john lewsey
Western Thunderer
Jiles this really is fabulous
Giles' misc. Work bench.
- Thread starter Giles
- Start date
Giles
Western Thunderer
Having had an excellent time at Larkrail, one has to come back down to earth - in this instance in the form of a pretty unpleasant lurgy. What with Long Covid etc. I don't get out too much, and I dare say this makes me rather susceptable to catching freebies..... ah well.. tucked up in bed with paracetamol which is one of the few drugs I'm allowed!
Meanwhile, yesterday I started looking at the possibility of a drystone wall which I've been wanting to put along the back slope. I've been pitting it off for all the very obvious reasons.... how to do it to an acceptable standard, and how much of it there will be...
I ordered two cartons of lightweight Hydrocal and cast a thin (ish) slab in a biscuit tray lined with silver foil. Once dry this was scribed and broken into strips. The stripe were then cut or broken into stones.
The was was built flat on its back onto PVA, selecting each stone, and usually further breaking the edges down as I went. Looking at it, I need many more thinner slabs, but so much depends on the type - it seems they vary so much!
When I'm happy, where will be a further course followed by capping stones
Meanwhile, yesterday I started looking at the possibility of a drystone wall which I've been wanting to put along the back slope. I've been pitting it off for all the very obvious reasons.... how to do it to an acceptable standard, and how much of it there will be...
I ordered two cartons of lightweight Hydrocal and cast a thin (ish) slab in a biscuit tray lined with silver foil. Once dry this was scribed and broken into strips. The stripe were then cut or broken into stones.
The was was built flat on its back onto PVA, selecting each stone, and usually further breaking the edges down as I went. Looking at it, I need many more thinner slabs, but so much depends on the type - it seems they vary so much!
When I'm happy, where will be a further course followed by capping stones
simond
Western Thunderer
Giles,
If there will be lots of it, is it worth taking a silicone mould off before the capping goes on? That way you can invert the moulded parts and prevent any obvious repetition. Might save a bit of work?
OTOH, if I were feeling under the weather, making a dry stone wall the long way might be appropriate therapy!
Get well soon
Simon
If there will be lots of it, is it worth taking a silicone mould off before the capping goes on? That way you can invert the moulded parts and prevent any obvious repetition. Might save a bit of work?
OTOH, if I were feeling under the weather, making a dry stone wall the long way might be appropriate therapy!
Get well soon
Simon
Giles
Western Thunderer
Thank you Simon. I confess its been a fairly miserable week health wise - its certainly been covid again with the added result of my sense of taste going completely haywire, which is rather unpleasant, and I very much hope normality returns at some stage, but with what Long Covid (or the last vax) has done to me, one can't help being somewhat worried..!
Nevertheless I have spent time usefully, stone by stone making 4ft of wall which still needs capping stones and then painting. There are so many different types and styles of drystone walls out there I'm afraid I ended up doing what was most convenient in the finish.
Nevertheless I have spent time usefully, stone by stone making 4ft of wall which still needs capping stones and then painting. There are so many different types and styles of drystone walls out there I'm afraid I ended up doing what was most convenient in the finish.
john lewsey
Western Thunderer
Giles,... I have never had any interest in narrow guage railways but I have found this thread really interesting.
Thank you
John
Thank you
John
Giles
Western Thunderer
Thank you Gents..... the fabrication of the drystone wall is finished (4ft of it...). It's been a long job, with every stone being cut and fettled, taking approx 2 minutes each. Still, I'm happy with the outcome. I now need to brush up on the painting methods before I go for it.
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
I have to say it was worth the effort!
Podartist79
Western Thunderer
Sorry about your health issues Giles. I do hope you feel better soon.
That wall, and its painting is absolutely stunning! I’m in awe - as usual!
Best,
Neil.
That wall, and its painting is absolutely stunning! I’m in awe - as usual!
Best,
Neil.
Pencarrow
Western Thunderer
Lovely wall Giles. What paints are you using for the stone finish?
Giles
Western Thunderer
Bless you ! I'm halfway there - I'm just waiting on the results on a couple of biopsies now!
The walls were painted with very very thin washes of water soluble oils - first a black wash to give the grey (in fact two or three, because they were so thin. This also helps because it settles into the details better, and I could work it into crevices)
Then it was a matter of again very thin washes of raw umber and burnt sienna - again so thin they were only a hint.
The walls were painted with very very thin washes of water soluble oils - first a black wash to give the grey (in fact two or three, because they were so thin. This also helps because it settles into the details better, and I could work it into crevices)
Then it was a matter of again very thin washes of raw umber and burnt sienna - again so thin they were only a hint.
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
In situ that wall looks amazing, Giles. Well worth all the effort you've put in to it.
Brian
Brian
Pencarrow
Western Thunderer
Ah the holy trinity of stone painting: black (or off black), raw umber and burnt sienna!
Fingers crossed on the biopsy results Giles.
Nettles are associated with fertile soils and especially indicate higher levels of phosphate in the soil. So they might be found around an abandoned house or agricultural building, but probably not randomly in grassland (especially if on limestone where soils are generally low in available P).