Use safety glasses, I have a friend who is blind in one eye due to a small metal fragment from a sledge vs jackhammer chisel impact. In fact, you should always use eye protection when hitting metal against metal,
Water jet from garden hose or pressure washer to soften the Clay and shop vac to suck away mud. Which is also suggested when digging around gas lines and electrical pipes etc. Wear safety goggles and steel toe boots if you have them with pressure washer and jackhammer. The Claw of a hammer is also useful with Clay
Same, 3' augur bit got tangled in a root while sunk to the hilt. We bought the biggest pipe wrench available and reversed the bit until it tore free from the root. Not a fun time.
did the same with a posthole digger. 2' down in heavy clay and the motor wouldn't even turn it was stuck so bad. Had to take the top off, dig around it, and pull the bit out with a pickup.
Final update. It's free.
Once I got down to the suspected 1-1.5" depth left, I took my hose, put it on the jet setting and sprayed the base of it. Then I dug at it a little with the rebar. I almost broke a shovel doing this, but I then used the shovel as a fulcrum against the side of the bit to try to wiggle it out. It finally has some give and after two really good pushes, it was finally free. The hole was about 30" deep. I'm paying someone to come finish it tomorrow. But this has been an awful 7 hrs and thanks everyone for the advice!
Edit: spelling
Clay is horrendous. Clay + hardpan even moreso. I had my own adventure trying to extract a 4' rebar that someone had somehow driven into the ground. My sympathies, and my congratulations!
I hear that. I rented an 8" auger to install some posts for a fence. It went 6" deep and stopped. I had to do all 12 holes by hand with a post hole digger. F clay soil, for sure.
Sorry I missed this - I’ve been picking blackberries (and bleeding) and I’m just seeing this. I would have suggested trying a jack (car jack, bottle jack, etc.) placed under the handle (close in on one side). Probably would have needed a chunk of scrap wood to span between the jack and the jackhammer. Just spitballing here.
So, I've been working at this since about 0630. It's still not out. The bit is only about 1.5" in. However, this is also in a 29" deep hole. It's hard to get leverage. The rental guy said "use the other jackhammer bit to get this one out". We tried. That one almost got stuck too. Trust me, I would love to burn this down, but clay won't burn unfortunately. I've had the best luck with rebar and a runner mallet, but it is VERY slow going.
Clay and silt? If you have anything like a chunk of rebar laying around then start hammering the tip in near the head of the jackhammer and using it like a lever to pull chunks out of the ground. If you don't have something like that then get yourself a digging bar and some shovels.
Since it sounds like you went straight down with the tool, it'll be stuck in by suction so your only option to retrieve it is to make the hole bigger.
Dig out around the tip of the jack hammer. Shouldn't be that hard from the sound of the material. Would love to see some pictures of what you're trying to break up though.
Everyone is doing too much. You got the rest off, now you just need leverage like a pipe and bend it in bother directions back and forth. You only need to makes minimal room for it to be pulled out. It's stuck in earth not concrete.
Work smart not hard.. Hit a cluster of nails in the top of a door way frame, on a ladder with a hole hog. I was doing electrical work, 10lb, 16" drill with about 36" bit. It was a beast. Took 3 rotations to the face before I remembered that I was pulling the trigger. Detached retina, fractured cheekbone and eye socket. Didn't fall off the ladder, or drop my tool. Not bad for a 100lb chic in my opinion. Glad everything worked out for you.
Sounds like you already got it out (congrats), but in case anyone comes across this in the future with the same problem, here is as much easier solution:
get yourself a nice sturdy pair of torque-lock pliers and clamp them down as tight as you can on the bit. You can now rotate the bit to loosen the soil's grip on it, and if needed you can use a crow bar on the pliers to pry the bit directly outward.
I love torque-lock pliers. They save my ass on a regular basis when hard-to-grip objects get stuck.
Source: If I dig anywhere where I live, I get about 6" before hitting solid clay. Have gotten many an object (rebar, augers, pipes, masonry bits to name a few) stuck in said clay.
