Hand Splitting a Step From a Larger Granite Block
A customer was looking for a 5' (1.5M) step, I needed to split one out of a larger block that I have had sitting on the landing for a while. This split went really well, the stone is off the mountain and the customer is happy.
Watch my previous video on hand splitting granite for more details on the process.
Thanks for watching, and let me know in the comments what type of content you would like to see.
Пікірлер: 88
Thank you very much. My great-grandfather was a “granite cutter” and you’ve given me a much better appreciation of the work.
Fascinating. At 9:35 you can literally see the crack forming with each strike of the hammer.
Wow! This was impressive, Albert! I love watching this 👏🏼😍
The art of stonemasonry is such a hidden art! Thank you for showing such a cool craft!
That was so amazing to watch! It was so cool to see it just split by itself at the end. Great job!! Thank you for sharing!
Beautifully done!
So cool when the sound changed, and then it just sort of sighed and opened!
Thank you for documenting this. Such a satisfying piece of work!
"Listening to the stone." I love that! Beautiful work, and a granite step to last for the ages.
That didn't need an outroi buddy! Was sure as heck satisfying to watch :)
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
Glad you liked it!
Great job. You made it look so easy.
You are quite the stonemason. The house I grew up in had a granite stone foundation. I beleive the granite came out of the Quincy, MA quarry in the 19th century. The house was built in 1880.
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
I bought a painting at a fundraiser auction depicting a quarry in Quincy, MA
I would love to see this step installed. It would kind of bring the story full circle.
That was so cool to watch and it was such a perfect split. I love when you walked away and I heard this Stone split. That was so cool.
That’s pretty cool there bud!!! I could definitely hear the tone change, two or three times even! So yes! Good mic! Great mind!!! People like you, I just wish I could touch you and transfer knowledge back and forth! You are a natural! The knowledge you have typically comes in a 70 year old package!!! Or more. I would say more vids but like me, I have so little time outside of what I love to do for thinking of and making videos, so I’m very grateful for the content we do get, THANK YOU!!!!
Pretty cool! Very textured stone…I think. But what do I know?!? 😀 Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your good work and methods. Interesting to hear the change in tone of the stone. Prayers for health and safety!🙏❤🙏
Wow - that was fascinating that it sits there and thinks about splitting like that. Thanks for filming that.
Thank you for sharing your craft and your excellent craftsmanship, Albert! I love the little details you throw in like the dimples cut for the hooks to hold on so that the stone could be moved. Beautiful work, and great editing again!
Great video! Thanks for sharing and thank you for sharing your family background on Morgan’s live yesterday!
Wow!! I'm learning a lot from you today. Best wishes from Cape Town.♥️🇿🇦
I was glad to discover your channel thru Gold Shaw Farms! I really enjoy watching talented people working in stone like yourself. Also, all creative approaches to other project both on this Channel & helping Morgan out. Keep up the interesting work!
I like watching people doing something well.
This is all new to me. Thank You, Alfred.
I wonder what the full amount of time was for it to split. What an interesting process. Nice to see how it's done. Keep 'em coming.
Thanks for your post, Alfred! Hi from NJ!❤
Sir, may I congratulate you on your ability to talk to the granite block, and in return, she talks to you in a manner which you can understand. Well done. and all the best in enjoying your wonderful work. I think it would be be wonderful to try and model the wavefront from those impulses you initiate in how they travel through the block to cause the stresses along the contour which you desire. Those impulses are not as innocent as they sound! Well done once again,
Gotta say kinda fascinating watching the process. Thanks
Awesome vid! Great music choreography! Great split!
I like how the stone split by itself when it was ready.
That is absolutely amazing!!!! Thank you for sharing, this totally made my day!
Fascinating. Thank you for sharing your passion and talent
Много добра майсторска работа поздрави от България желая ви здраве
Amazing!
Thanks again Alfred .....👍
Great learning session -- I wonder if they make a drill attachment that will hammer the stone??
Absolutely AWESOME!!!
Your best video yet!
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
Wow, thanks!
gorgeous split.
Beautiful split, good job and great to watch!
