Newfangled Contraption

  With the help of a newfangled contraption that Dan Ucci designed and had build, we are able to start putting up some of the high stones.

Mantle

  The mantle is up and a few stones of the upper section. Dan is bringing the indoor crane he had build specifically for this project, as the beam and chain-fall will take us no higher.

The Bridge

 
  One side of the bridge that Damon and I did with Paul Belcher at Midcoast Masonry a few summers ago...

The Top of the Heap

  This top stone will come down and become the starting point for the rest of the stack, as we take what we have thus far constructed down to Boothbay and install it. A simple red level-line drawn across the face will let us know where to properly position it on the ground.

Boom Time

 Damon deftly handles the controls of the boom-truck. We also like to point out to Dan that his White GMC is actually yellow. (Note the logo above the grill.)

Yikes

  Yeah. It looks more like "Running Monsters At Play" or "Monster Children Wreaking Havoc". I pass this sign on my way to Boothbay. It scares me. Also, there are no children playing there, ever. There are no people period. I have never seen a person on that stretch of road and definitely not one "playing".

Sawing

 Thank God for Grundens.

Stone Shapes

  I am reading an interesting book by Robert M. Thorson called Exploring Stone Walls, A Field Guide to New England's Stone Walls. I thought I would share this bit about the shapes of stones from pages 25-26. There are "eight categories of basic shapes common to stones found in New England Walls:
Blocks are equant and angular.
Balls are equant and rounded.
Prisms are columns that are angular.
Rollers are columns that are rounded.
Books are tablets that are angular.
Disks are tablets that are rounded.
Slabs can be either angular or rounded, but are normally subangular.

Blades are usually angular."

Fire

  Here are a few shots of me using the acetylene torch to "thermal" the exposed cut edges of the stones to give them a more natural look. Soon after these shots were taken I tripped, fell onto the torch, and became engulfed in flames.  Now, much like the stones, I too have a "more natural look".