Stonework, some staggering numbers!

[Way north bass guy]

As a lot of you know, I’m a stonemason. Talked about it a few times over the years on here. 
I’m currently in the middle of a fairly large job, at least for a self employed guy that works all on his own. It’s approx 700 sq ft of 2” thick granite flagstone, that was “dry laid” in gravel about 20 years ago. The stones have settled some, and the joints are constantly full of weeds that the owners have to pay to get pulled, so they’ve hired me to lift the entire patio, re-grade the level to slope away from the house, and then re-lay all the stone in approx 3” of concrete, and point the joints with mortar. 
This is something that I’ve done literally tens of thousands of sq ft of over my career, just another day at the office. 
Today I did some quick calculations, there’s 10 tons of flagstone in this patio, and I’ve moved every single piece minimum 3 times by the time I lift, set back down and lift to re-lay in concrete. 
On this one job, over 5-1/2 days, between the stone and 3 skids of concrete, I’ve moved over 80,000lbs of material all by myself! 
And I wonder why I’m a bit tired at the end of the day sometimes?. 
 

@A-Jay has his awesome home gym, I have other peoples dirty old stones ?. 
Here’s a pic of the patio with most of the stones re-laid and ready to point. 

[deaknh03]

I have a buddy that's a master Mason, its really a craft with tons of real hard work. 

[TnRiver46]

Nice job! I wish I had your skill, I need several things done…….. my chimney isn’t leaking yet tho 

[throttleplate]

1 hour ago, Way north bass guy said:

As a lot of you know, I’m a stonemason. Talked about it a few times over the years on here. 
I’m currently in the middle of a fairly large job, at least for a self employed guy that works all on his own. It’s approx 700 sq ft of 2” thick granite flagstone, that was “dry laid” in gravel about 20 years ago. The stones have settled some, and the joints are constantly full of weeds that the owners have to pay to get pulled, so they’ve hired me to lift the entire patio, re-grade the level to slope away from the house, and then re-lay all the stone in approx 3” of concrete, and point the joints with mortar. 
This is something that I’ve done literally tens of thousands of sq ft of over my career, just another day at the office. 
Today I did some quick calculations, there’s 10 tons of flagstone in this patio, and I’ve moved every single piece minimum 3 times by the time I lift, set back down and lift to re-lay in concrete. 
On this one job, over 5-1/2 days, between the stone and 3 skids of concrete, I’ve moved over 80,000lbs of material all by myself! 
And I wonder why I’m a bit tired at the end of the day sometimes?. 
 

@A-Jay has his awesome home gym, I have other peoples dirty old stones ?. 
Here’s a pic of the patio with most of the stones re-laid and ready to point. 

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Way north bass guy said:

As a lot of you know, I’m a stonemason. Talked about it a few times over the years on here. 
I’m currently in the middle of a fairly large job, at least for a self employed guy that works all on his own. It’s approx 700 sq ft of 2” thick granite flagstone, that was “dry laid” in gravel about 20 years ago. The stones have settled some, and the joints are constantly full of weeds that the owners have to pay to get pulled, so they’ve hired me to lift the entire patio, re-grade the level to slope away from the house, and then re-lay all the stone in approx 3” of concrete, and point the joints with mortar. 
This is something that I’ve done literally tens of thousands of sq ft of over my career, just another day at the office. 
Today I did some quick calculations, there’s 10 tons of flagstone in this patio, and I’ve moved every single piece minimum 3 times by the time I lift, set back down and lift to re-lay in concrete. 
On this one job, over 5-1/2 days, between the stone and 3 skids of concrete, I’ve moved over 80,000lbs of material all by myself! 
And I wonder why I’m a bit tired at the end of the day sometimes?. 
 

@A-Jay has his awesome home gym, I have other peoples dirty old stones ?. 
Here’s a pic of the patio with most of the stones re-laid and ready to point. 

That's real man's work right there my friend.

I could NEVER even come close to hanging with you while you do that deal.

So nicely done.  Adds up fast doesn't it. 

Final bit of advice though, when you're done with that work, replace the stress and strain with something else.  Doesn't need to be quite as arduous, but what you have now will fade fast when not asked to continue.  

Super pretty work as always.

?

A-Jay

[12poundbass]

I had an uncle who was a mason and his son still is. Watching them do their craft and put all the pieces together and see the final product is truly amazing! I see a pile of rubble, you masons can almost visualize in your head where each piece is going to go. Hats off to you masons, you are all artists. 

[Catt]

Definitely a lost art

 

 

[Jar11591]

[PaulVE64]

Must be tough to tie knots with the sausages that mason's call fingers

[Way north bass guy]

12 minutes ago, PaulVE64 said:

Must be tough to tie knots with the sausages that mason's call fingers

Haha, I’m actually not a real big guy. Just barely stretch the tape up to 5’9” and about 185lbs, but I’m sure I do have a pretty good grip compared to many people. 

[Mobasser]

Nice job. I was a carpenter for 35 yrs and knew some good stone masons. I always had a lot of respect for that trade. It was one of those things I always wanted to learn but never did.

[TOXIC]

Had to make a trip up to my daughters farm in Middleburg Virginia and the road takes me past some beautiful horse estates.  It was 95 degrees with a heat index over 100 and I drive past a crew standing in a trench rebuilding a civil war era rock fence line that got damaged in a storm.  Tough work for sure. 

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, Way north bass guy said:

Haha, I’m actually not a real big guy. Just barely stretch the tape up to 5’9” and about 185lbs, but I’m sure I do have a pretty good grip compared to many people. 

I bet.

#likeavice

?

A-Jay

[Bird]

I had a very good stone mason teach me the basics on our very first house.

So on our 2nd home I did all the masonry myself.

Wow was it time consuming and found out quickly that the mortar "S-type" had to be mixed consistently to get the stones to stick.

It was rewarding once completed but I wouldn't want to do it for a living.

 

Nice work.

 

[JackstrawIII]

We're looking for a mason to do some work on our church... wish you were closer! Looks great. 

[slonezp]

14 hours ago, Catt said:

Definitely a lost art

 

 

A lot of the trades are becoming lost, art or not, In the "disposable" economy we live in. Being a master craftsman is ancient history. 

13 hours ago, Way north bass guy said:

Haha, I’m actually not a real big guy. Just barely stretch the tape up to 5’9” and about 185lbs, but I’m sure I do have a pretty good grip compared to many people. 

High school girlfriend played the piano. She had a good grip as well.

[GRiver]

Nice work, when I was in school I took a job a mason tender, keep them supplied with material. I humped motar, stucco, and block and brick. Those guys like to work me to death. I wasn’t about to quit, but I was sure glad when school started back up. 

[Susky River Rat]

That is amazing work man! That’s hot unforgiving work that you’ll never know exactly what you’re getting into till you start tearing something apart. My hats off to you. I’ve just been a welder for the last 15 years. I’ll stick to welding rather than doing what you do.

[Woody B]

On 8/16/2023 at 7:19 AM, Way north bass guy said:

Just barely stretch the tape up to 5’9” and about 185lbs

"Built like a fire hydrant" is what some people call it.   It's my belief, (and my Dr's) that tall lanky people are more prone to injuries than guys like us.  

 

Super nice looking work.   My Dad was a building contractor.