questions on tools and equipment

[Richard Emmans <r_emmans@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Sky,

I've just had a larger commission that had to be carved on
site, consisting of fourteen individual random slabs with
weights ranging from ten to probably four hundred kgs. As
the site did not allow pulleys cranes or such like I had to
refer back to levers and rollers.

I learned that right at the beginning of my apprenticeship
and never used it since, because I usually had a crane
around. I was amazed (again) at how much you can do just
with levers and rollers. On slab I levered up so I could get
three rollers (they were just round sections of branches
about thirty centimeters long) under it levered it down, so
it rested on the rollers and with not a lot of physical
force I was able to push a slab about 90 cm x 150 cm x 15
cm.

The basic rules of levering and rolling are simple enough
and I am confident that you can find out most of them by
simply trying. However there are things that can happen,
especially if you are on your own.

Remember never ever to hold any part of your body (including
hands!!) underneath a non fixed piece of stone. ( My friend
with the three toes used to laugh about this )

But don't let this deter you, experiment and play with it.
As a ground rule with levering: if you are breaking into a
sweat you're doing it wrong.

There will be plenty of time for cranes when you happen to
stumble over a good second hand one or so.

Keep carving and good fun Richard