Nick Aitken - Scotland @ The Stone Trust VT USA - Feidin & Galloway Dyke Workshop

WWW.THESTONETRUST.ORG First Every 2 Day Workshop to be taught in the USA.  May 14th-15th, 2016 Dummerston Center Vermont. 

Lead Instructors Nick Aitken - Scotland (as seen in video) and Dean McLellan - Canada  both DSWA Master / Examiner / Instructor.

Scottish And Irish Wall Workshop, Dry laid stone construction. (Dry Stack)

For Sale Local Landscape Boulders - Barn Foundation Stone

Local Cockeysville marble and Preatyboy Shist Landscape Boulders. Starting at $15.00 - $25.00. 

Bulk or Palleted also available starting at 100.00 and up. 

White Limestone Cockeysville Marble historic barn foundation stone.

Preatyboy shist barn foundation stone

Local bulk hauling available.

4/2016 Millers Station Springhouse Foundation

4/2016 Millers Station Springhouse. 34 day build, 42 ' long freestanding dry laid stone construction. What a killer way to start 2016 year off!!! My neighbors John and Christina had asked if I could build a structure which would look like an old foundation. Me and John talked a bit about his vision of having a water feature coming out of the back corner of the tall walls. Yes in time this will be covered up. I sure can't wait to see what's in store for next chapter of this project.

Freehand sketch of illustrated design

As a team we discussed and planned with his vision in mind. I had suggested the placement of the structure be turned in order for it to be seen easily when looking from inside or when sitting inside the closed deck.

Wall specs: Primary stone Butler Stone which is a quartzite material - super hard. Mixed with West Mountain and PA colonial blue stone. From right to left 5' H x 12' L, Back wall 5' H x 16' L, 4' H x 6' L, left wall 4' H x 8' L. 2 cheekends (wall head), 3 corners, 12 tie stones, 2 window frames, 1 bench made up of 3 stones cantilevered from wall, 1 lental. Batter angle 1:8 with 16" tops 32" base on tall wall with 39" protruding foundation set below grade on earth. 

The PA Colonial tie stones set at 18" high centered on 3' and staggered at upper level.

Building cheekends (wall head) or any kind of corners requires stone which are referred to as squares and rectangles. This project was all primarily palleted local Butler stone from Butler Maryland. While Butler stone in general is very pricy by the ton.  Squares and recs are all produced by cutting the chosen stones with a guillotine splitter. To some the price of this produced stone can seem out of space. But the truth of the matter, one can spend all day hunting and hoping the right stone is somewhere on a pallet. Or you can stop wasting valuable time and just purchase what you need! After all time is money - your time is not FREE!!

I like to think of building a wall like baking a pie. YOU have to have all the right ingredients before you start. Knowing what you're going to build and how you plan to build it is key. I'll talk more about this in the future blog on this project. 

This is the corner section where the water feature will coming down into a large pond in the front. 

If you look at each corner, cheekend or window you will notice a dovetail weave with stone. Just like well built wooden drawer.  Take a closer look and you will see every other stone goes length into the wall. This helps tie the stones into the structure. 

This is the 4' section. I love the angle of the wall section with the floating benches.

The 20" lentil was built as a feature in the 6' wall section.  Giving a little more light in and a bit of zing as a hidden surprise. 

One incredible project with lots of technical challenges. Pushing me to build at the highest level of my ability.  What a pleasure it was to create. 

Let me help you build your dreams!

Many thanks to John and Christina for believing in what I do!

Top of 5' cheekend a level never lies. 

Professional Trade Ignorance "Old Timer"

Jericho Rd, Kingsville, MD https://goo.gl/maps/4pLuvvXJipB2

The definition of Ignorance is the lack of knowledge. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I beg to differ. I believe that it is so valuable to continue to learn every day. After all we never stop learning. This is why I blog, why I go to workshops, why I love what I do. I love stone!

"Old Timer" is what my waller friends and I call someone who knows it all. Set in there way and there is nothing new anyone can teach them. No interest whatsoever to further themselves or team in their trade = Have a narrow mind and really don't have a clue what they are doing when it comes to PROPER Construction.  This explains where there ignorance comes in. An Old timer can be a stonemason or even a landscape company who builds with natural stone. Without using fundamental principles of proper building methods. 

What are these?

Four Basic Principles

1) Length running into the wall

2) Cover the joints

3) Pack from the inside

4) Lay stones level

These can be found on the The Stone Trust VT USA website. A Testing/Training Center for Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain DSWA UK. 

