Dry Stone Mason Brian Fairfield DSWA Certified - Talks about Stone Wurx Project 2012

Brian has dedicate a good bit of his time to learn and share the craft of Dry Laid Stone. He talks about his experience of keeping up with some of the best wallers at the Stone Wurx Event in 2012, In Hanover Ontario Canada. 

Brian offered the first all women's workshop last year 2014 up in Maine. If you ever happen to have the chance to me or work with Brian you will see very quickly he has a hug heart, tells it the way he see's it - never sugar coats anything. Sure can crack some great jokes keeping you smiling when you start dragging on a long day. A truly Jolly Waller. Keep up the great work Brian. 

Please take the time to like his Face Book page. 

Brian Fairfield www.MaineStoneWork.com ~ Kennebunkport, Maine  USA ~ DSWA Certified, Advanced Level, DSWA Certified, Instructor.

Equipment - Bobcat MT55, Mini Track Loader, (dingo)

Contributing Author: Dean McLellan: Certified Dry Stone Mason DSWA UK - Located in - Holstein, Ontario, Canada

I purchased my Bobcat MT 55 with the thought that I would be able to make money with it and it would make my life easier...  Well  it has definitely made my life easier but I have had no luck making money on it really.  

I find that clients are less likely to want to pay the full rate to me for it on top of the cost of the stonework. They have little problem paying the rental companies for some reason what I used to have to charge them to rent one... 

I love the machine as it has proven extremely useful for the work I do.  Makes working alone a pleasure again.  The labour time has decreased as well as the wear on my body.

The Bobcat MT55 version was the best one I came across after testing a lot of them out.  I can pull it along with a 5 ton dump trailer with my toyota tacoma and still be under my weight limit.

I purchased the larger size bucket 44 inches along with set of forks and also the platform to stand on behind it.  The platform saves time walking on long stretches.  I've used it a great deal on the Stable build (StoneWurx 2012).  It fit right inside the building doors making it easy to bring stone in for the build.

Maintenance has proven fairly expensive with it.  I have had an issue with the starter which is frustrating but fixable.  Other than that it has proven to be very handy and I'd hate to be without it.

It cost about $25,000 to purchase after tax etc....  Which is very steep.   I could have gone with a used one I suppose.  Used are pretty hard to find and I didn't want to get into a lot of repair issues.  New was the choice I chose. 

I would definitely buy one again! 

Sure be nice to have clients understand the value . There for cover a normal rental cost for the use of my machine.!

See more of Dean McLellan's work:

Website 

Facebook

For more about the Bobcat MT55, specs, and other products - visit Bobcat's website - click here!

Editor Note:

These machines sell used for around $15,000 +/-

Related Blogs:

Equipment - "Dingo" Walk behind Mini Skid Steer

StoneWURX Festival Sept 2012

StoneWURX YOUTUBE 9/28-30th Festival

Bobcat is a register trademark of Bobcat.

Thank you Dean for taking the time to contribute to my readers. Keep up the great walling work - You Rock!! MJ

StoneWurx - Ground Effects Landscapes THANK YOU!

In September I had the opportunity to participate at the StoneWurx 2012 International Dry Stone Walling Festival. Hosted by Ground Effects Landscapes in Hanover Ontario Canada. A once in a lifetime opportunity to work alone side some of the best wallers of my time and a historical landmark - a Stone Stable 40 feet long x 20 feet wide and 7.5 feet high. Topped with a green roof made up of small succulents called sedum.

On December 24th I received a care package including a personal "Dear Mark" thank you letter,  StoneWurx signed t-shirt by all the Key Wallers at the event, a beautiful book with images from start to finish-media images of all the wallers - event - workshop - setting the roof and a card with the sketch and finished structure . 

51 pages of images and copy start to finished - printed by blurb - created by Brydges Landscape Architecture inc.

How could this experience get any better then what I experienced?!  The warm welcome, lunch and dinner meals serviced on site cooked by Donna, lodging, a hat with the Canadian flag, true team work while building the structure.... I could go on and on. 

A-  THANK YOU Care package - I would have come back again just because I loved the welcoming hospitality and everything else about this festival had to offer. 

  

Tim and Donna Kraemer owners of Ground Effects Landscapes took this event very seriously as seen in this photo. (image staged - otherwise you'd never see them without a smile) They had their work cut out for them. But you won't know it! The event went like clock work. With there professional team handled every aspect needed. Everything went as planned. Keyword planned! I have been to a few stone events in the last couple years nothing could compare to this one. Even the wallers from Great Britain commented on how incredible this event was. Lord knows they see many more stone walling events then we do in North America. 

Tim and Donna Kraemer - GET IT! When I say that I mean they treated everyone like a professional business would. 

The thank you package was just another example of why a business like this will only continue to succeed! The words Thank You - go a very long way.

Have you said it?

Thank you!

Tim - Donna

Dean, US wallers, UK wallers, Canadian wallers, spectators, hosts..... everyone who gave a hand in one way or another. THANK YOU......job well done!

Mark Jurus

Related Blogs:

StoneWURX Festival Sept 2012

StoneWURX YOUTUBE 9/28-30th Festival

Copyright 2012 Mark Jurus, Rockin Walls. 

StoneWURX Festival Sept 2012

StoneWURX Festival Sept 28th 29th 30th 2012

Hosted by Ground Effects Landscapes Hanover Ontario Canada

Andrew Loudon And Dean McLellan (Host or the Stone WURX event)  Front of Stable Building.

Inside, left to right Bill Noble (Master) Stephen Harrison (Master) Philip Dolphin (Master) outside wall.

My first night (Tuesday) on the site, and they made all of us steak dinner, salad and fresh apple, pancake and one other pie I never saw (it went so fast)

Then Bill and his family sang some songs

Lydia Noble You Tube

Bill and Curthbert You Tube

Front of building

Wednesday Next day lunch fit for a king!

Yummy - of course my plate. Those who know me know I love food. Yes I went back for seconds. Lasagna, salad and buns.

Philip Dolphin working on back section of wall. Philip has been working this section on both sides. Amazing speed. 

Tracey Blackwell (Advanced soon to be Master) working on left both inside and out. Andrew Loudon (Master) working on Right side. Brian Fairfield's hiding behind Loudon's section on the inside.

The gang in front of a dry laid stone cottage Dean (our host / in charge of the build)

 More to come. Thank you to my wife who has taking on my chores at our farm to allow me to attend this once in a life time opportunity with some of the best of Dry Laid Stone Masons of our time. I couldn't further my eduction with out such a supportive partner.

Please take a moment to see the farm blog she writes. Many thanks to her for incuraging me to start this blog and coming up with the name.

Meadow Creek Farm Blog

Copyright 2012 Mark Jurus, Rockin Walls.