USFS - This Old Cabin Masonry - 1996 

Thank you for posting these. I feel like a kid again (learning the trades from the older men) and I’m 50. These are really great!

This video is pure gold! From all the videos i've seen, this is the first one that show this level of tecnique. Specially loved the tip about taking the old mortar and make it a powder to determine the right mix and strength. But this video is full of gold nuggets and so well explained, should have millions of views.

Dom, I really enjoyed your delivery........ it was no nonsence, straight up, educational and thorough. Thanks

The video may be 9 or 10 years old, but I still find great value in it. Brilliant video indeed!

I sure wish I had seen this 30 years ago when I built my cabin. My block work was amateurish at best. My stone work was passable but took forever. I had no one to teach me this and no resources for information. I learned more from this fellow in 50 minutes than i learned in the years leading up to building the cabin. Sure am glad these videos are preserved. Cheers! Whipple

These USFS videos are a national treasure! 🙏

I never thought I'd find a builder who knew what he was doing. I'm so glad that this guy is passing on his knowledge.

I would like to thank you Don, for your very effective demonstrations. A master at it makes it look so easy !!

Thank you so much. Restored our old farm here in Normandy, Fra but am from the states, and after more than 35 years here, boy does Wyoming and North America call out to me. Dad drive the family from the Bay Area in Cal. to visit uncle and aunt in West Yellowstone in the 60's, then I'd hitch hiked there in high school with mates to fish and camp one summer...Boy do those memories hit home now that I'm getting a bit on in years...Thanks again...rr

Thank you for sharing. Finally an instructional video on how to do it properly. The video has given me confidence to tuck point my 100-year-old granite fieldstone wall. Tired of paying self-described masons in Saskatoon Canada thousands for shoddy work. FYI lots of job opportunity for masons in Saskatchewan.

This is a great series of videos. Well worth the time. :D Thanks so much to all those responsible as well as those who do this work for our benefit.

this guy is truely a master mason and i have been doing it for thirty years he knows his stuff.

Absolutely a professional instruction video! Great work! Thanks so much! Love seeing a master at his/her craft! 👍👍👍 Would have loved to see the last demo of problems and solutions for the logs and stone but I have to say, this was so interesting, the 50 minutes flew by.

I can't thank you enough for this thorough tutorial. It's gold!!!

Always a pleasure to watch a master at work!

I'm completely self taught. So I always had a little self doubt. It was a thrill to see some of the same hand motions that I use. I guess the tools and materials determine the best way.

Great video mate. 39 years a Mason. I still love it

Beautifully explained. Amazing how much can be learned in less than one hour!

great video and the knowledge is very rare from any source. More of this if you have the time

Great instructional video. Great job properly covering all the segments, thanks

Excellent Clip as usual. My Great Granddad was a Stone Mason on the Crew that built the Old Faithful Inn.

Outstanding instruction. I thank you sir. You answered about 95% of the questions I had.

finally a video that shows whats involved in masonry work

One very important thing to remember is that if they wall was built with a lime mortar you should go back with a lime mortar. This video was filmd back in 1996, when we were just in the beginning stages of relearning the use of lime only binders in the U.S. The Portland based mortars are crap in the US. All one has to do is look at a modern structure or building that was recently built and you will see efflourescence everywhere. You don't have that problem with lime.

I have an old church in St Louis MO. with stone front that need to be repointed. This video is AWESOME!!! I am planning to repair it myself. I love masonry and carpentry, since I have got older I will only go to school by RU-vid. The tools you described I through away, didn't know what I was given away. Thank you for sharing. Oh did I tell you I am a woman. smile. Do you know anyone in my area that may want to stop by to assist me in my project? Again, thank you. Knowledge is priceless.

A cute and detailed explanation about Masonry .Thanks for sharing the video.

great video. Glad i saw it before tackling repointing a stone foundation and repairing brick stairs.

After I move to WA I came down form the north side to see the mountains etc. Wow what a change I cried all the way through after the forest fire and saw no animals at all it used to be filled with wild herds of animals and then I saw the north lake was moving as the land was bulging under the next volcano....That is some really beautiful stone works there like the wood stuff also. Can't get that in other parts of the country.

