Walling Tips and Tricks

[ProDyker]

why would you want to build through a batter frame?.Metal pins move when tension is put on the strings,they bend so getting your angles the same time after time is a thankless task, no such problem with a batter frame.
Just a suggestion if some of the dyking courses were taught using batter frames we may see dykes and walls which are straight and a uniformed shape.

[johnthedyker]

When your wheelbarrow bucket gets buckled or cracked beyond use take it off and fit a wooden flat bed great for loading biggish stones into as you do not have to get over the side of the barrow. happy dyking.

[jerryg]

Presumably that means you have to lift your big stones onto your flat bed. The best way to get big stones into a wheelbarrow is to tip it on its side, roll the stone in and then stand the barrow up.

Voila! big stone in barrow with no lifting involved.

[johnthedyker]

No not any different you can still tip your flat bed on side and do the same voila. but that frugal Scottish gene smiles at the thought of not shelling out for another barrow.

[jerryg]

While you're at it why not put the old barrow bucket in a plastic bag and make a paddling pool for the kids

[johnthedyker]

Well done Jerry, thats recycling at its best.

[Yseesee]

First off I want to thank David for his suggestion on building the fixed joiners bevel. I actually gave this a try and found it did work well. I only ran into problems where the angle at which the ground meets the wall was different when this happened it required me to use the level. When the level was used together with the joiners bevel I found that to be a bit awkward and cumbersome. It was better than me simply eye-balling the batter!

I have since found and purchased a level with an adjustable vial and it works great! The level is manufactured by Swanson and it’s a 48 inch I-Beam Aluminum Level with a 360 degree adjustable vial. I'm pleased with the purchase and I've found it to be a very helpful tool.

[battered]

Ye need good batter, whether it's with a frame or your eye. I think using your eye would be more satisfying.

[battered]

I think using your eye would be more satisfying

[jerryg]

In the early noughties (thats 2000 onwards to those of you who don't have my sense of humour) I was working down Rochdale way and there was a chap re-building a straight line wall across a field. He was using a batter frame and moving it every 8 yards or so. Unfortunately he didn't quite get his line of batter frames to go in a straight line so when looked on from one end there is a distinctly zig-zag line to his beautifully correctly battered wall.

I can't wait for Google Earth to get accurate enough to look down on this piece of art.

[waller 69]

until I get a bite elsewhere I will look for these diamonds, you lot crack me up and I love you for it

[GregLee]

I saw the tip about putting a flatbed on a wheelbarrow. When I built my house 20 years ago with concrete blocks, I bought a bricklayers wheelbarrow. This has a flat bed and an upright section over the wheel, an L on its back. Designed so you can stack bricks or blocks on the barrow, this barrow has been tremendously useful for me over the years, and is great for moving stones around. I can carry up to 1/3 of a tonne on the barrow, also great for things like fence posts or anything long and flat.

[waller 69]

Hi Greg, hope you are well...I have used the w/barrow of the type you mention, amazing what you can move with them, I have also used a brickies hod which works in much the same way, just on your shoulder....
I may be wrong but I remember the vertical part of the "L" being at the handle end....

[GregLee]

The vertical flat section is above the wheel because bricks/blocks/stones are stacked against the vertical section, that way the wheel takes the weight not your hands.

[waller 69]

My mistake, it was as you described, I have not seen one since the end of the 80's.....