Related Blog: Master Craftsman Principles Dec 1994

So now you understand some key rules. Let start with this little story. Once upon a time Feb 2016 I was headed to look at a newly restored covered bridge on Jericho Road, Kingsville MD. When low and behold I spotted this dry laid stone wall. Of Course I had to back up - stop get out and double check to make sure it was dry. Come on that's just what I do!!! I'm crazy in love.... Next it was photograph time along with inspecting a few questionable stones. It was clear that something just wasn't right with the building methods to rebuild this wall. After hitting Google Earth I inspected the old wall - it was clear that it may have also failed since it was not properly built. By using proper methods a structure could last over 100 years. I then drove up to the house to ask a bit more about the repair. Happily the homeowner had just pulled up when I was knocking on the door. They had mentioned that the repaired was a year ago. By Old ????? $????! Mason??? in Baldwin. 

From a quick homeowner description this was how I interpreted the repaired. The drain pipe is there so I'm guessing they may have used geogrid and aggregate from the description. What I could tell from the front of the wall looking in, it seemed as if only rubble was placed behind the face stones. So hard to say what's behind that. This is how they build a Paver Wall illustrated above. Not a dry laid stone wall. As seen below. 

Dry laid is two walls or stone from the front wall back to earth bank. This helps tie it in. Also a key element missing is Tie Stones. It is suggested on dry laid stone walls over 30" Ties be placed halfway up. A Tie stone ties the two walls together front and back. Supporting the upper structure as it settles over time. 

Related Blog: How To - Tie Rocks / Through - Stones (mar 2012)
Master Craftsman Through Stones Summer 2007 (dec 2011)

This is my drawing of a proper built wall spec'd for Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum 2016 historical repair - BID. 

I was so excited about this project I googled the wet mason who kindly answered my call. I asked him if he did a lot of dry laid stone work. He said we do all kinds of masonry. Ok so that really didn't answer my question did it?  I had informed him that I was a Marylands only dual certified mason with a dedicated training center.  I asked if he had ever considered taking a workshop? He of course informed me that certification was bologie. That he had been doing masonry for over 30 years and learning from other masons. "That I sounded younger then him - there for clearly there was nothing I could possible teach him!" Now thats IGNORANCE. We never stop learning do we?. I of course told him he did great work but if he realized what I was asking doesn't make sense.  That I would want to teach other local masons what what I've learned - Which might be considered a competitor in my trade. Why would I do this? I'm passionate about sharing with others. Hence the reason for this blog. Plenty of pie for everyone. His reply was "your calling me, your not my competitor". Wow- so I thanked him for his time. He of course hung up : (  

I had a similar conversation when I reached out to a large landscape company T?? in Monkton who told me that they had been building walls for 40 years. I was more then welcome to stop by with my resume and drop off some photos. All I wanted to do was meet with them to share my knowledge. (photos showed the same building method as above WRONG - interlocking paver design) I of course said I'm not looking for a job. I just wanted to help you. I guess that was a shocker. Why was I so taken back? Because every waller in my trade helps eachother. Thats what we do. We share and critique. In order to help us learn to be better.  To make smarter choices so we may grow. 

After a near death experience in 2007. It became clear how valuable our time is on earth. How important it is to share what we can with others. 

I'm going to share what is wrong with this wall structurally.  This wall at some point will fail! Like the original one did. Now you have watch the video seen the drawing and read the words on what is proper. Principles taught by training organizations such as the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain DSWA UK and the Dry Stone Conservancy DSC USA. 

Keys notes to understand what I'm about to share. 

- YELLOW Lines - Are Vertical running joints. 1 over 2 - 2 over 1. Typically not more. 

- HIGHLIGHTED YELLOW is Pinning/ Chinks / Or small stones. 

• Pinning is when you use a small stone to hold up a larger one. Pinning is best used in the wall but not on the front of the wall. Front pinning might be the solution to a front stone. The likelihood of a front pin falling out is very likely over time. Or it may just be crushed by the stone it's holding up. Pinning from the sides or in the back is common practice as needed to support a stone. 

• Chinking is the most common issue with this wall - Every stone in a wall should have a job. A chink is nothing more than just a stone that visually fills a hole but can be removed easily with no effort. Chinked stones will fall out since they have nothing holding them in. 

Related Blog: Pinning & Chinks (jan 2011)

• Small stones used in the front of wall,  Are not a good choice to be a structural support long term most likely helping to cause the wall to fail. Due the fact that they are holding up larger stones above them.  I would only use stones of this size as packing stone in the middle of the wall. 

Related Blog: Master Craftsman Hearting (packing stone) Autumn 2011 (dec 2011)

- RED lines are what I believe are Traced stones "Tracers". This is when a stone is laid with the longest face out. Think of a Brick what is the longest face. Now if you take that same brick and place the length into the wall it will now be structurally correct (for a dry laid stone construction). A traced wall is more likely to simply fall over since the weight of the wall is outside instead of the mass sitting in the middle. 

