very cool. It brought back memories. I used to get granite culls from the monument plants in Elberton GA, and I've built walls, patios and structures with the stone. I've cut so many slabs like this, but didn't use the feathers and wedges or drills. I certainly couldn't do it anymore. That was 45+ years ago.
Thanks for sharing this video. It is nice to see this skill is not lost and some people still master it. I would like to share with you a tip that was given to me long time ago by a old guy that did this all his life. They used water at a certain point when the crack was barely starting and live it overnight. The watet would penetrate the crack slowly, and the next morning the stone would be there in two halves. We used to split granit as well, but in northern Italy we use more a sort of gneiss stone called beola. We used the gray an the black one. Especially for creating flat stones of about 2 inches thickness, but also 1 an half. We use them for old houses on the mountains in the north west for building the roof on a wooden structure. Also the walls are completely in stones as this material was locally avalaible and was cheep. Of course it has some drawback but back in 1800 hundred there was no alternatives. The whole house was built with dry technique. No cement was used to bild the walls. The people back than, were quite skilled. Only very few master those skill nowadays.
Are you gonna build on a concrete slab or dig a trench below the frost line and line the bottom with gravel (or even a French drain underneath that) then stack half boulders on top of that? I’m debating about that because concrete slabs require rebar and that’ll spall out after about 50 years or so. BTW, I’m following the guidance of Ian Cramb’s “Stone Mason’s Gospel”.
Hey man, I’m trying to find land right now to build a stone cottage myself! I’m gonna use the coursed, random rubble method, Scottish style. Trying to find a good plot somewhere up in NE PA. Though I’ve also considered upstate NY, Vermont or New Hampshire.
I have watched some of your videos ,I found them very interesting especially the one where you show your tools,I think you will be very successful with your quarry ,you know your craft very well and it shows,I have never seen big stone split apart like you do,is an art in itself I think ,so best of luck in the future and blessings from the opposite corner of the country on the pacific south west !
The work you do and sharing it with the world is so great. Imagine how you 100 years ago could see masoners styles in just a mile around a village and now your style and what u share, it's world wide! Much appreciated!!❤
Have you tried pouring water into the holes? I did this once after driving the wedges in until they were tight, and you could hear the rock begin to crack, and it popped apart moments later with no additional pounding on the wedges. This was 40 years ago, and I don't remember the quality of the rock face, though. To us the quality of the cut was unimportant--we were moving boulders off of trails in Yosemite.
@@joewoodchuck3824 Potentially makes it so you could split rock with fewer sets of plugs and feathers. I'd love to hear from someone with more experience. I'm curious as to the effect on cut quality. If you're asking what the water does within the rock crystals to help the splitting, I would guess it works into micro-cracks and reduces adhesion (?) between crystals.
Wow ,that was ambitious but you made it happen ! cutting stone that large is a labor of love,as I watch your videos I am breaking stone with non of the good chisel and wedges you have ,no stores nearby sell them unfortunately ,but thank you I am learning a lot from your techniques !
I am an occassional rock breaker and use 5/8 wedge and feathers to clear off a lot I own. Just want the rocks gone. Almost all my rocks are basalt (super hard) and respond well to a W&F tap session. However recently I have encountered a few rocks which seem to be hard (igneous) and no matter how many W&F's I put in a row, they just bottom out, and the best I get is a few small rock chips which seem to be the skin or top layer. It could take me months to destroy one rock. I believe the rock is permeable or porous and as I drive the wedges the rock internally deforms and simply absorbs the stress witthout breaking. I am stymied. Have you encountered this and do you have any suggestions. Thanks!
I'm just throwing this out there... your a mason with lots of rock that you can cut and move with your own machinery..... why not build retaining walls where needed and infill with stone to widen and build up your access road to your quarry so your able to move higher and or bigger volume?
Any tips for splitting granite stone that is mostly buried but protrudes above the surface? I find that the rock tends to break off in thin layers and the crack does not migrate downwards. I’m in VT as well, NEK.
I loved it. I loved everything about it. I enjoy watching the stones being shaped and placed just right. It's truly fascinating thinking of how much has been built with stone. From farm walls to cathedrals, it truly is an art form.
Don't be brainwashed by the system ideology that wants to enslave you into a monetary jail in which you'll only build your own walls. Nobody gets saved by works from which he gets paid for ; but only through grace. The system in which people are unconsciously kept in spiritual captivity is a fair ground ruled by carnies. It's an attractions park in which people are free willingly paying to get entertained and entertain themselves. The merry-go-around is never too attractive enough : It carries you and spins you around while playing loud music ; then drops you out all staggering at the same place you embarked. And time has gone taking away all your illusions...
Sir, may I congratulate you on your ability to talk to the granite block, and in return, she talks to you in a manner which you can understand. Well done. and all the best in enjoying your wonderful work. I think it would be be wonderful to try and model the wavefront from those impulses you initiate in how they travel through the block to cause the stresses along the contour which you desire. Those impulses are not as innocent as they sound! Well done once again,
Can I ask why you do not lay the stone with the cutting plane horizontal and put the feathers and wedges on all 4 sides rather than just 3? And... how do you mask the drilled holes for the finished stone?
