Walling Tips and Tricks

[Yseesee]

I thought this site needed a little "Walling Tips and Tricks" area. I would like to see other tips and tricks posted under this heading as well. I'm always looking for ideas to help we with my Dry Stone projects.

I recently discovered a new use for the time tested “Binder Clip” (BC). Are these things still being used in offices?? The 2” BC works great for holding the string line when a 3/8” batter bar is being used. If you have a small diameter bar then a smaller BC may work better. It makes changing your string line height a quick and simple task. Just unclip the BC, adjust the string height, one or two wraps around the batter bar, and put the BC back on and you’re ready to rock!

Just click on the link below if you woul like to see the image. I removed the image from this posting because it distorted this page a bit.

http://www.drystone.org/gallery/albums/New-Planting-Bed/P1231907.sized.jpg

The best thing about these BC’s are, they only cost a few dollars a dozen, and you can find them at any Office Supply Store. Give them a try next time and let me know what you think!! I look forward to other tips and tricks that can make our Dry Stone work more enjoyable and productive.

[Shirley M Addy]

Yseesee, what a great idea, for which I forgive you for not joining the DSWA! I've a few of those clips languishing in my drawer, but I'll get them out and try them out on my rebars. I've no more bright ideas at the moment (I've exhausted myself already now that I've earned five stars!). Keep up with the lovely ideas.

[JimmyMicon]

best tip for beginners......


stand back

[Shirley M Addy]

and ...?

[jerryg]

........ make sure it looks right and if it looks like that wall on the front of that book by radford rebuild it again properly.

[Shirley M Addy]

Presumably in dry conditions, Jerry. Actually we were talking about an office clip.
I'm for useful tips that save time and cut down on the beggaration time.

[jerryg]

I was commenting on jimmymicons advice for beginners. It is good advice too. You have to stand back and see if it's going right and if it's not you can do something about it. It's probably one of the best time saving bits of advice going.

I remember seeing someones wall somewhere where the batter frame in no way related to the shape of the wall. Whoever was building it was spending too much time building the wall in the wrong direction and not enough time looking. The whole thing had to be taken down and started again.

[Shirley M Addy]

Indeed, you can never look at your own wall too often, both at face and from both directions lengthways. Just think of all the bumps and hollows that could be avoided.

[jerryg]

One piece of time saving advice I'd give is to throw away your batter frames and learn to use your eyes and after a while you'll find that you don't need them.

your frames that is, not your eyes

[JimmyMicon]

did folks use batter frames in ye olde days? I'm not sure.

I always find my most attractive walling is on curves. Is that because its a curve or that I don't use a string line?

[jim scott]

Indeed, you can never look at your own wall too often, both at face and from both directions lengthways. Just think of all the bumps and hollows that could be avoided.

Shirley,I think that is the best advice for any new dyker or waller," Stand back and look at your building" every lift,both face on, and along the lines,it is better to rectify faults on every lift ,than build to the dyke to the top and have to strip it down and rebuild it,
Jim.

[xborderdyker]

did folks use batter frames in ye olde days? yes as i have a frame which is over 100 years old and can still produce good dykes ,as for throwing batter frames away to save time bad idea for any dyker/waller

[Tracey B]

I so agree with you Scottish colleague. I don't know if Jerry was trying to be controversial or if he is simply deluded, but advising beginners to throw away their batter frames is just plain wrong. If they are such a crap idea, why were they invented in the first place? The walls we leave for the future should be walls of quality so that our generation can hold up our heads and say that we gave it our best shot.

[Tracey B]

By the way Jimmy, I'm sure they didn't 'use batter frames in the old days' but they also extracted teeth with a pair of pliers and no local anaesthetic. There is a way forward in any profession, even walling.

[JimmyMicon]

I asked a question, I don't remember specifying an opinion on whether people should or should not use a frame.