Very good This is the best video I have seen on masonary trade skill.

This was an absolute pleasure to watch. Very informative.

In my opinion, this video is one of the most thorough videos in masonry repairs. Thanks for postin. I also gave it a thumb's up. Your video on single installation was also good.

Really enjoyable and relaxing videos. Thank you posting.

I'm a mason, I can lay everything, block, brick, stone, tourist😝😝😝. I'm also a concrete finisher. I came here to find some new ideas on building a traditional old fashioned stone fireplace. This old boy is using a Philadelphia brick trowel, I like to use the London wide, much bigger trowel and the majority of my work is foundations. So the more mud I can get in one spread the faster I lay block. Plus they are a longer trowel so I can clean more block faster. For those of you out there that have never layed 12 inch block, let me tell you, you will sleep good after that day lol.

"Cut forward," I love this video. Thank you.

This is an excellent resource. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for all the details! Very valuable training for a newbie, me.

What a clever man. I love true tradesmen. Thanks.

Very good video, I loved it ! Very usefull for experimental archaeology C'est un excellent vidéo pour apprendre comment faire de la maçonnerie en archéologie expérimentale.

After hearing about this, I have long wanted to see this info. Thank you for sharing.

fantastic, im wanting to learn and just learnet about ten things or more that have stuck in my head in 1 hr thank you =)

This is outstanding

talented highly skilled mason.

Wow I never knew how many tools I could use!!!

THX LEARNED SO MUCH FROM THIS VIDEO.

Great video, thanks!

Layed a lot of stone, after this, still an amateur... Luv this guy..

Great info sir! 👍

25 year mason here 👍🏻

Allah razı olsun dayı, god bless :)

what a clever man.. skill indeed.

Thanks

Best dam masonry vid I have seen!

This guy is very through, good video

Very nice

Dang, where is my note book? I think I need to write this stuff down! This is so informative!

amazing

Very good video

Anyone do this level quality work in northern NJ today?

I would like to go buy a few bags of this mortar mix. I have no appetite to create my own from different ingredients. What do I buy please?

Thnx

great video...thanx...a real pro. What types of mortar for interior and exterior fieldstone foundation repair? Mark

Thanks so much for your detailed instructilns. BTW. Can i use a caulking gun to fill the motor? Will it work?

Wonderful presentation. What sort of media are used for the mortar? Was cob ever used for traditional stone work? If not, could it be?

He looks like Joe Pesci (Home Alone, 1990)

Can you show a tutorial for stone wall erection with the fundamentals between strength and cosmetics?

Очень хотелось сделать фото ваших инструментов, но мне не удалось сделать снимки экрана. К сожалению, так как вы всё время размахивали своими инструментами! Желаю удачи !

He named all the tools except for the "special tool for preservation work" (used for knocking old mortar out), I went looking for it at various Masonry web sites, none have anything like that listed. Does anyone know what those two are?

Do you think this guy has done this a few times?

EL MORTERO DE SIENTO LO HISCISTE CON MESCLA DE CEMENTO CAL Y ARENA Y AGUA O EL MORTERO PREMESCLADO MUY BUENO EL PUNTO DE LA MESCLA

Measure the mortar constituents (portland, lime sand ...) by volume or by weight?

I hate the tuck pointers with a handle. The ones that are a solid piece have two sizes on one, and are a lot easier to use.

Nice video thanks. I was raised there I thought my mom would drive me nuts taking me to see the gizzer every few hours. I thought as a child well if I can't touch it because it is HOT then I don't want to keep coming to see it. She was thinking keep the kid busy. Love your stone stuff.

all three trowels looked the same

At approx. 22:00, a 3/8" joint? As in 1/8 more than 1/4"? Cause it sure looks to be about 3/4" to me.

Contingencyiiik

he look like joe pesci

I like this guy, he reminds me of me. I pay very close attention to detail like him. In fact, my stonework looks better than his. But I could train a professional like him to be as good as me; I am so sick and tired of dealing with half-ass, mediocre, lazy know-nothing know-it-alls .

to much stating the very simple obvious

At approx. 22:00, a 3/8" joint? As in 1/8 more than 1/4"? Cause it sure looks to be about 3/4" to me.