Me, too! Alas, I’ll be waiting for the new roof materials for a few weeks, so I’ll be starting on another restoration project this week. Much grander in scope but just as uncomplicated.
Thanks for posting this excellent film. I am working on a foundation this week too, mostly earth and clay in the middle. But it was rendered in the 1930's, making it wet. Original foundation is from about 1790-1810. I am not using lime this time since the concrete has been used already, and I havn't found any evidence of lime so far, I think it might have just been dry stone for the first hundred years or so. God Bless
@@LucasRichardStephens That’s about the age of this foundation, I’m fairly certain. Possibly a bit older. I’ve not found much of the original mortar but when I did, it was near the middle of the wall, looked more like clay than mortar, and never totally cured. Old foundations that saw a lot of work in the 20th Century are often ruined by bad rendering, pointing with bad materials, or neglect. Lots of variables to consider whenever working on this type of thing. Half the fun(?) is finding out what was originally there and the other half is figuring out how to get it back in a good condition. Good luck! And if you have any questions, I’d be more than happy to help if I can.
ahhh,flasback to my mason tenders days,the only thing i liked about that job was having the winter months off,lol,great job,can't wait to see the roof getting started
I did the exact same kind of work for the past days and just found your video by pure coincidence. Can I make mortar by using other stones than limestone? I wonder if that's what was done with local stone in the past to build the walls I am restoring. Nice job! I'm glad to see people fixing and preserving what I believe is an important heritage.
Here near the Atlantic, I use shells most often. I think the only other alternative to limestone and shells is marble. There’s a book written in the 1830’s or 1840’s by a Royal army engineer that went into exhaustive details about the different cements they had available at that time and I bet he has an answer to your question. I’ll post a link to an online version of his book in the description of this video in the next day or so.
@Bluescobra The book I referred to is “Observations on Limes, Calcareous Cements, Mortars, Stuccos and Concrete…” by Charles W. Pasley. There are several copies over on archive.org. Dry reading but shows practically everything they were using by the 1830’s.
@@HiraethMasonry Thank you very much, much appreciated! I'll definitely have a read, and see how I can transpose the techniques/materials with regards to what was available and used locally.
If it's like that today, presumably it's because nature makes water and mud naturally flow into the foundations? If nobody's going to live there and maintain it every what will you do with it?
@@SkyOctopus1 In this case, the mud and water came in through a badly done doorway they put in about sixty years ago that was below the exterior grade. Once that was sealed up, the mud and most of the water issues were resolved. The rest of the foundation is solid enough to keep the soil out. The client is considering how to use it in the future but it’ll never fall into disrepair again with her maintaining it.
I have been involved with historic restoration since the 1960's I have watched many of your videos and admire the work you do by hand and using the old methods. But this video bothers me some. ( along with others ) And believe me when I say I know how hard you work. Working like that and not using a few basic safety items bothered me. I know they didn't have work gloves or proper safety glasses in the past. Or on a roof with no safety harness One minute your beating stone with a hammer and then with an electric chisel with regular glasses on. Please remember that there are people watching that may think this is acceptable I'm sorry for this review.
No need to apologize! I totally agree. I’m a bit reckless after my past work experiences and I should be setting a better example. I’ve had many friends killed or badly injured due to accidents and I’ve had quite a few close calls myself. On roofs, once I get over a certain height and steepness, I’ll tie myself off or use roof jacks at a minimum. With stone work, I’ll approach harder stones like granite that break into sharp flying shards with far more caution than sandstones that break and fall. But you’re definitely right and I’ll address it going forward. Thanks for the thoughtful comment!
Drudgery… sheer drudgery. But it’s satisfying anyway. Join our Friday evening livestreams, 6 PM EST.
WOW, this is quite a project. Looking forward to seeing what it will look like completed.
Me, too! Alas, I’ll be waiting for the new roof materials for a few weeks, so I’ll be starting on another restoration project this week. Much grander in scope but just as uncomplicated.
