Home Menu Free Quote Contact Careers Quick Contact Team Login History And Anatomy Of A Blast Our Commitment, Our Customers’ Peace Of Mind Home History And Anatomy Of A Blast History of Rock Blasting: From Art to Science In the old days, the blaster would puff on his cigar until it was red hot, touch it to the fuse and "run like hell." Before the rackbar machine, (a plunger that generates an electric current), that's how blasters set off their charges. Drilling wasn't any more sophisticated: Hand chisels were employed to make the holes in which the charges were packed. As for explosives, black powder, first used for blasting in Hungary in 1627, gave way to dynamite in the mid 1800s when Alfred Nobel of Sweden saturated porous earth with nitroglycerin. The resulting solid lacked the volatility of "nitro" but could still be detonated by a blasting cap. In later years, sugar cane and wood pulp replaced earth in his formula. Today, technology has turned what was once an art into a science. Maine Drilling & Blasting is on the cutting edge. 26:55 Our Cutting Edge Technology: Non-Electric Blasting Techniques: Stable Explosive Gels: Computer-Aided Blast Design Boretrak System: Laser Profiling: Anatomy of a (Maine Drilling & Blasting) Blast A controlled commercial blast is over in far less time than it takes to read this sentence. Yet the technical planning and preparation can take hours, sometimes days. The elements of this procedure are important to Maine Drilling & Blasting. As a subcontractor, the blaster follows specifications set by the contractor, developer or government agency. The blaster also must adhere to the most restrictive of federal, state or local laws concerning the amount of explosives allowed and the magnitude of the resulting blast. PRE-BLAST PREPARATION DESIGNING A BLAST THE BLAST The rock blasting superintendent evaluates the nature of the rock that needs to be removed and the general scope of the job. The safety specialist performs a pre-blast survey, inspecting and recording the homes, businesses, utilities and other structures in the area local to the blast site. As part of a community awareness program, the safety specialist distributes informational leaflets and discusses the possible effects of the blast on neighboring homes and businesses. The safety specialist and the rock blasting superintendent share their information and the blaster tailors the plan to create the least disruption while assuring safety. On a more complex job, a computer program may be tapped to help the blaster design the blast and customize the plan. In any case, a test blast is set off and monitored. The resulting data, measured by seismic and other monitoring equipment, is analyzed and integrated into the blast plan. Get a FREE Drilling & Blasting Quote MD&B is a provider of drilling, blasting and related specialty services in the New England, Mid Atlantic and Southeast areas. Contact Us A Breed Apart Learn About Maine Drilling & Blasting Contact Info. 1 800-370-2338 View Locations Quick Links Home Free Quote Locations Blasting Services Portfolio About Careers Testimonials History Testimonial This current project is my first rock job with your company. Overall, I have been very pleased with ... Read More Steven Kauffman - Liberty Excavators Copyright 2021 Maine Drilling and Blasting - All Rights Reserved View Sitemap