Related Blog: Definition: Tracing, Stone - no, no (feb 2012)

- BLUE is what is called a shinner. This is when someone takes a stone and places it vertical. Over time the stone could separate because the grain is exposed to the elements. In these photos only one shows up. 

CLICK ANY IMAGE TO GO LARGER!!

This group of photos are the same as below except this is the left side. Below is the right side. The drainage pipe should be the reference. 

Dry laid stone walls are free draining and flexible. So why would you need a drainage pipe?

This section was also a repaired section. If you look at the google earth link on the very first photo of the blog. You can view this original section bulging out. Clearly also because it doesn't have a back wall support. 

Moral of the story? 

Don't hire anyone certified / non certified without looking at there work. You should now be able to make the right choice when hiring a DRY LAID STONE MASON. Opposed to someone who claims they have 30 years experience..... A picture's worth 1000 words they say. 

To understand more read this short book with EXAMPLES of Wrong and Right: StoneWork, Standard & Common Faults

Rockin Walls Workshop newsletter Febuary 2016

Read the first Rockin Walls Newsletter click the link below. 

http://eepurl.com/bPGUST

2016 Workshop Schedule Posted!

2016 Workshop Schedule Posted! 

http://www.rockinwalls.com/p/workshops.html

2016 Jonas winter storm - Fun on the Farm!

The Wife started a Hi-Vis pics / with equipment on her Meadow Creek Farm FB to keep all her friends smiling during the last few days of the 2016 Jonas winter snow storm. After 3 days of plowing over 24" and being snowed in - yes it's now time to play. It's easy to start to find happiness with the simple things. Ready for summer - Not yet.  I'm just starting to get warmed up to this weather. Thankfully we did not lose electricity all and all it was just snow and lots of it!

Finally on the 4th day we saw our first county equipment cleaning the road. Of Course me and the neighbor with his skid steer did most of our section of road. Sometimes it's best to rely on yourself to do what has to be done. This machine while it cleaned the road did one heck of a mess! So of course I cleaned it up. 

The storm came in hard Friday night. Hitting us till late hours. I spent most of my time plowing to say on top of the snow. I was out with out Side x Side with the plow and snowblower. I did all of our farm then the neighbors. Hit the bed at 3:30 am to get back going around 8:30 am Saturday. Only to get my Side x Side out of the barn then drop out of gear. So spent the next hour pulling and pushing to get it back in the barn. Then it was on to the skid steer with the heated cab, windshield and wiper. Saturday was the hardest day of snow blowing. I was extremely happy I had spent the money to have my windshield repaired and back on the skid steer. I never use it and normally keep it off the machine. But with winter I figured it was time to put it back on. So happy I did!

The skid steer and the single stage MTD 2 stroke snow blower helped keep our farm nice and tidy. We  have a 22 acre horse farm where we care for 10 horses. Being able to get to one place to another is key with Feeding and getting water to four leggers. 

Exhausted horses after 3 days of snow. Now time for a horse naps! Buddy is at the gate and Cheech is getting a drink of water. 

Our neighbors called asking us to come sledding on Sunday. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. The round saucer was the best ride.

Piling snow up some place can always be a challenge. (photo at our barn road side 1 photo up) Last year the installed guard rails. Which make it hard to push the snow over the hill. Now I have to lift it over. 

This was on sunday looking down the road towards our farm. Rockin Walls Training center is right on the right hand side if you see the sign on the tree - to the right you will see the 4ft freestanding wall then all the snow mounds are palleted stones covered over.

The wife having fun Sunday feeding at upper field. 

The walk up the hill to feed 4 of the field care horses. 

Knee height snow.

Happy Teresa in upper horse pasture at feeding time. I can't say what was making her smile so much. 

Looking out the skid steer from Saturday's plow of the road. Look at all the deer tracks. CRAZY!

The wife Teresa taking the hose up the hill to get water in the tub for the upper horses. As she tackles 24" plus snow walking up the hill. FUN!!!

All things break when plowing snow. Thankfully Sunday was the clear and all work had been finished. With a little investigating a simple fix was to remove the 14' chain next to the seat belt. I believe the dash was not able to recognize I was sitting in the machine with the safety switches not registering. Replacing a 5 amp fuse and removing all tools, chains... from the right side of the seat seemed to make everything work like normal. Thank God. I was a bit frustrated after the Side x Side failed Saturday morning. 

K & H Heated cat houses (they make everything you can think of heated for animals)  for our outdoor barn cats. Only the best for all our furry animals! 

Just another day at the farm.