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What do you call it and where do I get one?

I am going to be going into the countryside and picking up rocks. And I mean, like 3 feet in diameter and smaller. I am going to make a stiff leg for my truck with two hoists, one for booming up and down, and one for a compound lift line.

I need some device to grab ahold of rocks for lifting. I can use some soft nylon slings at times when they are sitting in the right position, and their shape allows it. But, isn't there some sort of tong device that I can just put over the rock, and it will grab it like a pair of big pliers?

I don't want to do any more horsing than I have to.

Help appreciated if you know where I can get such an animal, what it's called, or ideas for building one.

Thanks.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B
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Steve,

You have a good idea about what will work. A good picture of very old and effective stone tongs is shown at this site:

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As you can see, the tool is dirt simple -- two tong arms with points to engage the rock, and the lifting ends joined by a simple linkage of rings. The more the rock weighs, the tighter the tongs bite. The design is perfect -- hasn't changed in centuries. You could try a local landscaping supply which sells stones to try to buy a spare one they might have. In the good old days, the iceman used similar tongs to pick up big blocks of ice.

Pat

Reply to
jwdoylejr

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I found this one, too. Called a boulder grab. Scroll down to the fifth or sixth picture. I want one to work with mechanical power rather than back power. The principle would be the same.

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Steve

Reply to
Steve B

I often have to move such rocks, and I just use a chain. Loop it around and interconnect it into a crude net so it gets tighter when you lift it.

Reply to
Nick Hull

Not exactly what you asked for but I'm doing the same thing soon, clearing some large rock for landscaping. My tool of choice is a 620 JD excavator with a thumb. Not mine (I wish) but I just hire the owner and pickout the rocks I want moved and how I want em placed. This is up at the mtn ranch. He'll pick and place on a flatbed. We've got lots of rocks, some really big ones that the JD couldn't even budge on a good day. He does this on a regular basis.

There's a steam winch relic up the road that was used for jobs like that years ago. On skids with an A frame. The boulders it cleared from the main irrigation ditch are still next to the ditch.

Those boys moved some mountainous rock with that thing. Would be cool to make run again.

A 3ft dia. rock is a big rock, don't drop it on your toe :-)

ED

Reply to
ED

Indeed! The volume of a sphere is (about) 1/2d^3. I know a boulder isn't a sphere, but ... 3' sphere = 14 cu ft. Granite is 175#/cu ft, so that boulder could be 2400#. Allowing that it's not a sphere, it could still be 1000 - 1200#. Keep the kids back.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Engelhardt

Old chain type tire chains make a pretty good rock sling. Pretty cheap if you shop around.

Reply to
Bill Marrs

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