Working with stone, shaping stone for walls, stairs.

Is there a forum that discusses how to work with rock, shaping it, cutting it? I have tons , literally tons, of stone outcropping in my back fields and have been learning to do some basic wall building. I'd really like to learn how to shape rock better. I found a bunch of old stone support blocks that stand about 36" high and go from rectangular at their base up to a truncated pyramid shape on top. Those things are like works of art and they were once common to rural buildings. Any body got any thoughts or guidance to share about this old craft?

Sounds very interesting and also sounds like you've got your work cut out for you.

There is a forum here for Hypertufa and Concrete that may be able to help you. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/hypertufa/all/

Good Luck!


Janet

Sorry, I posted the wrong link that was saved to my clipboard. Hope this one works for you.



This message was edited Nov 1, 2009 10:29 PM

Try some of these links http://www.google.com/search?q=Stone+cuttting+-+Shaping&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

Thanks folks, I need a lot of information cause I got a lot of rocks just waiting to become something. I'll check these links out tonight.
Steve

So anybody else ever look at a lumpy rock and think they'd like it better if they could shape it up a bit? Stone and rock are a natural compliment to gardens. The urge to give some definition to stone seems almost primal to me....except I don't know how to do it very well. The hypertufa forum doesn't really address the cutting and shaping of stone although its a fun place to get ideas. I did chase down several google links and found some interesting sites. Anybody else got any suggestions?

Those stone support blocks have a name and I can't remember for the life of me what it is. I have seen pictures of lovely benchs made with those block used for the base.

How wonderful that you have a supply of them. I am envious, no rocks at all where I live.

http://j-walkblog.com/index.php?/weblog/posts/moving_big_rocks
This link shows how to move heavy stuff.

Here is a thread showing the building of a wall.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/886228/

This message was edited Nov 5, 2009 6:42 AM

Ardesia if you remember the name for these I'd like to know what it is. They are about 30" tall, maybe 18 x18 inches square.
Here are a couple of these stones...I'd love to know how to shape them.

Juneybug, that moving guy is a riot. I may try to use his ideas to move my "gazebo". I've got some of the stone pillars supporting it . For whatever reason as I get older I think more and more about the permanence of stone...I think I'd like to build some stone works for my kids and grandkids to enjoy somewhere off in the future

Heres a bunch of sites on building w/stone:

http://www.google.com/search?q=building+with+stone&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GFRD_en

It just came to me! Staddle stones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staddle_stones

If you google the term you will find lots of places selling antique staddle stones for high dollar.