Marble Workers 1856

[JC]

Look what I found...some of you tile/history buffs might just enjoy this one.

Can you beleive they used to color marble with urine mixed with quick lime?...Hmmm that would make interesting conversation at the dinner table.

Hehe....they also had used mastic back then also...imagine that.

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~quarries/marble_workers_manual/mwh-contents.html


A pretty big site to explore also

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[Derek & Jacqui]

JC
When I was learning the trade, I was told it was good for cracked and spiltting fingers.:D

[John Bridge]

This is a treasure trove of information. Here's just one little pearl of wisdom I managed to uncover. :)



"UNIVERSAL CEMENT.

§ 98. To compound this, a quantity of mastic should be dissolved in highly rectified spirits of wine, only enough of the spirits being used to effect the solution of the mastic.

Then soak an equal quantity of isinglass or fishglue until it is thoroughly softened. Dissolve this in a quantity of rum or brandy sufficient to form a strong glue, to which add half the weight of gum ammoniac finely pulverized.

Thus for thirty penny-weights of the mastic, thirty penny-weights of isinglass and fifteen of gum ammoniac will be necessary. The quantity of spirits and brandy depends upon their quality; the stronger the liquors, the less of them is needed, and the better will be the mixture."

What I get out of this is the stronger the spirits, the better they are. That much hasn't changed. :D

[JC]

Hey I guess that just shows that the old timers had to make use of the commonly avialable raw materials......Drinking prolly was pretty common amongst them...not much has changed in that aspect..eh

That site is a goldmine of interesting tidbits.....I feel as though we should save it somewhere for future reading......where I dunno though.

[Bud Cline]

:bang: :bow: :bang:

[John Bridge]

JC,

Go ahead and put it in the Liberry.

[JC]

Heres a good one I found...could this be the first wet saw?


>>SAW, OF THE MARBLE WORKER.—It is without teeth; with a different frame from common saws, and proportioned to the pieces to be cut up. The blade of this saw is large, and strong enough to saw the Marble slowly, with the aid of sand and water which the sawer pours into the cleft. There are also two kinds of hand saws, one of which is notched, and the other smooth.<<