for you pros.....

["George Graham" <georgergraham@zzzzzzzzzzz>]

R. Putnam,
I'm in the timber group. I saved some 10"x10" beams from a bon fire. Its as
close as I've come to a mother bear protecting her cubs. If you get some big
beams for the bottom layers you will have a very stable banker to work on. I
have 2 big ones on the floor, about 4 feet long. Then cross them with 3 foot
6"x 4". You just keep adding on as you need.  This kind of set up will never
break, and its easy to get a strap or chain around it.
Standing up a tall piece is always tricky, so you have got to improvise and
use what you have to make it safe. I've found that 2" or 3" ratchet straps
are great for tightening a tall piece up against a column or some heavy
equipment so it can't fall over. The ratchet straps are mostly used to
secure loads on trucks.
Your project sounds like one that you move as little as possible. Do all you
can while its laying down. If possible, cut notches in the top end of the
stone, a foot or two down from the top, to give yourself something to hook
straps or cable under when you stand the work up. Protect the lifting straps
( or whatever you use ) from getting cut by sharp , broken stone edges by
putting some old tough material between the edge and the rope. Old fire hose
cut into 1 and 2' lengths are great for protecting your work and equipment.

Mainly Bob!
If you can get something like old nylon fire hose pieces between the
sections of stone sculpture before your people try moving their sculpture
around , they may avoid some chips. What you describe sounds like  chips
waiting to happen.
I really wanted to get up there to the symposium you are involved in, but
I've got to much work to do. Maybe next year.

Good luck
George Graham
http://www.grahamsculpturestudio.com