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
Thank you very much!
Awesome! I´ve Never seen anything like this. Impressive
You know what i would love to see? Alfred touring Machu Picchu and talking about those old stonewalls.... or him at the great pyramid of Giza. I would really like to hear his thoughts about the work those people did... or the old buildings/tempels in Rome or Athen
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
I'm headed to the UK soon, hoping to make some of these videos
@Hardwarebeer
11 ай бұрын
@@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062 Hadrian's wall perhaps?
@gratitude7397
11 ай бұрын
Yess! I'm dying to know his thoughts on the pyramids...How they did it
Very cool!
So cool
so interesting..ty
wow amazing
Wow!
So satisficing
hav U watched mexicos pyrimids stone cut lines so precise and they dont know how they did it !!!! also in Egypt ,peru etc. ???
I’ll say wow too
There is very little elastic energy stored in stone or steel wedges, so it is unlikely to spring apart. If the base the stone is on is uneven, the stone might fall over, but it won't jump apart.
I hope your wearing a mask please stay safe
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
Yup
@memememe2674
Күн бұрын
He is in the open air you can see the dust falling not rising. I suppose you would want the guy wearing a hard hat and hi vis vest.
Interesting
Learned something from you bro. Is this drilling machine possible with the generator?
Super informative video. What would something like that typically cost?
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
$50/sq.ft. for steps and caps.
Can I ask why you do not lay the stone with the cutting plane horizontal and put the feathers and wedges on all 4 sides rather than just 3? And... how do you mask the drilled holes for the finished stone?
Sure, it's easy with a generator and power tools.
Good job. What size wedges and shims did you use?
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
1/2"
How do you remove the drill half rounds?
Guess that slab of granite spit when it was darn good and ready. Will you polish the step for the customer or do they prefer the stone in its natural state? Know this is a labor intensive task, thanks for sharing.
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
I will leave it with the split face. I don't have the facilities for polishing, and polished steps would be dangerous when wet
ancient secret discoveries= stone cutting tehniques(how did they do it is unknown). check it out
Did you find any “old” tools at the quarry?
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
I do keep finding little artifacts
Do you sell 1 inch thick veneer? Looking for 400 sq ft for a fireplace/chimney?
how much does such raw block costs
What’s size sds bit are yo using?
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
6 ай бұрын
1/2", but I burn through them pretty quickly.
Are you masked up
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
Yup
Nice result! Have you ever used the Trow & Holden slab splitter? On stock that size, I'd set my score line with the slab splitter [across the top] and do what you did on the sides. Then my plug and feather(s) holes would be drilled equal distance spaced the width of the slab splitter edge. I'd give each plug a strike and then follow up with the slab splitter. As you know, patience is key. It seemed to me using that slab splitter in conjunction with the plugs/feathers not only sped up the process but nice clean splits [most of the time]. Anyhoo...were you effected by the recent flooding in Vermont? If so, I hope things are okay! Cheers...
@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062
11 ай бұрын
I do not have a slab splitter. I do have a quarry buster, but it is hard for me to swing an 8lb hammer into the back of that and keep a tidy line, so I use the tracer. Additionally, the quarry buster doesn't have a very keen edge on it anymore. I like the sounds of your approach, and may try to pick up a slab splitter at some point at try it out. Thanks!
@ross6343
11 ай бұрын
@@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062 That quarry buster has a specific use as does the slab splitter - ones for 'roughing work' [quarry buster] and one for 'finish work' [slab splitter]. you referenced the one drawback of both tools - both require two people working together. Oh...the other MAJOR difference between the quarry buster and slab splitter is the amount of strike force needed. The QB uses more brute force - the SS uses about the same amount of strike force used with a tracer chisel or plugs/feathers. The Trow & Holden slab splitter ain't cheap, but well worth the money spent if you be splitting steps, lentels, arch stones/keystones or fancy set pieces for wall work on a regular basis. Like all tools, there's a learning curve with the slab splitter, but once you get the hang of using it, you can knock out some really interesting pieces real fast. On a different note, I just watched your quarry road video. Crazy what water can do! Cheers...