Attaching an upright headstone to a base

["George Graham" <georgergraham@zzzzzzzzzzz>]

Bill and all the new people on the list, welcome! It's great to know the
list is thriving and healthy.
I thought I'd add a few pointers on the subject of pinning monuments
together.
I like to use 3\8ths or 1\2" threaded stainless steel rods. It gives you
good holding power and strength.
I like to glue the pins into the top piece while I'm still in the shop. It's
easier to flip the stone upside down and then do a clean gluing. You can
position the pins exactly with a square and tape them in position until the
glue sets up.
Drill the holes in the base a half inch deeper then the length of pin
sticking out ofthe top piece, and always drill the base holes with a much
bigger bit so you have some wiggle room in case a pin is a little off
center. I personaly have NEVER drilled a hole off center or an 1\8" too
shallow, but it might happen to you. If you are using a 3\8" , drill the
base holes 3\4" diameter.
Use slow setting glue when you are out in the cemetery. Having the glue
harden up before you are ready can be a huge mess.
The biggest pitfall  waiting for you may be the actual setting of the
monument  with pins sticking out. You need to get the stone directly above
the holes and let it straight down with out smashing a corner. The longer
the pin the trickier is gets.Unless you have a friend who sets monuments
professionly, I'd practice with a partner in the shop so you are comfortable
setting up on boards and letting the stone down gradualy.
After all that, there is another way, which is to skip drilling and pinning
and just use a good quality stone epoxy to join the stones together. By
putting 1\8" spacers between the stones you give some space for a knive
grade glue to work.The spacers are pushed in about 3\4s of an inch. Then
setting compound is put all around the base so that when the stone is set
down on to the compound , the excess is squeezed out, the top rests on the
spacers, which are hidden, the compound keeps the glue from squeezing out
and making a big mess, and water\ice cannot get under your stone. This
method is the standard way monuments are set, and belive me, professionals
make it look easy, but it can be easily learned if you can find some one to
demonstrate it for you.
Not using pins may seem unwise, but I've had to take apart some epoxied
monuments, and know that good stone epoxy is amazingly strong, and will pull
granite out of the stone when it is forced apart.
Finaly, the sad fact is that pinning and gluing will not stop vandals. If
the top is attached  proporly to the base , then the whole thing can be
knocked over as a single piece. The difficulty of pulling apart a partialy
seperated , pinned monument, so it can be reset has made me reconsider the
use of pins when we have such excellent epoxy available.

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