CSIRO Guide to the Specification of Dimension Stone

["Simon Brown" <moonsong@zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz>]

Thanks or your replies, Bill & Fred.

I am encouraging my Stonemasonry apprentice students to understand the way
in which natural stone is specified, not only by the local market, but by
international standards. This seems to be the way the global market is
heading, and as some of my students end up working overseas after they get
their qualification, I want them to know a bit about stone in other
countries.

'... In many architects minds they consider "A" to mean quality for which
this was never intended'
( http://jbmatthews.home.mindspring.com/articles_whatisquality.html ) Grading
of quality in natural stone has often been haphazard, but now clients are
increasingly demanding better service from the products they buy. It is no
longer good enough to excuse faults in stone by stating that it is a natural
product, and clients and architects need to be educated by us as stone
professionals.

Hence the queries about the Washington Monument - I was preparing a
presentation featuring this structure as the tallest masonry structure in
the world. There is excellent material available online, specifically about
the stone itself, I found some interesting facts here:
http://www.nps.gov/wamo/history/chap5.htmv

Regards to your cat, Bill

Simon