Breaking Concrete Patio How much time?

Looking for best guesses.
Patio is 10'x15'x4" 45 years old no rienforcement. I have trenched
around 2 of the four sides.
Can I fracture it in less then 40lb pieces with a rental electric air
hammer in 4 hours or less or should I rent it for 8 hours? I have used
this type of tool 35 years ago. I figure on facturing it first then
using a maul and pry bar to remove it. What would a guess be on the
demensions for facturing pieces that are less then 40Lbs? I have a
disposal site for the concrete. Any other suggestions? thanks tom

[color=blue]
>Can I fracture it in less then 40lb pieces with a rental electric air
>hammer in 4 hours or less or should I rent it for 8 hours? I have used[/color]

How do they charge you for returning it late?

<thomas.jacobs@dva.state.wi.us> wrote in message
news:1144689987.040476.232770@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Looking for best guesses.
> Patio is 10'x15'x4" 45 years old no rienforcement. I have trenched
> around 2 of the four sides.
> Can I fracture it in less then 40lb pieces with a rental electric air
> hammer in 4 hours or less or should I rent it for 8 hours? I have used
> this type of tool 35 years ago. I figure on facturing it first then
> using a maul and pry bar to remove it. What would a guess be on the
> demensions for facturing pieces that are less then 40Lbs? I have a
> disposal site for the concrete. Any other suggestions? thanks tom
>[/color]

Portland cement concrete has a density of about 150 lbs/cft. So, if the slab
is 4" thick, than a 10.75"x10.75" square piece would be about 40 lbs.

Greg M

I wouldn't bother renting the pavement breaker, just undermine it a
little and give it a whack with a sledge hammer. The work goes pretty
fast.

I've done this in JUST under 4 hours - it was similar in area only it
was 6" thick with some large (some larger than 8" diameter) stones in
it. Take a few solid swings at it with a sledge as others have
suggested, if it doesn't work THEN spend the money on the rental. Also
note: using the big electric hammer (not the little Hilti drill that
many places rent out) will be at least as tiring as the sledgehammer,
though it will probably do the job faster.

gee i would buy a electric jackhammer from harbor freight for 350 bucks
that way i have it for the next project. renting tools cost a fortune

In article <1144703902.262406.26240@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>, "hallerb@aol.com" <hallerb@aol.com> wrote:[color=blue]
>gee i would buy a electric jackhammer from harbor freight for 350 bucks
>that way i have it for the next project. renting tools cost a fortune
>[/color]
It doesn't cost anywhere near $350 to rent an electric jackhammer for a day...

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

<thomas.jacobs@dva.state.wi.us> wrote in message
news:1144689987.040476.232770@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Looking for best guesses.
> Patio is 10'x15'x4" 45 years old no rienforcement. I have trenched
> around 2 of the four sides.
> Can I fracture it in less then 40lb pieces with a rental electric air
> hammer in 4 hours or less or should I rent it for 8 hours? I have used
> this type of tool 35 years ago. I figure on facturing it first then
> using a maul and pry bar to remove it. What would a guess be on the
> demensions for facturing pieces that are less then 40Lbs? I have a
> disposal site for the concrete. Any other suggestions? thanks tom[/color]

I rented a electric jack hammer from HD and it my have taken me about 2
hours to break a 10 X 15 patio. Rent is on a Sunday afternoon for half a
day. I should be due back by next morning around 9:00 am. I also have a
United Rentals near me thats closed on Sunday. So picking something up on
Saturday afternoon will give me a 1 and a half at 1/2 day rate. They
require return on Monday by 8:00 am I believe.

Darrell

On 10 Apr 2006 10:26:27 -0700, wrote:
[color=blue]
>Looking for best guesses.
>Patio is 10'x15'x4" 45 years old no rienforcement. I have trenched
>around 2 of the four sides.
>Can I fracture it in less then 40lb pieces with a rental electric air
>hammer in 4 hours or less or should I rent it for 8 hours? I have used
>this type of tool 35 years ago. I figure on facturing it first then
>using a maul and pry bar to remove it. What would a guess be on the
>demensions for facturing pieces that are less then 40Lbs? I have a
>disposal site for the concrete. Any other suggestions? thanks tom[/color]

I'm maybe a little older than you, 58 at the time, and I used one of
these for the first time this year. Just tried it while a contractor
was ripping up the neighbor's sidewalk. He said I could.

It was easy to use. The hard part was lifting it up each time to move
it a few inches. I"m 5'8". I was worn out in 5 minutes after about 4
successful plunges. If something like this might happen to you,
maybe you can get all your neighbors and friends who've always wanted
to use one of these things to come over and try it. each can work 5
or 10 minutes until he's tired. 6 people at 10 minutes will give you
almost an hour to rest before it is your turn again, although by then
4 of the 6 will have left.

I had another plan. In addition to Hershey Park and Great Adventure
Park and 6 Flags Park, I wanted to build Industrial Park. Men could
get to use jack hammers and forklifts and lathes and all the things
they want to use for about 15 minutes, but really don't want to own.
They could drive a semi, run a cherry picker, and dig a hole with a
back-hoe, push dirt around with a bulldozer, climb a telephone pole
with the strap on teeth that plunge into the wood, wearing a leather
belt. They would get to try soldering, and acetylene welding and
cutting. They could hammer dents out of sheet metal with a dent
hammer or a dolly, apply bondo, and come back an hour later to see how
it looks when dry. They could use a gas auger to drill a post hole
(is that done?). If they were willing to stay 3 hours, they could
drill an oil-well style hole including removing the drill and adding
another section of pipe.

