2 granite carving sequences

[abknight@zzzzzz]

Hi George in particular and not in particular all others,

Thanks for your trouble trying to negotiate the foreign
language carving display.  It sure is instructive.  Thanks
for your finishing tips as well.  I'm doing a little
better now that I've got my new 1 and 1/4 inch hammer back
 from the factory were they did something to get it running
at proper strength.  I've lost so many carbide tips on the
rock drill and even the underpowered one and one quarter
and, yes the one inch hammer that I am leery of running at
full power.  Since I'm waiting for the factory to re-affix
the nine point to the 7/8 rock drill shank I started
running the 1 and 1/4 up to 100 pounds pressure with a
four point and I got some rock moving.   Got it going
pretty good.  So that's good news.  I've still got the tip
on the shank too, so far

  If you are carving a two foot cubish shape and one side
is a half an inch too thick at one end.  What do you do?
  I go into it with the four point, but I suppose you
might slice and dice with a blade.    The Japanese
fellows surprised me running the blade parralel to the
surface to clean up their splitting roughage and to
shape.

If you have a three foot square column six feet high and
want to make it a round column what do you do?  Slice into
the corners and knock out?   I like those long splitting
rods the Japanese used to split  the corners off leaving
an octogonal column.

Say you were making a cubish shape but somewhat bulging or
a large sphere, and had it roughed with the four point,
exactly which diamond girnding wheel or cup or whatever
would you use to smooth it out.  The Japanese guy seemed
to have a wheel faced with a slight bevel, like on some
Zec pads.   I have a cupped wheel with the rings of blocks
for flatish surfaces but woe betide you if you catch an
edge.  I got a16 grit fatso carborundum cupped wheel at
your recommendation.  It mostly seems to polish compared
to the diamond wheel.
Oh well, I guess this is just my granite report.  Sure do
hate the dust.  When the wind blows from the south  the
dust drifts around our house where there are dogs and
cats, sometimes my wife and sometimes horses.  I really
shouldn't carve granite in a south wind.  The slightest
bit of dust inhaled sets me to clearing my throat and
sneezing.  It could just be the dust off my clothes if I
don't change after working .  Guess I'm delicate!
Certainly isn't for the healthy minded jogger.

Thanks for all your advice

Bill