The block of Portland stone landed on my doormat today. I have to say it is a trifle larger than it looked in the photo - about half a ton larger in fact.
So I am going to have to whittle it down a tad before I begin the work proper.
If you are interested I will show you how it is done with the minimum of effort, even though the effort is quite considerable.
I keep reminding myself of an old photo from the 1950s or 60s showing two men in their 80s sawing up larger blocks of Bath stone than this, which they did every day until they died.
You cannot use hand-saws on Portland, so the method is not quite as strenuous, just more violent.
I will take you through it.
A sledgehammer comes to mind but I don't know if that works with a neat split in Portland stone. I will await you taking us through it.
ReplyDeleteA hammer, yes, but not a sledgehammer. Plugs and feathers!
DeleteLooking forward to seeing that
ReplyDeleteI shall split it tomorrow.
DeleteWhat are you making?
ReplyDeleteA gravestone for a horse.
DeleteHammer and chisel? Is everything done by hand or a combination of hand and power tools? I look forward to seeing the process.
ReplyDeleteYes. Hand plus power.
DeleteAnother interested spectator.
ReplyDeleteOh I will enjoy this!
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to that - the way you do it - and the result.
ReplyDeleteHow come I can't believe in a gravestone for a horse? Though the daughter of my friend Anne, who is a vet, specialised on horses, tells highly funny and absurd stories about misled love from really neurotic horse-owners
It's a big grave.
DeleteFor a p(h)ony?
DeleteScary moment the first tap of the stone.
ReplyDeleteThe last tap is the scariest.
DeleteOoh yes, please show us !
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your skills with us!
ReplyDelete