questions on tools and equipment

[Sky Higgins <sky.higgins@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I have a couple of queries on tools and equipment:

a) I would like to know how other people go about lifting and manoevering
stone in the workshop. I am currently limited to carving pieces that I can
physically lift myself, and I'm starting to find this restricting.

I have vague ideas of using an overhead pulley in conjunction with some kind
of flatbed trolley, but I would like to know how other people are solving
this problem before actually buying anything.

b) I have been told that I shouldn't sharpen my chisels using an electric
sharpening wheel. Is this correct? I currently sharpen them once or twice a
month on an electric sharpener, and in between sharpen them on a flat piece
of sandstone, but this isn't very satisfactory. I don't seem to have too
much success with proper sharpening stones. I work mostly in sandstone,
which blunts chisels very fast. What should I be doing?

I am grateful for any help

Sky

ps as a newcomer, I would like to say it is great to finally have people to
ask about these things. Thanks for letting me pick your brains.