Thanks for posting this excellent film. I am working on a foundation this week too, mostly earth and clay in the middle. But it was rendered in the 1930's, making it wet. Original foundation is from about 1790-1810. I am not using lime this time since the concrete has been used already, and I havn't found any evidence of lime so far, I think it might have just been dry stone for the first hundred years or so. God Bless
@@LucasRichardStephens That’s about the age of this foundation, I’m fairly certain. Possibly a bit older. I’ve not found much of the original mortar but when I did, it was near the middle of the wall, looked more like clay than mortar, and never totally cured. Old foundations that saw a lot of work in the 20th Century are often ruined by bad rendering, pointing with bad materials, or neglect. Lots of variables to consider whenever working on this type of thing. Half the fun(?) is finding out what was originally there and the other half is figuring out how to get it back in a good condition. Good luck! And if you have any questions, I’d be more than happy to help if I can.
ahhh,flasback to my mason tenders days,the only thing i liked about that job was having the winter months off,lol,great job,can't wait to see the roof getting started
@@davidreed2135 Now I wish I had a tender. I swear, two thirds of my masonry work seems to be mixing and moving mortar around.
thats what i did,plus move block,get stuff,got to do some striking,plus dig footers,total suckfest
I did the exact same kind of work for the past days and just found your video by pure coincidence.
Can I make mortar by using other stones than limestone?
I wonder if that's what was done with local stone in the past to build the walls I am restoring.
Nice job! I'm glad to see people fixing and preserving what I believe is an important heritage.
Here near the Atlantic, I use shells most often. I think the only other alternative to limestone and shells is marble. There’s a book written in the 1830’s or 1840’s by a Royal army engineer that went into exhaustive details about the different cements they had available at that time and I bet he has an answer to your question. I’ll post a link to an online version of his book in the description of this video in the next day or so.
@Bluescobra The book I referred to is “Observations on Limes, Calcareous Cements, Mortars, Stuccos and Concrete…” by Charles W. Pasley. There are several copies over on archive.org. Dry reading but shows practically everything they were using by the 1830’s.
@@HiraethMasonry Thank you very much, much appreciated!
I'll definitely have a read, and see how I can transpose the techniques/materials with regards to what was available and used locally.
To make it more interesting please include a bit more historical detail to the project that you are doing.
@@michaelwolff305 Oh, definitely. Still working out how to do it without wrecking retention but I’ll get there, I promise lol.
I enjoyed the vidio, but I did need to put captions on and turn the sound off the music was really off putting. But still interested in seeing more
The audio has always been my biggest struggle. I’ll get it right eventually. Plenty more to come on this and other projects, I promise.
It reminds me of a Montey Python movie. Just waiting for someone to say, "Bring out your dead!".
I enjoy your "Drudgery", Sir!
If it's like that today, presumably it's because nature makes water and mud naturally flow into the foundations? If nobody's going to live there and maintain it every what will you do with it?
@@SkyOctopus1 In this case, the mud and water came in through a badly done doorway they put in about sixty years ago that was below the exterior grade. Once that was sealed up, the mud and most of the water issues were resolved. The rest of the foundation is solid enough to keep the soil out. The client is considering how to use it in the future but it’ll never fall into disrepair again with her maintaining it.
✌👍👍👍🖐
I have been involved with historic restoration since the 1960's I have watched many of your videos and admire the work you do by hand and using the old methods. But this video bothers me some. ( along with others ) And believe me when I say I know how hard you work. Working like that and not using a few basic safety items bothered me. I know they didn't have work gloves or proper safety glasses in the past. Or on a roof with no safety harness One minute your beating stone with a hammer and then with an electric chisel with regular glasses on. Please remember that there are people watching that may think this is acceptable I'm sorry for this review.
No need to apologize! I totally agree. I’m a bit reckless after my past work experiences and I should be setting a better example. I’ve had many friends killed or badly injured due to accidents and I’ve had quite a few close calls myself. On roofs, once I get over a certain height and steepness, I’ll tie myself off or use roof jacks at a minimum. With stone work, I’ll approach harder stones like granite that break into sharp flying shards with far more caution than sandstones that break and fall. But you’re definitely right and I’ll address it going forward. Thanks for the thoughtful comment!