4 ms·

And not a single link where to buy them :-). The only non-explosive demolition agent I've used is composed of 'oak seedlings'. Wherein you plant an oak tree and

And not a single link where to buy them :-). The only non-explosive demolition agent I've used is composed of 'oak seedlings'. Wherein you plant an oak tree and its roots go out and demolish sidewalks, foundations, etc all around it. Takes a while though. :-). What I'm missing from that article though is the application process I guess. We would get water freezing in pipes that would ooze out the tops (if the pipes were sealed they would fracture but not if the pipes were open). How would one 'seal' the bore such that the expansive force of the agent used was directed outward toward the thing you were breaking up rather than popping out of the bore hole right back at you?

amelius 3y ago
It expands in all directions so it locks itself in place.
robocat 3y ago
Presumably it hardens first to self-seal and then slowly the solid expands? But this[1] documentation implies it can expand as a liquid: "Forceful BLOWOUTS may occur once mixed with water! Keep safe distance. DO NOT look directly into filled holes. Use of Dexpan® in hot weather could increase chances of blowouts. DO NOT pour into hot holes. Use iced water in summer.". [1] https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/1d/1dc6a35d-8b4c-4208-bbb0-d006f27f0e31.pdf https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/1d/1dc6a35d-8...
- fbdab103 3y ago
  Timelapse video if it in action over 24 hours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsDh92nvdzw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsDh92nvdzw Given the safety warnings on that link, I was expecting something far more energetic.
- happytiger 3y ago
  No, it takes a long time depending on the product and doesn’t really self-seal per-se. It just hardens in the hole and kind of draws down into the hole in the first few hours… You drill a hole and then mix and fill it. This product and its competitors is generally like a pancake batter. The product sits in the hole and becomes hardened fairly quickly as it reacts. Generally I’ve seen it do cracking work overnight (like 12-16 hours), though most of the time when I’ve used it 2 days show the full results you’re going to get. It can really take some time. I’ve split absolutely massive boulders with this stuff. As big as houses with a 3.5’ foot hole. Often the cracks will run hole-to-hole so you have to really think about the pattern to break the rocks.
WJW 3y ago
Here you go mate: https://www.dexpan.com/collections/dexpan-demolition-agent/products/dexpan-non-explosive-demolition-agent-dexpan11bucket https://www.dexpan.com/collections/dexpan-demolition-agent/p... 45 dollars for an 11 lb bucket of "expansive demolition grout".
- ChuckMcM 3y ago
  Back in the day Las Vegas pool contractors (who installed backyard pools) included a clause that said "If we hit caliche (aka 'desert concrete') the deals off, we'll re-fill the hole and leave." And yet this stuff could break it up it seems. I wonder when these things became "off the shelf", presumably after the 70's.
  - fbdab103 3y ago
    Seems like a win if you are a gardener looking to get the soil turned.
    - happytiger 3y ago
      True. But the product wouldn’t be great around gardens because it’s pretty dang toxic. https://cessco.us/files/DEXPAN__Non_Explosive_Demolition_Agent.pdf https://cessco.us/files/DEXPAN__Non_Explosive_Demolition_Age... I’ve used it, and many competitors, and you need full PPE to handle. Great stuff though.
      - coryrc 3y ago
        It's table salt, rust, sand, and ceramic. It's not toxic in the least. Corrosive, yes. Breathing in silica is not good long term. But it's about as toxic as beach sand.
        happytiger 3y ago
        Well say what you want about it but I wouldn’t want to have a plate full of vegetables grown in pure Calcium hydroxide and the stuff is terribly unpleasant to use even if it isn’t technically “toxic” in the literal sense. Here’s the safety information: SKIN CORROSION/IRRITATION - Category 2 SERIOUS EYE DAMAGE/ EYE IRRITATION - Category 1 SPECIFIC TARGET ORGAN TOXICITY (SINGLE EXPOSURE) (Respiratory tract irritation) - Category 3 This is just Dexpan, but here’s the safety data sheet: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0015/7777/9270/files/dexpan-sds-safety-data-sheet-english.pdf?287 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0015/7777/9270/files/dexpa... Do bear in mind that they don’t disclose the full formula for competitive reasons so we don’t really know what all is in it. Bon appetite!