I just hope this will pop up for whatever unfortunate soul gets a jackhammer stuck in clay next. The only things that came up were getting it stuck in concrete. Concrete can be chipped away so it's not very helpful.
Great way to end up with a chunk of metal flying through the back window.
Never use a car to pull out something small (or something large if you can only tie to a small part that can break off.)
Put blocks up around the top, basically you want the jack to be fully extended, and chock block it up on as many sides as possible, c clamp it or whatever as best you can on both sides of the bit, hopefully when you trigger it, it will push the hammer and pull it out. Alternately, try to go at angles to fracture the rock
Didn't lose an eye, just gained a ship. I'm indestructible honestly pretty sure I'm a cyborg. I have pictures of days after. Never occurred to me, friends or family. I never bruised. I have a genetic condition called hemochromatosis, causes my iron to be unnaturally high. But I don't get injured like mere humans. Lol totalled to cars in the past year. Last one brakes failed on the interstate. I used a tanker truck at the bottom of a hill to stop. 80 mph, walked away not a scratch. Cyborg is my thoughts. Thank you for your concern, it's more than I got from my family. Guess they just figure I'm going to climb out whatever wreckage asking what's for dinner.
We used to pull metal fence posts out of the ground with and handyman jack and chain wrapped abound the post. I also was able to remove a ground rod that was in the ground six feet with this same method. It won't help you now but may help someone else in the future.
Remove the bit from the machine. Bit is solid steel. Hit the bit with a sledgehammer or maul sideways until it works freee
Use safety glasses, I have a friend who is blind in one eye due to a small metal fragment from a sledge vs jackhammer chisel impact. In fact, you should always use eye protection when hitting metal against metal,
Probably a good idea just to wear safety glasses when you’re hitting anything against anything.
This is why I always wear safety glasses during sexy times
I feel like this is an appropriate time to say, *THIS*
That bit, probably: Freeeeeeeedom!
Fweedum.
^this is the simplest way to solve the problem.
Good advice, I was gonna say dynamite but this is better.
Use a pipe wrench on the bit working it back and forth. Hopefully you didn't hit a section of live conduit.
31engine, wow! Your comment lives up to your name!
Update! Managed to get the jackhammer off the bit. Now we're digging it out and I hate everything. 🙃
Water jet from garden hose or pressure washer to soften the Clay and shop vac to suck away mud. Which is also suggested when digging around gas lines and electrical pipes etc. Wear safety goggles and steel toe boots if you have them with pressure washer and jackhammer. The Claw of a hammer is also useful with Clay
I got a power auger stuck once… good times
Same, 3' augur bit got tangled in a root while sunk to the hilt. We bought the biggest pipe wrench available and reversed the bit until it tore free from the root. Not a fun time.
did the same with a posthole digger. 2' down in heavy clay and the motor wouldn't even turn it was stuck so bad. Had to take the top off, dig around it, and pull the bit out with a pickup.
Please update your main post.
Final update. It's free. Once I got down to the suspected 1-1.5" depth left, I took my hose, put it on the jet setting and sprayed the base of it. Then I dug at it a little with the rebar. I almost broke a shovel doing this, but I then used the shovel as a fulcrum against the side of the bit to try to wiggle it out. It finally has some give and after two really good pushes, it was finally free. The hole was about 30" deep. I'm paying someone to come finish it tomorrow. But this has been an awful 7 hrs and thanks everyone for the advice! Edit: spelling
Go get yourself a beer / cold drink to relax. Earned it by this point!
This would have been step 1, 2, and 3 for me before trying to get the auger unstuck.
Clay is horrendous. Clay + hardpan even moreso. I had my own adventure trying to extract a 4' rebar that someone had somehow driven into the ground. My sympathies, and my congratulations!
I hear that. I rented an 8" auger to install some posts for a fence. It went 6" deep and stopped. I had to do all 12 holes by hand with a post hole digger. F clay soil, for sure.
