Pond edging / stone splitting

[bearded bloke]

Looks like I don't need to rush making up my mind about yours then.

LOL me & rush,do not belong in the same sentence bud wish you well with splitting what you have,but if it does go pear shaped just shout me

[Feral007]

Did you do any yet? We have bush rock on our place and I'm planning on doing some stuff with it (well I'm planning on getting one of the boys to do it) and just want to learn from your mistakes

[mrbadexample]

Did you do any yet? We have bush rock on our place and I'm planning on doing some stuff with it (well I'm planning on getting one of the boys to do it) and just want to learn from your mistakes

I thought you were up at some ungodly hour until I noticed you're in Australia.

I haven't started yet but keep watching. If you want to learn from my mistakes, you will have plenty to keep you busy.

[mrbadexample]

BB, the sand box thing is the single best piece of advice I could have been given, I think.

So far I've made two cuts:



Seems to be going rather too well. Off to try a bigger bit...

[Madasafish]

Well done.

When you are finished, could you do a small job for me? I have this pond and I want to relay the edges with cut stone....:-)

[mrbadexample]

I still haven't done any more, so don't be in too much of a rush to book my services! I've spent the afternoon potting up pond plants.

[bearded bloke]

EXCELLENT JOB very well done MBE

I reckon you cracked it .....>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> got me coat >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[mrbadexample]

Hmmm, don't speak too soon. Tried a bigger bit but a lot less successful. Photos on Monday or thereabouts.

[Mato]

Those first two look great. It was very smart of you to think in advance and have extra for scrap. Hopefully you'll be able to get more like those first two and be set!

[Stormforce]

Me personally if its just a wildlife pond i would just split them the best i could and lay them as it's a rustic look.I hate seeing perfect stone around wildlife features but thats just me
I got a big 4 piece concrete water fall here i am wanting to sell that i had with my old Koi pond if anyone is interested.

[Feral007]

Looking good. Will keep that sand box in mind when I put the boys to work on our bush rocks. Of course I was up at some ungodly hour......I'm an aussie, it's what we do. Ali

[babyjohnny]

somebody ask for a stone mason (cue superman theme tune)

splitting stone is easy once you know how to do it, the first thing to do is find the grain (being york stone should be easy)
if you wet the stone it will appear more visable, when you split the stone try and find a "vein" or "band" then with a bolster follow this band all the way round, the trick not to hit it too hard (or too gentle as you'll be there all day) I use a 2.5lb club hammer to do this and a standard brick bolster, it can be done easily with a brick hammer, of a pitching chisel.

[Mato]

You know, having them split uneven and looking a little shabby, like Stormforce suggested, might not be such a bad idea; especially if you are going for a wild life theme. You've given me a great inspiration Stormforce!

[mrbadexample]

Me personally if its just a wildlife pond i would just split them the best i could and lay them as it's a rustic look.

Me too. Just as well as I don't actually have any choice.

It's going slowly but it's going to work out ok.

[mrbadexample]

if you wet the stone it will appear more visable, when you split the stone try and find a "vein" or "band" then with a bolster follow this band all the way round,

I am struggling to find the grain on some of them as the stone's quite coarse grained. I'll give wetting it a go, thanks.