amelius 3y ago

It expands in all directions so it locks itself in place.

robocat 3y ago

Presumably it hardens first to self-seal and then slowly the solid expands? But this[1] documentation implies it can expand as a liquid: "Forceful BLOWOUTS may occur once mixed with water! Keep safe distance. DO NOT look directly into filled holes. Use of Dexpan® in hot weather could increase chances of blowouts. DO NOT pour into hot holes. Use iced water in summer.". [1] https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/1d/1dc6a35d-8b4c-4208-bbb0-d006f27f0e31.pdf https://images.thdstatic.com/catalog/pdfImages/1d/1dc6a35d-8...

fbdab103 3y ago
Timelapse video if it in action over 24 hours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsDh92nvdzw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsDh92nvdzw Given the safety warnings on that link, I was expecting something far more energetic.
happytiger 3y ago
No, it takes a long time depending on the product and doesn’t really self-seal per-se. It just hardens in the hole and kind of draws down into the hole in the first few hours… You drill a hole and then mix and fill it. This product and its competitors is generally like a pancake batter. The product sits in the hole and becomes hardened fairly quickly as it reacts. Generally I’ve seen it do cracking work overnight (like 12-16 hours), though most of the time when I’ve used it 2 days show the full results you’re going to get. It can really take some time. I’ve split absolutely massive boulders with this stuff. As big as houses with a 3.5’ foot hole. Often the cracks will run hole-to-hole so you have to really think about the pattern to break the rocks.

WJW 3y ago

Here you go mate: https://www.dexpan.com/collections/dexpan-demolition-agent/products/dexpan-non-explosive-demolition-agent-dexpan11bucket https://www.dexpan.com/collections/dexpan-demolition-agent/p... 45 dollars for an 11 lb bucket of "expansive demolition grout".

ChuckMcM 3y ago
Back in the day Las Vegas pool contractors (who installed backyard pools) included a clause that said "If we hit caliche (aka 'desert concrete') the deals off, we'll re-fill the hole and leave." And yet this stuff could break it up it seems. I wonder when these things became "off the shelf", presumably after the 70's.
- fbdab103 3y ago
  Seems like a win if you are a gardener looking to get the soil turned.
  - happytiger 3y ago
    True. But the product wouldn’t be great around gardens because it’s pretty dang toxic. https://cessco.us/files/DEXPAN__Non_Explosive_Demolition_Agent.pdf https://cessco.us/files/DEXPAN__Non_Explosive_Demolition_Age... I’ve used it, and many competitors, and you need full PPE to handle. Great stuff though.
    - coryrc 3y ago
      It's table salt, rust, sand, and ceramic. It's not toxic in the least. Corrosive, yes. Breathing in silica is not good long term. But it's about as toxic as beach sand.
      - happytiger 3y ago
        Well say what you want about it but I wouldn’t want to have a plate full of vegetables grown in pure Calcium hydroxide and the stuff is terribly unpleasant to use even if it isn’t technically “toxic” in the literal sense. Here’s the safety information: SKIN CORROSION/IRRITATION - Category 2 SERIOUS EYE DAMAGE/ EYE IRRITATION - Category 1 SPECIFIC TARGET ORGAN TOXICITY (SINGLE EXPOSURE) (Respiratory tract irritation) - Category 3 This is just Dexpan, but here’s the safety data sheet: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0015/7777/9270/files/dexpan-sds-safety-data-sheet-english.pdf?287 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0015/7777/9270/files/dexpa... Do bear in mind that they don’t disclose the full formula for competitive reasons so we don’t really know what all is in it. Bon appetite!