gluing limestone

["Clive Murray-White" <cow_artclive@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Greg,

I read your request and the replies with interest.

I think I have a slightly different set of answers for you, many very
interesting sculptures have been made from joined blocks, carved bricks and
so on. I wouldn't advise against it but I would take a few things into
account.

Limestones vary enormously from crumbly soft to fine grained hard, gluing
the soft stuff, if it has to perform any structural duties would worry me a
bit but if the whole thing stood up perfectly well on its own with gravity
doing the work it would be fine.

I think the main point about using blocks is not to try to pretend that they
will become a completely homogenous whole when glued or cemented together.
Even if you do manage to do it invisibly there is the question of the
different grains and even colours of each of the blocks.

If you accept and even find a way to become very excited about the
aesthetics of creating your sculptures from blocks you will have two things
going for you, a design honesty and a chance to make  very original looking
work.

Turn the so-called limitations of the block process into your personal
advantage.

I would use steel dowels to hold it together while I was working on it and
only glue when it was going into a permanent location, the problems of
lifting a block sculpture don't really bear thinking about, anyway blocks
give you a huge advantage as you can take the whole thing apart and put it
together again everytime you exhibit it.

A little trip to your nearest antiquities museum will give you a great deal
of inspiration.

Again, in terms of the product you use the glue it all together, if you do
want it be as invisible as possible when you finally stick it together, I
would recommend the TANAX 2 part epoxy designed specifically for stone, it
can be coloured to match what ever you are joining. very good stuff.

Good luck regards Clive Murray-White