Hit rock in a trench, on a pad or across the road? Drill a 10mm hole, load a cartridge, and pop it. No hoe-ram to haul in, no blasting crew, and it fits behind the seat of your truck.
Pick the job closest to yours. Each one shows what crews usually do today, what changes with Rock Popper, and the kit that fits.
Rock is strong under compression but weak under tension. Rock Popper puts the force inside the rock, so it cracks along the line you choose instead of being hammered from the outside.
An SDS drill reaches 12 inches in about 20 to 30 seconds in concrete and many granites. Harder rock like quartz takes a little longer.
Drop in a .375 Magnum Cartridge, add a Booster for tough material, and seat the Power Head. Line heads up to steer the crack, or triangulate to break into pieces.
Fire from the remote trigger. With a blanket over the area, flyrock stays minimal, and wet holes are quieter than a hand clap.
Rock Popper doesn't replace every tool. It's built for the jobs where bringing in heavy iron or a blasting crew costs more than the rock is worth.
| Hoe-ram or hydraulic hammer | Conventional blasting | Rock Popper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you need on site | An excavator with the hammer attachment | A licensed blaster and a blast plan | A drill and a case that fits behind your truck seat |
| Next to structures | Vibration and wear on the machine | Usually off the table | Safe next to, inside or under structures, with ventilation |
| Noise | Loud for hours | Loud, scheduled | The drilling is usually the loudest part |
| Tight spots | Needs room for the machine | Needs a cleared zone | Backyards, trenches, basements, trails |
| Running cost | Hammer maintenance and machine hours | Crew and permits | Cartridges, bits and your time |
Every kit comes ready to work, with Power Heads, cords, remote trigger, air pump, 6-in-1 tool and SDS bits. Cartridges are sold to certified buyers.
The occasional boulder: landscapers, small site work, property owners with a rock problem.
Regular rock work: utility and excavation crews hitting boulders in trenches and on pads.
Big pieces and volume: quarries, demolition and road crews breaking large rock all day.
Already own a Sierra Blaster? Rock Popper cartridges use the same hole specs, so your system keeps working.
Hard rock and concrete, the harder the better. Soft material or rock with lots of cracks lets the gas escape, so results drop. It isn't for tree stumps.
The battery-powered initiator handles about 70 pops on four AA batteries and fires up to 4 heads at a time. The corded trigger runs from a standard 120V outlet or generator, at about 200 watts per head.
Cartridges are sold to certified accounts. Certification is a short video and test online. Deliveries need an adult 21 or older to sign, and ship with hazmat packaging.
Not yet. If you only have one job, tell us in the quote form and we'll point you to the best option for it.
Yes. The cartridges are highly water resistant, and wet holes make the pop even quieter.
See the full write-up on the Rock Popper site, or ask us with your state in the quote form.
Two minutes. We'll come back the same business day with the right kit, cartridge count and a price, or tell you straight if Rock Popper isn't the right tool for the job.
Rock Popper