Power tools for stone

[Bill Brayman <meta@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Susan,

Ah yes, the noise and dust of power tools! Here's how I
have come to treat it after my first surprise like you.

Like anything, but  stone in particular, the amount of
work you get done is directly proportional to the amount
and control of energy you can apply to material removal.
Pure and simple. However, the beginner usually starts by
going full speed. As you begin to understand how sawing
and grinding work, you quickly cut back to moderate to
light application, but with extreme focus and control.
Heavy application for heavy stock removal, light
application for detail. Use the fretting method to make
parallel cuts and then a chisel to knock off big chunks
whick reduces noise and dust. Get to know your pitching
chisels real well. You can remove bulk material from the
edges very nicely that way, and can even do part of your
shaping that way.

Since heavy application happens mostly during rough out,
you can plan ahead to do it when it is least bothersome
to others and the environment. The light work is much
less likely to present a problem.

True, water use reduces the dust problem, but,
personally, I don't like the side effects of making mud,
hiding the stone in the water, getting your eye
protection fogged up, etc. So, instead, I use the wind
to advantage, work when people go to their job or are
away from home, spray down the foilage to remove the
dust, and so on. Some people have success creating a
water shower screen so that the dust is dampened as it
blows thru the water droplets and falls to the ground
away from your work bench. Your imagination is welcome
here!

Have a ball!

Bill