They could brand cattle, or if they were squeamish, the could brand
leather. String wire for a fence, erect a telephone pole, mine coal,
lots of things.

I figure tickets would be 15 dollars, with one dollar going for
interest on the investment, 1 dollar for salaries, 1 dollar for
materials, 1 dollar for profit, and 11 dollars for insurance. I think
that is considered 2/15ths on investment, and is adquate.

<had another plan. In addition to Hershey Park and Great Adventure
Park and 6 Flags Park, I wanted to build Industrial Park. Men could
get to use jack hammers and forklifts and lathes and all the things
they want to use for about 15 minutes, but really don't want to own.
They could drive a semi, run a cherry picker, and dig a hole with a
back-hoe, push dirt around with a bulldozer, climb a telephone pole
with the strap on teeth that plunge into the wood, wearing a leather
belt. They would get to try soldering, and acetylene welding and
cutting. They could hammer dents out of sheet metal with a dent
hammer or a dolly, apply bondo, and come back an hour later to see how
it looks when dry. They could use a gas auger to drill a post hole
(is that done?). If they were willing to stay 3 hours, they could
drill an oil-well style hole including removing the drill and adding
another section of pipe.


They could brand cattle, or if they were squeamish, the could brand
leather. String wire for a fence, erect a telephone pole, mine coal,
lots of things.


I figure tickets would be 15 dollars, with one dollar going for
interest on the investment, 1 dollar for salaries, 1 dollar for
materials, 1 dollar for profit, and 11 dollars for insurance. I think
that is considered 2/15ths on investment, and is adquate. w>

I THINK THIS IS A AWESOME WONDERFUL IDEA AND WISH SOMEONE WOULD DO
THIS!


\

BTW, I forgot to mention that I'm quite out of shape, and never much
to brag about, and someone else, even someone not praciticed in
jackhammmering, just generally fit, might last 3 times as long as my 5
minutes. No amount of hours hiking or on a bicycle would help his
arms, and I don't know what level of fitness would be necessary to
last 4 hours with 10 minute breaks.

The idea of renting 3 hours before they close, maybe on Saturday, is a
very good one.

I'm glad you like the idea below, hallerb. I'll never do it. I hope
someone will.

(Might be necessary to put some sort of clear cover around and limit
on travel of the acetylene torch. I'd rather fall off a roller
coaster than get burnt straight on by one of those. The designers and
the insurance company can work something out. I'd keep a spare cover
always available, so as to not disappoint "Industrialists", "Crafts
men" or "Apprentices" when one of them manages to ruin the first one.)

Actually one could have an apprenticeship program, similar to boy
scouts and merit badges. This will get people to come back more than
once, and be fun too.

People could lay bricks,....


On 11 Apr 2006 04:24:59 -0700, "hallerb@aol.com" <hallerb@aol.com>
wrote:
[color=blue]
> <had another plan. In addition to Hershey Park and Great Adventure
>Park and 6 Flags Park, I wanted to build Industrial Park. Men could
>get to use jack hammers and forklifts and lathes and all the things
>they want to use for about 15 minutes, but really don't want to own.
>They could drive a semi, run a cherry picker, and dig a hole with a
>back-hoe, push dirt around with a bulldozer, climb a telephone pole
>with the strap on teeth that plunge into the wood, wearing a leather
>belt. They would get to try soldering, and acetylene welding and
>cutting. They could hammer dents out of sheet metal with a dent
>hammer or a dolly, apply bondo, and come back an hour later to see how
>it looks when dry. They could use a gas auger to drill a post hole
>(is that done?). If they were willing to stay 3 hours, they could
>drill an oil-well style hole including removing the drill and adding
>another section of pipe.
>
>
>They could brand cattle, or if they were squeamish, the could brand
>leather. String wire for a fence, erect a telephone pole, mine coal,
>lots of things.
>
>
>I figure tickets would be 15 dollars, with one dollar going for
>interest on the investment, 1 dollar for salaries, 1 dollar for
>materials, 1 dollar for profit, and 11 dollars for insurance. I think
>that is considered 2/15ths on investment, and is adquate. w>
>
>I THINK THIS IS A AWESOME WONDERFUL IDEA AND WISH SOMEONE WOULD DO
>THIS!
>
>
>\[/color]

take Bamboo's advice and just dig a bit under it as you smash it with a
sledge hammer. Don't try to break off too much at a time. If it IS 4" thick,
this won't take more than an hour to break up. Use a long pry bar as well,
to loosen the cracked pieces away from the unbroken slab. It'll go much
faster that way.

Good luck and don't forget the safety glasses and gloves.

Ken


<bamboo@localnet.com> wrote in message
news:1144699762.115353.53200@v46g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
>I wouldn't bother renting the pavement breaker, just undermine it a
> little and give it a whack with a sledge hammer. The work goes pretty
> fast.
>[/color]

Although renting a jackhammer isnt anywhere near 350 bucks just rent it
a few times thats expensive.

lots of uses for a tool like that beyond removing a concrete slab......

i tend to buy if i need to rent it more than once