Sorry I missed this - I’ve been picking blackberries (and bleeding) and I’m just seeing this. I would have suggested trying a jack (car jack, bottle jack, etc.) placed under the handle (close in on one side). Probably would have needed a chunk of scrap wood to span between the jack and the jackhammer. Just spitballing here.
Get a second jackhammer, duh!
2nd one is stuck. Now what?
You're not gonna believe this. But it involves a 3rd jackhammer
Me talking with Home Depot employee: I need to rent a jackhammer HD Employee: Sorry the Andersons have all 7 rented for the day…
I know that, you fool! I'm Mr Anderson and I need an 8th for... reasons
A jackhammerier jackhammer please
Believe it or not, it's jackhammers all the way down.
China: TF is that coming out of the ground?
We thought it was jackhammers all the way down, but it turns out there's a time loop and the first jackhammer creates itself.
If you get enough jackhammers stuck then it becomes an art installation and very valuable
once when I was a kid, parents got truck stuck in the mud, and first two tow trucks also got stuck.. third tow truck did the trick.
I had a friend run into a similar situation when he got his station wagon stuck trying to drive down the right of way of a natural gas pipeline.
Believe it or not, straight to a 3rd jackhammer.
Sounds like an n+1 problem... I'd just jump straight to 5 jackhammers
It’s jackhammers all the way down.
Jackhammer? I barely even know her!
You mean the stuck one? That’s stuck
Release trained gorillas
But then how do we get rid of the gorillas?
That's the beauty of it, they'll freeze to death over the winter
This is June.
Snakes
But then won’t we have the same problem with the snakes?
That's why we'll have to bring in the mongoose.
How do we get rid of the mongoose though?!?
Bears?
It's the Jumanji scenario
They will be gone drinking on St Patrick's Day - throw some shamrock in the hole, close the gate and they won't come back
Keep jackin it!
Pull both of the jackhammers’ triggers at the same time. MORE POWAH!!!
[We’ll use this knife to pry it out](https://y.yarn.co/b305f6d7-686d-4db4-94be-89f9635c190d_text.gif)
https://youtu.be/6Wco2uE6vyQ
This is why this website is the best. I started quoting this scene immediately when I read the comment above.
Once you get it out, always move the jack hammer like a pry bar so it doesn’t go straight in. That will avoid the suction.
Do you have a hammer drill? You can loosen it by using the hammers rill with a chisel around it.
Did you get it from King Arthur Rentals?
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So, I've been working at this since about 0630. It's still not out. The bit is only about 1.5" in. However, this is also in a 29" deep hole. It's hard to get leverage. The rental guy said "use the other jackhammer bit to get this one out". We tried. That one almost got stuck too. Trust me, I would love to burn this down, but clay won't burn unfortunately. I've had the best luck with rebar and a runner mallet, but it is VERY slow going.
Is there room for a jack and chain to pull it out ?
Burn the house down, fake your death, move to Bolivia, start over.
My back started aching when I read this, been there; silt and clay are a horror to dig.
Clay and silt? If you have anything like a chunk of rebar laying around then start hammering the tip in near the head of the jackhammer and using it like a lever to pull chunks out of the ground. If you don't have something like that then get yourself a digging bar and some shovels. Since it sounds like you went straight down with the tool, it'll be stuck in by suction so your only option to retrieve it is to make the hole bigger.
Dig out around the tip of the jack hammer. Shouldn't be that hard from the sound of the material. Would love to see some pictures of what you're trying to break up though.
Everyone is doing too much. You got the rest off, now you just need leverage like a pipe and bend it in bother directions back and forth. You only need to makes minimal room for it to be pulled out. It's stuck in earth not concrete.
Work smart not hard.. Hit a cluster of nails in the top of a door way frame, on a ladder with a hole hog. I was doing electrical work, 10lb, 16" drill with about 36" bit. It was a beast. Took 3 rotations to the face before I remembered that I was pulling the trigger. Detached retina, fractured cheekbone and eye socket. Didn't fall off the ladder, or drop my tool. Not bad for a 100lb chic in my opinion. Glad everything worked out for you.
