[img]http://[IMG]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q393/timber500/100_1585.jpg[/img][/img]

The local granite people are opening a new quarry this September. It will be of interest to see the saw that made that cut. A wire saw of some sort. This is new technology, I have been visiting the local quarries that were in use in the late 1800's, viewing photos and such. A heavy type of work. The old photos show the derricks used to move the blocks on location, oxen with a gallamander or a flat bed railroad car then down hill to the ships in waiting.

The older houses sat on these granite blocks, I haven't see much for granite under barns. Tim

Tim,

Quite a picture.

As you saw on the tour last month, most (if not all) barns down here sit on granite. Puzzling that you don't see it where you are... what did they use instead?

Field stone, cheap and it had to come off the field anyway is my guess. I may look into using granite for replacement in repair work, times are changing. Tim

That certainly is an odd marking. I wonder what caused it. Wires are usually very smooth. My friends wire saw is almost done, we've been working on it for about four years now. He's going to cut marble, however.


Dave

Dave, the granite shifted and bound on the wire, maybe. I don't know what this saw looked like. They also had sheet metal balloons which are slipped into the kerf and pumped up to loosen the chunk or to act as a wedge to keep this from happening. I have a photo but I am on the quick reply. Tim

Here is the balloons. Tim
[img]http://[IMG]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q393/timber500/100_1588.jpg[/img][/img]

Informative pics Tim. I'm going to learn how to post pics someday soon.
A friend of mine quarries granite or schist at the bottom end of his hillside in N Milford Ct. splits out pcs he can barely pick up w the Prentice loader on the log truck.
I'm in northern Westchester County, 1.5 miles from Ridgefield CT.
All barns I've worked on or seen have had dry fieldstone except for more recent rich man's gentleman farms which sometimes have cut stone foundations, dry or mortared. Recent = very late 19 century and 20 cent. And also bldgs moved in 20 cent onto new poured concrete fnd.
Fieldstone fnd. can be shallow and quite subject to freeze/thaw movement. I say the bldgs are "floating" on them - quite often steadily sinking, as well as grades build up over the years. We restored one barn in North Salem NY where grade at uphill end had risen 18" in approx 40 yrs, partially burying walls and blocking doors. Lack of maintenance for not being used any more. It was a stick framed gambrel roofed hay, horse and cow barn, We repaired and upgraded it by building a hybrid TF/LVL load bearing frame within that picked up the loads that had broken the orig light wt framing. Water damage contrbuted greatly to structural failure at the usual spots. We also dug and placed new masonry footings and piers at our new point loads.
"House built on a weak foundation will not stand, oh no!" Harry Belafonte
Can you swim in that quarry?
Steve

nice looking granite tim, you going to use some of the granite for up coming projects?
matt

One never knows what will be needed tomorrow, Matt. Just possible preparations. I am also trying to understand the whole building process, from the ground up. One of many steps. What did these builders go through? How did they stand these up on edge and keep them there? One more photo next post. Tim

Here is the remains of the parsonage foundation. The granite blocks are about 8"-9" wide and 30" tall, and at first seem a bit tipsy. They have a lime morter for the sills to sit on, most likely the sills were set on when the lime was wet. I need a closer look to see how they kept them up right. Tim [img]http://[IMG]http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q393/timber500/100_1593.jpg[/img][/img]