Stone Setting
Monks and stones go together. Since the early years of the Church monks have always built their own monasteries, and it is no different today. After the Carmelite Monks made the decision to build a stone monastery, setting that stone on the monastery buildings was the logical conclusion. Here are a few of the things we have learned in that journey.
(The Carmelite Monks spend their allotted work time on construction. See their Horarium here.)
Our mentality of stone setting grew out of the methods of the American bricklayer. We were educated by bricklayers, in a mindset where speed and efficiency shapes the workflow. It is not the “let’s take a 100 years to build this” mentality. Following this, much more can be accomplished with a small crew of skilled men who know what they are about and are efficient in their work. This approach trickles down through the entire workflow, from the tools selected to the preparation of each stone.
Stone setting has historically been rather laborious, manual work. However that no longer needs to be the case today. This is really made possible by a number of modern innovations that make it, just like stone carving, a process so much faster and easier than anything in the past.
Mast climbing hydraulic scaffolding for stone setting
First invented in the 1980’s, mast climbers have revolutionized the world of masonry scaffolding. Rather than building a veritable forest around the building to support the work platforms for setting the stone, mast climbers have only one work deck which moves up and down as needed at the push of a button. Specially designed climbing mechanisms literally “climb” up the ladder-like masts as the stone is set.
The benefits of such a system are enormous. Mast climbers are significantly safer, since all handrails and safety devices on the work platform are set up at ground level, and thus never need to be installed or modified at heights where this could be dangerous. The mason can easily set himself at the perfect height to set the stone with the least strain and effort. Extremely robust, the scaffolding can handle thousands of pounds of stone as the stone is staged to be set in the building.
There are many styles of mast climbing scaffold, each with their pros and cons, each designed to fit a particular style of work and architecture. Gothic requires extremely customizable scaffolding to fit with all of the ins and outs of a Gothic building (no flat walls here!). We found Bennu scaffolding to fit that need the best with its almost infinite level of customization.
Cranes
The use of cranes dates back to ancient times, even as early as 1500 BC. However modern means of power (electric, fuel, hydraulic, etc.) have significantly increased their speed and safety. From the giant tower cranes soaring over construction sites to the bridge cranes in the carving shops, they have become an indispensable means of Gothic construction.
In Gothic, the stones can be massive, some weighing in the tens of thousands of pounds. Even small stones easily weigh 50 lbs. Cranes allow every stone, from large to small, to be placed precisely and effortlessly. Some cranes are even built into the mast climbing scaffold, rising with it on its journey up the walls.
Lifting clamps and rigging for stone setting
The world of tools used to lift heavy blocks of stones has come a long way. Modern lifting clamps and methods of rigging have been engineered to safely and quickly lift the largest stones. When considering some of the medieval methods, the safety and efficiency gained today is incomparably superior.
Forklifts
Forklifts have revolutionized the modern construction site. Rather than using carts and oxen to move stones around, and complicated pulley systems to simply set a stone on scaffold, forklifts allow the stones to quickly end up where they need to be. Modern construction telehandler forklifts can even reach heights of 50+ feet, easily bringing the stone to the elevated scaffold platforms.
Paddle style powered mixers
Mixing mortar has always been an integral part of masonry work. The layer of mortar between each stone acts as a cushion to absorb any building movement or discrepancies in the stone and fills in all the crevices to help keep the building dry and sound. Historically mortar was mixed by hand using rakes and hoes, even into the 20th century. The modern powered mixers automate this process and easily keep the mortar at the appropriate consistency.
The mortar joints in stone buildings are crucial and many discrepancies in the carved stone can be corrected in the mortar joint. When using modern earthquake reinforcement, which is frequently woven throughout the mortar joints, a minimum of ½” mortar joints is necessary to allow for any adjustments.
Full 3d drawings
The modern advantage of 3d modeling cannot be underestimated. Not only is the initial design of the building easier, but every stone can be prefabricated in advance to fit perfectly in its place in the building, eliminating time consuming shaping of stones by the masons. The mason can then use these same 3d drawings to obtain measurements, locations, and the accurate placement of every stone.
The list of improvements goes on and on, from power tools such as hammer drills and grinders, to even water pumps and heaters. The craft of stone setting has come a long way in recent years. Stones are still placed in the wall one at a time, but it takes a lot less effort to put each one in that wall!