Removal of calcite with an allsaw

manrabbit

Member
Thinking of hiring one of these for a weekend to try and cut through a large calcite flow that blocks our way forward in our dig. We can run a cable in from a 110v generator as we're not far from the entrance which is by the side of a road (hence not using more obvious means of removing the problem).

Has anyone tried one? they claim to be able to cut through soft rock. The dust should be kept to a reasonable level, unlike with a disk cutter.

https://www.hss.com/hire/p/allsaw

Cheers

Huw
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
No but what area is the dig in?

Only reason I ask is I may be able to get trade discount from the HSS implants in our office, seems we order so much from them they need to have guys in our office.

I also need a weekend off from Derbyshire, but doesn't mean that if your dig is in Derbyshire I wouldn't want to turn up :D
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
There might even be minor conservation benefits using a precise cutting method rather than the "obvious method"; only the minimum amount of material would be removed.

Speaking of saws, does anyone (in or near the Dales) have an old rusty (worn out - i.e. blunt) wood saw kicking about in their shed which would probably go to the tip?

I ask because I have a small clay bank in the way (a considerable distance into a sump) and I want to saw it into convenient blocks to stack nearby before laying line beyond.

(The saw would be living in the sump for a while because it'll take more than one dive to sort this obstacle - but I promise to fetch it out eventually, to keep Badlad and co happy  ;)  (y)) However, by the time it comes out it'll probably be in a state where the best repository would be Craven District Council's tip, so it'd be a "donation" to the project rather than a "loan" of the saw.)

If anyone can help, please can you send a PM? Thanks.

 

Minion

Member
manrabbit said:
Thinking of hiring one of these for a weekend to try and cut through a large calcite flow that blocks our way forward in our dig. We can run a cable in from a 110v generator as we're not far from the entrance which is by the side of a road (hence not using more obvious means of removing the problem).

Has anyone tried one? they claim to be able to cut through soft rock. The dust should be kept to a reasonable level, unlike with a disk cutter.

https://www.hss.com/hire/p/allsaw

Cheers

Huw

What about a battery grinder and a tile cutting disk? I could get an 18v Makita from work. Coupled with a lump hammer and some cold chisels?

Next time you go to DH, give me a shout.
 

Ian P

Administrator
Staff member
Pitlamp said:
Speaking of saws, does anyone (in or near the Dales) have an old rusty (worn out - i.e. blunt) wood saw kicking about in their shed

PM sent re old saws

Ian
 

mudman

Member
manrabbit said:
Thinking of hiring one of these for a weekend to try and cut through a large calcite flow that blocks our way forward in our dig. We can run a cable in from a 110v generator as we're not far from the entrance which is by the side of a road (hence not using more obvious means of removing the problem).

Has anyone tried one? they claim to be able to cut through soft rock. The dust should be kept to a reasonable level, unlike with a disk cutter.

https://www.hss.com/hire/p/allsaw

Cheers
Huw
Have you considered something like this https://birco.co.uk/products/silverline-675119-tct-masonry-saw-700mm?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=24865373255&gclid=Cj0KEQjwqMHABRDVl6_hqKGDyNIBEiQAN-O9hKZnSibtxEfRcg-Y5lODHnLTGIViKg0jAzGuCymBG14aArJu8P8HAQ?
 

manrabbit

Member
The dig is in South Wales but thanks for the offer of the trade discount..

Considered using a cordless disk cutter in other digs but the dust would be horrendous, that said, if I could get a breathing pipe over to where the draft comes other the top of the calcite it may be OK. There is one hell of a draft on a good day and that should clear the air after a few minutes. Used a angle grinder to put travertine floor tiles down and filled the house with very fine dust within a few seconds and that was cutting them outside the house but with the door open!
 

SamT

Moderator
It wouldn't surprise me if the dust from calcite is actually quite heavy and settles quite quickly.  Might be worth a quick go just to see. You can soon stop if the dust is a problem.  I'd be interested to know what works as we've dug through this stuff before and it is usually very tricky.

Can you dig out under the calcite, then use a car jack between the roof and the calcite to break it off??
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
SamT said:
I'd be interested to know what works as we've dug through this stuff before and it is usually very tricky.

Hilti capping is pretty much a no no on calcite (not sure about flowstone).

Plugs and feathers work alright with a chisel and lump hammer thrown into the mix.

I'm not sure how it differs with flowstone, but calcite definitely seems to have a lattice structure which doesn't respond well to shocks, as it just absorbs the pressure much like a spring. Whereas the constant pressure applied from Plugs and feathers and the odd shock from a lump hammer seems to do the trick to release the pressure.

but in my mind a rock saw, either the allsaw or the masonry saw would probably work well. depending on your situation.

The car jack sounds like a good solution too, if it's workable.
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Ian P said:
Pitlamp said:
Speaking of saws, does anyone (in or near the Dales) have an old rusty (worn out - i.e. blunt) wood saw kicking about in their shed

PM sent re old saws

Ian


Got it - thanks!

For anyone else, it looks like Ian P has kindly sorted me out with what I need.

 

SamT

Moderator
alastairgott said:
Hilti capping is pretty much a no no on calcite (not sure about flowstone).

I'm not sure how it differs with flowstone, but calcite definitely seems to have a lattice structure which doesn't respond well to shocks, as it just absorbs the pressure much like a spring.

I agree, though the shocks we were applying certainly worked, but would have been far more devastating in solid rock of course.
 
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