 03:11 AM
So we're finally going to put in a driveway, thereby necesitating a gate. In lava. On a previous thread, someone advised that it is easy enough to rent a jackhammer and dig the holes yourself- seems reasonable. But is it really that easy, for a couple with no experience, in their early fifties (but in good shape) to operate one of these? Being both cheap and of the "well how hard can it be" school of thought, I'm leaning on giving it a go. Advice?
05-03-2013, 03:46 AM
If you have really good medical coverage, go for it. Otherwise, it's cheaper to hire "the guy with the big auger", he set my gate posts for about $300. (I've since lost his number...)
05-03-2013, 04:09 AM
I have used both electric and gas demo hammers (smaller jackhammers) and jack hammers....
The main idea is to get the chisel point in a position to fracture/flake (flaking being easier to control size/shape... if that is the goal) The REASON I have gotten the joy of this, is that DH has hurt his back each time, both in using & moving... You MUST keep your knees as the lifting lever...no way your back can do it...these puppies are heavy & moving...so you need to be able to keep an optimal stance even as the machine would like to move out on you.... and the whole time it is vibrating....so your hands & forearms will have a buzz.... If you are not sure...go to HD & check what lifting & moving it (not working ) is like...image moving it over the terrain, aiming that point at the offending lava...then image it trying to slide out sideways...If you feel that you can control, USING THOSE KNEES...& the cost is enough savings....and your wife agrees to be the backup if you trash yourself....then go for it...
05-03-2013, 05:10 AM
I tried digging a gate post hole at my place in Eden Roc. I hit solid lava and could not go any further with a steel o'o or a hammer drill. It finally has struck me that the solid pahoehoe is the worlds largest block of cement. Not that I have done this yet but when I get back around to that task I plan to use my little hammer drill to drill a few 3/4" holes a foot or so into the rock, then cement or glue 1/2" rebar into the holes. I will make a form around the vertical rebar above ground perhaps using a sonotube and pour the above ground part of the post. A friend did this except he just dug as far down as he could but did not embed the rebar. He bent the rebar out to make a wide base. His gate posts are still working. Mine will be even better for being embeded into the solid rock.
05-03-2013, 05:15 AM
Anti-vibration gloves and those elastic elbow braces.
I trashed my elbow running a jackhammer and it still hurts 23 years latter
05-03-2013, 06:00 AM
Added to Mark - even mo better is to look to stainless (hardened bolts or threaded rod) - esp chem resist alloys), as you don't want all the work to rust out is a few years,,, and there is a chance that water will seep in....
05-03-2013, 07:41 AM
I envision two thoughts.
#1 young hot 30-something "stud" sweat shinning off his power full body..... Jack hammer in one hand a ice cold soda in the other... (You get the picture) #2 Wylie coyote uncontrollable Jack hammer--- eyes poping out of face with a look of OH!!! S----!!! As the road runner stands behind him and says his famous last words. "BEEP-BEEP"
05-03-2013, 01:22 PM
quote: If you encounter option #1, please call me ASAp so that I can provide free supervision, for safety's sake, of course.
05-04-2013, 03:38 PM
Carey, that was an excellent description of jack hammering. I rented a hydraulic one once to dig some plant holes and I think I sweated about 20 pounds off in one day!
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