Breaking massive Granite rocks with Expando

[@Joshua79C]

Expando is so funny that the rocks just crack up.

[@bigredracer7848]

202👍's up demolition Dave thanks again for bringing us all along to keep up with blowing up stuff oh yeah rocks too

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

You bet

[@robertperren1684]

Hi Dave thanks for the information, now I understand why it’s always safety first

[@Tomhohenadel]

Dave, BAM, BAM those rocks. Mighty fine work, my friend

[@gordonormiston3233]

Tommy can sure handle that toothpick.

[@robertperren1684]

Hi Dave interesting little topic, but could you explain why you did not blow them up into smaller size,I think if you had a little bit of a story to this,it would be a lot more interesting topic, like why did you use the expand OO

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Hi Robert, we were working close to a protected asset that a neighbouring stakeholder is concerned about. They are all over us with vibration monitoring and one excursion over the ground vibration limit and that will be our last blast on this project. Expando breaks rocks without any noise or vibration .The reason that there are such big pieces is purely cost control (smaller pieces requires more drilling and more Expando). Once they are out of the ground we can roll them away from the protected asset that the customer is concerned about and then use explosives to reduce the size further.

[@jamesfawr]

@@demolitiondavedrillandblast What do they allow you guys? Anything over 2" and we in hot water

[@jamesfawr]

Demolition Dave Drilling and Blasting thought of you yesterday. Had to hand drill a knot.

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

@@jamesfawr - Same for this one - 50mm/S, normally only allowed 10mm/S {3/8"/S) domestic jobs.

[@lordsnot2268]

"protected asset" eh?

[@SirBoden]

A 20Kg tow strap used as a choker around big rocks then set the other end loop on the excavator tooth. Less fumbling around.

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

I have a big chain that I use as a choker sometimes, good strategy, thanks for watching.

[@thapelomonareng4177]

Hi Dave, just coming across non explosive rock breaking. One question, is this technology applicable in underground mining?

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Not really as it does not provide the smashing and movement that is required for tunneling.

[@colincrooky]

I think you need a bigger krakaroo Dave.

[@damodoesall6240]

What no drilling photos with that magnificent machine?

[@leonmarut917]

its dunny paper dave LOL

[@bigtimepimpin666]

So where can I buy the stuff?? I have a 1m tall and 3m wide rock 1.5m in front of.door.

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

OK, there are many different brands of this stuff, the brand that I'm using is Expando, only available in Australia, other brands are Eoobust and Dexpan. Dexpan is probably the most widely available. When buying this stuff, check the date stamp as it has a short shelf life, after about 18 months it does not work as well. You might find the drilling a challenge, you need to drill 38mm diameter holes more than a meter deep.

[@TechGorilla1987]

Boy howdy - an architectural feature rock company could stock a full inventory just following you around with a truck. I'm going back through your old collection for fun.

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Sounds like a great idea TC, I would take a lot of the rock home if I had a tipper and the room to store it, sell the nice bits and crush the rest.

[@grumpyg9350]

I was going to give you the job, but now I think I'm going to try the goohon my own. Lol. Very impressive.👍👍👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Go for it Grumpy, please take the safety precautions seriously, eye and respiratory protection is a must, this goo is extremely alkaline and it will even etch glass. Make a video of your project. Make sure that you drill large diameter holes, 38mm is best, don't even bother with anything smaller than 32.

[@markfryer9880]

Working near a Protected Asset, mmmm sounds interesting. Good to see you are using your drilling rig to save your body some wear and tear Dave.

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Hi Mark, the Air Track rig got a good work out again yesterday, still do plenty of hand drilling though.

[@timothyryan4523]

What happens to all the waste rock.

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

On this job a lot of it was used to build retaining walls all around the estate.

[@Wingnut_Stickman]

Wah! Part of me wishes the area is leveled by an earthquake the week after you finish, and just after you are paid. See what the "asset protector" thinks of that. Some people... Excellent video, thanks for sharing.

[@stevehansen5389]

Good operator!

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

That is Todd, he is good.

