How to split rocks for fireplace?

[lj]

I would like to take some of the smaller rocks( 8-10 inch diameter) on my land, split them and use them around my fireplace. THe flat side against the wall and the rounded part facing out. Not interested in the cultured stone from Home Depot. However not finding much on how to split the rocks myself either. ANy help?

[tinknal]

It's a dying art. I don't know much, but I do know that you need stone that has not been exposed to freezing cold. In the north that means quarried stone.

[Windy in Kansas]

Take hammer and chisels and work back and forth across a score line on the rock and it will eventually fracture. It is amazing how easily and accurately that works, mainly just time consuming.

[plowjockey]

I too have been looking into this, but too many other projects take precidence.

I believe the way to split stone, is to go along the line where you want it to break, and lightly fracture the line, with a chisel. Then whack the chisel against the line very hard. Since the line already fractured, is now the "weakest" part of the stone, it will (or at should) break along the line.

Similar to etching a line in tile or glass and then applying force, which will break along the weakest point.

Easy to find out. All you need is a hammer, chisel and goggles.

Let us know.

[highlands]

Heat and cold cracks rocks nicely. Just be careful of flying shards. A diamond saw blade is another way. Rock hammer or chisel works fine - cut a line and keep pounding, it is a learned art. So does hammer drill with feathers and wedges. I've used all these methods to split several million pounds of rock to carve our driveway and for other projects. Do wear eye protection and heavy gloves.

See:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/blog/2006/06...g-rock_25.html

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
Save 30% off Pastured Pork with free processing: http://SugarMtnFarm.com/csa
Read about our on-farm butcher shop project: http://SugarMtnFarm.com/butchershop

[SRSLADE]

Take your stone.Stand it on edge.Take hammer and chisel,go around stone, tap tap tap,keep going,you're not done yet,tap tap tap.You should start to see the stone crack.Keep tapping.Go around and around,keep tapping.You''ll know when it's done.Not every half will be perfect but it's a start.A round stone,same technique as the flat one or any stone.Tap tap tap...1 tap at a time as you go around.Connect your taps with chisel.

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

Take hammer and chisels and work back and forth across a score line on the rock and it will eventually fracture. It is amazing how easily and accurately that works, mainly just time consuming.

Yep thats the way I did it when I was building my fireplace years ago. It was amazing how much gravel I managed to make while attempting to shape a couple of stones. I soon learned how to go through the rock pile and find one the size I needed.

[agmantoo]

lj
Why split the stone? Instead of laying the stone to the flat wall erect a "front" for the fireplace out of plywood. Now lay the stone unsplit to the plywood face and fill in behind the stone with mortar and cheap brick seconds. Slowly work your way to the top filling in as you go. The last course at the top will have to be fitted but that is all.

[texican]

What agmantoo said.

Don't bother splitting rocks, unless you have an "Egyptian" size masonry project, and if so, find a couple thousand slaves to get it done.

Use whole rocks, and just make your wall thicker.

If you have sedimentary rocks, with natural 'layers' and cleavage planes, it's relatively easy to split stones... if not, it can be a hit or miss project.

[just_sawing]

Flat rock can slpit using feathers and chisels. I make my feathers by cutting angle iron into 1/4 inch strips. Dril a series of holes where you would like the rock to split. place two feathers in each hole pointing outward (Across the crack to be not with it) and place the chisel in between. Do this in a series and start pounding. the chisels will sing and when they sing a sour note they have broke.

[Welshmom]

My dad always told the story of watching a split-face rock fireplace being built by an old stone master in the 20's. My dad was a little boy, and said the man would pick up a rock, and turn it and turn it, looking at it carefully. Then, he would pick up his hammer and split the stone with one whack, according to my dad. The fireplace was built with the flat, exposed sides facing the room. Beautiful quartz stones. The halves of stone were laid strategically on either side of the fireplace, in matching pairs. It is by far the most beautiful fireplace I have ever seen in my life.

[Danaus29]

You could always slab them. Doesn't take much to rig a table saw to cut rock. All you need is a good masonary blade and some sort of drip coolant system set-up. Rock and Gem magazine had a great how-to for that a while back. Might still be on their website.