What tool do you use for carving a stone?

While not technically a pot question, it does have to do with "containers" for trees - namely a rock planting.

I've got a couple of small boulders that I want to plant some trees on, but there is not a natural space to put them. I'm trying to carve out hollow areas to put the trees in, but have not had much success. I've tried using a power drill with a masonry bit, I've tried tile cutting blades for my rotary carver. I've tried hammer and chisel. None of these have worked particularly well.

So, is there a good tool for this? Or do I just keep banging away?

- bob

Hello,
There are indeed some hard types of stone.
What sort of blade you used, a diamond blade?
When it is a diamond blade and it is worn of, it is useless.
Using a chisel not properly gives the chance you get cracks in the stone, and you dont want that.
On the picture some dry tools, no need for watercooling.
The thin grey fibre blade is a stonecutters and the grey thick one a stonegrinder.
The thick metal blade on top is a diamond stonegrinder and the thin metal ones diamond stonecutters.
On the right there is a diamond stylegrinder and the pink stylegrinder made out of other matter.
A good method to make such holes is to make some cuts at the right depth parallel to each other
place a flat chisel against the remaining walls and give it a tap.
The remaining walls will break easy and with a stonegrinder blade one can smoothen the hole.
Do not make the blades to hot and cool the drills with water.
Sunip

Hey Bob,

I can't answer your question, but would suggest giving a kitchen counter company a call. Ask them what they use to shape and cut granite surfaces for kitchens. They are bound to have some practical way of doing it!

Cheers

Thanks sunip, those disks are for a die grinder?

Andrew thanks for the suggestion, though I imagine the tool a commercial place would use would be something very large and immobile.

- bob

Hi Bob,

I think an angle grinder will be your best bet. 4" angle grinders can be purchased pretty cheap, get a concrete blade.
they also sell cool blades w/ chainsaw teeth for carving wood.

Jason

bob
I don't really know other than a tile cutting blade in a angle grinder. But I do know you need to wear a good mask, some stone dust is poisonous.

Mitch

ALL dust from carving stone has silica which when inhaled is a carcinogen and over time causes silicosis. Some granites release radon gas especially when cut which is the number one non tobacco cause of lung cancer. The biggest thing you can do to cut down on dust is to use water. Also use a real respirator, not a dust mask.

A diamond core drill (a hollow tube like drill bit with a diamond coated edge) in a drill press with water works--they are spendy for sure though.

Hi just thought I would update this thread.

I got an angle grinder and a diamond masonry blade, and that cuts through rock like butter! I'm still working on the project, when it's done I will post some pics.

Here's the blade I got from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MQS10S/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00

- bob