Splitting igneous Basalt using wedges and shims.

["Sam" <leijen@zzzzzzzzzz>]

Hi All

I need some help please.

Recently I purchased some "wedges and shims" (w/s) for rock splitting.

I have 4 x 22mm w/s

I used a spirit level and scratched a vertical line up the rock and marked
my centers 150 mm apart on the line.

I drilled 4 holes, each at 22mm diameters

The line was 900mm long.

I placed the first w/s 300mm from bottom
2nd at 450 mm
3rd at 600 mm
4th at 750 mm

I placed the w/s into the holes with the shim ends facing away from the line
(lying horizontal).

I proceeded in inserting the wedges until they pinged and waited for the
split.

No split.
Hit them harder
No split
Hit them harder
No split.

Mmmmmm I thought.

So after some time waiting and smacking the rock with a 6 kg hammer I
drilled the w/s's out of the holes and went home.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Sam Leijen
New Zealand