[@brucebaxter6923]

Great to see you back in action. What sort of chemistry does the expando work on? What effect would a shaped charge have on a rock? (Yes the pressure times the surface area in a hole is immense in comparison)

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Hi Bruce, the Expando is mostly cement with some magic added. Chronicle shaped charges can be used to break oversize effectively if you don't mind a huge bang, very waistfull use of high grade and expensive explosive though. Another thing to consider is that when trying to break a rock with and external shaped charge is that you are attacking the rocks compressive strength, when using a drilled hole you are attacking its tensile strength, which is a lot less.

[@brucebaxter6923]

Thanks. I’m surprised the shaped charge would do anything at all considering compressive vs tensile strengths. Wedges vs hammer blows on the surface. The expando magic must be some reaction from high density reactants to low density products.

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

A conical shaped charge will certainly crater the surface and even destroy the rock if it is big enough, the military have one that they call a bee hive charge, I understand that they are good for making deep pole holes in softer rock. www.google.com/search?sa=X&rlz=1C1CAFA_enAU623AU623&q=beehive+charge&tbm=isch&source=univ&ved=2ahUKEwihoOGQ87DgAhVCzFQKHdn9CmEQsAR6BAgDEAE&biw=1920&bih=969

[@morrislouiseeagle7161]

Lol 👏😁Nice one!

[@MicraHakkinen]

Hi Dave, if you ever get the chance to do a timelapse of expando breaking a chunk of rock I think that'd be really interesting. Or potentially very underwhelming, I'm no expert ;)

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Good call Bart, I have been thinking the same thing for a while now. I don't currently have a working camera that will do it, the go pro is a no go, I would also need to have a job in a secure location where the camera wont get stolen and lighting for night time etc. it is on the list though. Keep watching.

[@MicraHakkinen]

@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Awesome, thanks for taking the time to reply. I was planning to keep watching anyway so no rush!

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

@@MicraHakkinen Have a look at time lapse on Demolition Dave face book page Bart, more of the same coming soon.

[@MicraHakkinen]

@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Cheers, just watched it. Expando is pretty amazing stuff.

[@cormackeenan8175]

I’m waiting for the KZbin campaign, “Rocks have feeling too” stop rock blasting you know it make sense.

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Shhhhh.... don't give them any ideas!

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Those people are out there!

[@vk2ig]

Dave, how much would those pieces weigh? Cheers, Mike.

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

The rock weighs in at about 3.5 Tonne / m3 notice how the 35 Tonne excavator slips backward when trying the push the rock away around the 2 min mark. They are very heavy!

[@vk2ig]

@@demolitiondavedrillandblast Thanks for your reply, Dave. That piece at about 1:50 where you say it's about 5m long end to end: it's hard to estimate the dimensions from the video, but if it was, say, 5m x 1.5m x 1m (roughly equivalent rectangular prism to account for the irregular rock shape) then that's about 26 tonnes ... no wonder that excavator had its tongue hanging out moving those rocks!

[@sammyd7857]

Why wouldn't you blast these rocks. It looks like the middle of nowhere

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

These ones were buried right up against an asset that they were worried about. so I broke them with the Chemical Cracking Agent.

[@sammyd7857]

@@demolitiondavedrillandblast guess it was the same amount of holes👍. Jack hammer probably finish them off

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

The jack hammer on the 35 tonne excavator was destroyed in a very short time trying to break these rocks.

[@sammyd7857]

@@demolitiondavedrillandblast really! They must be pretty rubbery. Bang the shit out of them but they absorb most of it while still grinding the tip. You wouldn't think seeing as so few holes split them

[@joeschlotthauer840]

Left by aliens...

[@damodoesall6240]

38mm is chicken feed for that machine, go 45 !

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Hi Damo, I've been drilling 45mm blast holes but 45 is too big for expando as the reaction gets out of control and overheats causing a steam explosion and all of the stuff is ejected out of the holes

[@damodoesall6240]

@@demolitiondavedrillandblast yes

[@mrMacGoover]

Hey Dave, Have you ever used a Boulder Buster? they work basically work on a blank shot gun shell type cartridge. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWK2fmuaptGCpbM

[@demolitiondavedrillandblast]

Sure have.