Stacking Tiles for Breaking

When it comes to breaking, knowledge of the materials is crucial.

When it comes to breaking, knowledge of the materials is crucial. Both in how they respond to being hit, and in how to arrange them. I’ve seen many people fail to break with good technique because they haven’t attended to how the materials are set up in the holder.

Here are some tips for stacking roof tiles.

This is the kind of tile you want – not concrete! These two are slightly different, but good for our purposes.

Stack them rounded side up (the part that faces up on the roof, with the sharp peak and two troughs, should face down & away from your attacking tool).

Alternate them so they are nice and stable. Put the lip at one end for the first tile, and the other end for the next one.

Ensure the ends are nicely nested. Wobbly tiles might distract you.

You don’t want the supports too close together – as far apart as possible without dropping the stack makes the tiles easier to break.

Harder:

Easier:

You can have the supports standing tall as above, or low as below. Tall lets you follow through better, and is nicer for taller people as you don’t have to bend over as much. Low lets you get the maximum range of motion before impact, and is more comfortable for shorter people.

There are some bad spots to aim at, and a good spot. Bad day:

Bad day:

Good day:

The tiles shatter when broken and have lots of sharp edges. Use a cloth to cover the stack to avoid injury.

And of course all the usual advice applies – prepare yourself. Hit things lots and forge your tools for years.