How long is the rebar?

[daft]

I am trying to remember and its not coming back to me, but it seems you pound your rebar in a certain distance and after that you need the jack and chain to pull it out. I want to cut and bend the rebar now for the art project and am thinking you go in about 10 inches and then hit the point of uselessness. I am serious about this!

[BBadger]

My rebar stakes go into the ground about two (2) feet. It's easy to remove them, you just twist them to loosen the dirt around them and they come out with a little leverage from the crowbar. Most of the stake's securing ability comes from the angle that they're pounded into the ground, so you want them in relatively deep especially if the playa's soil is disturbed. 10 inches seems pretty shallow, but it might depend on the stake itself.

[Rice]

The rebar length is determined by a few factors:

A. how dry is the playa (super dry this year)
B. What are you trying to secure (how much wind will it catch)

If it is a dry year you may want to consider doubling the length.

A pair of vice-grips will work wonders in removing rebar. Just clamp and spin the rebar, it should come right out...

[SnowBlind]

I second the vice grips. Just turn them until they are loose, then slowly pull them up.

[ygmir]

girth is at least as important as length.............

[catinthefunnyhat]

Pounding it in correctly is essential. Neither length nor girth is helpful if you don't know how to use it

[junglesmacks]

After 10" it DOES start to hit the point of uselessness though.

[Rice]

Uh, are we still talking about rebar??

[ygmir]

After 10" it DOES start to hit the point of uselessness though.

then it's just a jack handle.

[Bob]

I am trying to remember and its not coming back to me, but it seems you pound your rebar in a certain distance and after that you need the jack and chain to pull it out. I want to cut and bend the rebar now for the art project and am thinking you go in about 10 inches and then hit the point of uselessness. I am serious about this!

Please describe the "art project" and the function of the stakes, this might help for providing advice. In my experience, 24" lengths of 1/2" rebar either straight or with a short J-bend at the top can be easily driven with a large framing hammer or small sledge, and can be pulled by wiggling back & forth with vise-grips a quarter turn while pulling upward. Don't use water, it just creates suction and a muddy mess. Grinding a slight point on the stake with a disk grinder helps a bit, but it's not necessary. Getting a tight J-bend on the top is more important, and bending it back 3"-5" is usually sufficient. Keep in mind the top few inches of the playa is always crumbly, so short stakes (<12") should be driven flush with the surface. Short stakes driven in properly should be fine for just about anything less than ten feet tall.

[Savannah]

I am trying to remember and its not coming back to me, but it seems you pound your rebar in a certain distance and after that you need the jack and chain to pull it out. I want to cut and bend the rebar now for the art project and am thinking you go in about 10 inches and then hit the point of uselessness. I am serious about this!

Please describe the "art project" and the function of the stakes, this might help for providing advice. In my experience, 24" lengths of 1/2" rebar either straight or with a short J-bend at the top can be easily driven with a large framing hammer or small sledge, and can be pulled by wiggling back & forth with vise-grips a quarter turn while pulling upward. Don't use water, it just creates suction and a muddy mess. Grinding a slight point on the stake with a disk grinder helps a bit, but it's not necessary. Getting a tight J-bend on the top is more important, and bending it back 3"-5" is usually sufficient. Keep in mind the top few inches of the playa is always crumbly, so short stakes (<12") should be driven flush with the surface. Short stakes driven in properly should be fine for just about anything less than ten feet tall.

Agreed.

* 24" lengths of rebar for my shade structure, driven in halfway. I get these out via wiggling & jostling w/ a sledgehammer; I'm not a practiced hand with vise grips yet.
* 10" Coleman stakes for my nylon tent (tallest point of center pole is 7 or 8 feet). I pound these flush, and remove them with a 36" wrecking bar.

[theCryptofishist]

I get these out via wiggling & jostling w/ a sledgehammer; I'm not a practiced hand with vise grips yet.

Somehow, I doubt there's a practice range where you can perfect this skill...

[catinthefunnyhat]

I'm not a practiced hand with vise grips yet.

Somehow, I doubt there's a practice range where you can perfect this skill...

Yggy?

[Savannah]

I'm not a practiced hand with vise grips yet.

Somehow, I doubt there's a practice range where you can perfect this skill...

Yggy?

I daresay Yggy might have a Vise Grip Practice Range.

[teardropper]

Yeah, Bob's right. I cut 18" 1/2" rebar. I heat bent a 90*, 1" bend and use a 3 pound hammer and the vice grip method of removal. You can drive them flush in. Hoping it works because I'm going to do it again.

[Bob]

The newer Vise-Grips with the blue handles are easier to use.

[ygmir]

I'm not a practiced hand with vise grips yet.

Somehow, I doubt there's a practice range where you can perfect this skill...

Yggy?

I daresay Yggy might have a Vise Grip Practice RangeRoom.

[Lowz]

I daresay Yggy might have a Vise Grip Practice Range Room Dungeon.

[SnowBlind]

Which reminds me, how do you guys cut rebar if it isn't precut? I looked around on the web and found about as many answers as I opened posts.

What works for you guys?

[BBadger]

Vice (or just clamps) + small angle grinder. After you're done cutting, use a bench grinder to round off the tips and deburr.

[FIGJAM]

If you cut from a long piece, make every other cut at 45 degrees for a ready made point.

[CaverX]

When I made mine, I cut them with a portable band saw, like butter. I second figjam on the angled cut.
I wanted 6 stakes, and cut a 10' rebar into 20" pieces. With the candy caned top, I think they ended up a bit short.
Of course, I did not have the opportunity to test them, as I forgot to take them . Thank Ford, last year was a mild year
and I made it without them. I also am unlikely to test them this year, as it would take a series of very unusual circumstances, for me to make it this year.

[Savannah]

I daresay Yggy might have a Vise Grip Practice Range Room Dungeon.

He was showing us some sort of new underground lair in . . . "Da Bar" thread, I think it was.

Oh, here it is. Vice Grip Practice Dungeon.

viewtopic.php?t=37874&p=830549

He says it's for cooling his house, but I think we all know better, in light of recent revelations.

[ygmir]

I daresay Yggy might have a Vise Grip Practice Range Room Dungeon.

He was showing us some sort of new underground lair in . . . "Da Bar" thread, I think it was.

Oh, here it is. Vice Grip Practice Dungeon.

viewtopic.php?t=37874&p=830549

He says it's for cooling his house, but I think we all know better, in light of recent revelations.

care to step into my parlor?...............

[Savannah]

Why does this rag smell like chloroform?

[SnowBlind]

Thanks for the rebar cutting tips. Don't have a band saw, so angle cutter it is.

And if I had a band saw, I'd have no space to put it

[ygmir]

Why does this rag smell like chloroform?

no, honey, it's Vicks Vapo-rub..........see, try it again............