Finally Reached the Limit of the Kioti - MONSTER BOULDER - Plus Grading Our New Veggie Garden Area

[@Vincent_Sullivan]

Curtis; You don't need a bigger excavator. Dealing with rocks that size isn't really too much of a problem assuming what you are seeing isn't just the tip of some bedrock... and even then it can be handled - it just takes more time. I had to deal with one about this size a couple of weeks ago and it took just a couple of hours. Procedure is as follows: Step 1: Get yourself an SDS Max rotary hammer drill (I use a Makita HR4011C), several sets set of "feathers and irons" (sometimes known as wedges and shims), and a sledge hammer. 1" diameter feathers and irons would be a good size for those rocks. Four to six sets would be a good number to have. Might also need a generator if the work site is located far from an electrical power source or a large enough inverter that you can run off the Kioti battery. All this kit cost me a bit over $1K a few years ago but I have never regretted the investment! Probably cost a bit more today though... Step 2: Drill a row of holes in the rock about 8" - 10" deep the correct diameter to work with your feathers and irons. I use a 1" diameter carbide tipped SDS Max bit. Locate the row of holes in a location that will split off a chunk of rock of a size and shape that you can conveniently handle. Step 3: Insert the feathers and irons in the holes and hammer in the wedges with the sledge. Hammer them in a little at a time working your way along the row of holes you have drilled. The "ping" sound will get higher in pitch as the wedge is hammered in further. Try to keep the pitch of the pings reasonably similar and progressively higher in pitch. Step 4: The rock will split along the line of holes. Remove the feathers and irons and use the backhoe bucket to lift out the chunk you split off. If the chunk is still a bit too big, repeat the process. Another option is to drill a hole through the split off chunk of rock and thread a piece of 5/16" or 3/8" grade 70 chain through the hole and then lift the rock out of the hole by locking the chain into a pair of grab hooks welded onto the top of your bucket. A pair of such hooks is a VERY useful accessory to have on your tractor! We call this a "Kioti Necklace" here. I hope this helps you deal with those pesky rocks... Don't give up on them yet! Also, being able to split rocks to the size and shape you want them gives you lots of options to use them as raw material for use in various forms of construction. There are lots of videos here on KZbin that show the process of using feathers and irons and watching a few of them will help you visualise the process.

[@Curtis1824]

Hi Vincent, thanks for the thoughtful comment! I ordered some feather and irons to give it a try. I had wanted to order these a year or so ago and never got around to it. These boulders may be safe for now though, the garden is almost in! Maybe a project for the fall.

[@Curtis1824]

Thanks for watching and following along on our journey!! Be sure to subscribe for future updates and projects on the farm with this link bit.ly/2YWNN7T

[@sudsnsoda4397]

Love your videos…. Your life would be a lot easier with a manual Thumb. I’ll never have another one without it.

[@keithrayeski3147]

Hey Quint, I think yer gonna need a bigger excavator!!😁 Gotta love New England, no shortage of rocks!! Know we know why we have so many stone walls!!

[@Curtis1824]

Seriously. I was thinking dynamite may be more fun!

[@keithrayeski3147]

@@Curtis1824 🤣🤣🤣 well I’m game!! But I’m guessin the Mrs. might feel safer about DEXPAN, although the tree felling went really well!!😁

[@NistaDGB]

Watching with my kioti from central New York and we just wanna say we feel your pain here with all the rocks in the dirt 🤦‍♂️

[@Curtis1824]

They're the worst! Lots of uses for the ones I can actually dig up which helps save some money at least!

[@newhampshire-bob1604]

Would be nice to be able to dig a deep hole next to the big rocks and push them in! Another way would be to get a micro-blaster and break them up a piece at a time! I do feel your pain!

[@Curtis1824]

That’s what I did with some other large boulders I could move but not lift. These I couldn’t even budge. They’ll stay there for now. Project for another time!

[@banditweasil]

Do you like your Ideal box blade?

[@Curtis1824]

I do. It’s held up pretty well. I did bend one of the pins back the 3 point connects to and just noticed I broke the tip off one of the scarifiers, but it still digs in. But it’s pretty sturdy. I e hit some pretty good hidden boulders with it, including the one in the video.