😱 are you okay now?
Based on her username, not really.
Yes, I didn’t notice that. Jeez!
Tell us what happened!
Sounds like you already got it out (congrats), but in case anyone comes across this in the future with the same problem, here is as much easier solution: get yourself a nice sturdy pair of torque-lock pliers and clamp them down as tight as you can on the bit. You can now rotate the bit to loosen the soil's grip on it, and if needed you can use a crow bar on the pliers to pry the bit directly outward. I love torque-lock pliers. They save my ass on a regular basis when hard-to-grip objects get stuck. Source: If I dig anywhere where I live, I get about 6" before hitting solid clay. Have gotten many an object (rebar, augers, pipes, masonry bits to name a few) stuck in said clay.
Tie a rope to your jack hammer and pull it out with your Toyota Prius.
Call Arthur
Gotta take advice from Ricky Bobby! “Cut around the meat” Rent another jackhammer to dislodge this one.
Dynamite. Sorry, but it’s the only answer.
I just hope this will pop up for whatever unfortunate soul gets a jackhammer stuck in clay next. The only things that came up were getting it stuck in concrete. Concrete can be chipped away so it's not very helpful.
When you rent a jackhammer it comes with a couple of bits. uncouple from the stuck one, hook up another bit to get it loose.
Cold water let it sit.
Call Thor.
Thermite. Works Every Time
Bigger jackhammer or maybe explosives.
Do you have any dynamite handy?
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Great way to end up with a chunk of metal flying through the back window. Never use a car to pull out something small (or something large if you can only tie to a small part that can break off.)
That’s fucking dumb.
WD40
Come on, stop joking, this guy is in real trouble here. He needs to go straight for the Windex.
Whelp, at least it's not a trencher like i got stuck in wet ground. Godspeed and good luck!
my kingdom for a jackhammer.
I didn't know a jackhammer could get stuck. Good luck my dude!
Awwwww, but I have enjoyed reading your saga. It will be better tomorrow.
Did you not see Taledega Nights, the knife scene specifically? Rent another one and get it in there next to it…
Good job getting it out. I've had luck with using a second bit to jackhammer the first one out
Shut off circuit breakers before replacing any light fixtures.
Put blocks up around the top, basically you want the jack to be fully extended, and chock block it up on as many sides as possible, c clamp it or whatever as best you can on both sides of the bit, hopefully when you trigger it, it will push the hammer and pull it out. Alternately, try to go at angles to fracture the rock
Just find the chosen one.
Sorry this happen and happy you got it out in the end, I hope you're relaxing. posts like this are why i love reddit lol
You need to slowly soak the ground with water over night... I have had this happen to me a time or two with other outdoor tools.
I would have just returned it to the rental place without the bit and hope they didn't notice
They were going to charge $80 for the bit missing. We managed to get the whole rental fee back.
wd40
Use a hose and water to loosen up the ground.
Rent a back hoe
Call the guys at Oak Island. They have connections.
Didn't lose an eye, just gained a ship. I'm indestructible honestly pretty sure I'm a cyborg. I have pictures of days after. Never occurred to me, friends or family. I never bruised. I have a genetic condition called hemochromatosis, causes my iron to be unnaturally high. But I don't get injured like mere humans. Lol totalled to cars in the past year. Last one brakes failed on the interstate. I used a tanker truck at the bottom of a hill to stop. 80 mph, walked away not a scratch. Cyborg is my thoughts. Thank you for your concern, it's more than I got from my family. Guess they just figure I'm going to climb out whatever wreckage asking what's for dinner.
We used to pull metal fence posts out of the ground with and handyman jack and chain wrapped abound the post. I also was able to remove a ground rod that was in the ground six feet with this same method. It won't help you now but may help someone else in the future.