Rocky idea

[TedLaRue]

elalexander,

Thanks for the information about the cost. That seems pretty reasonable. I think I'll look into doing something similar.

I especially liked your trading deal. Rocks are unique in that their value ranges from very negative (when they're in the way) to very positive (when you're building something with them).

 

[elalexander]

Hi Ted. Yes you are right. I live just across the Potomac river from Piedmont WV. Tri State Memorial did the work for us. Were happy and have received a lot of nice comments from our neighbors as well as my TBN friends. The sandblasting is fairly deep and they make a rubber type stencal they apply the black paint. I think they said it was an epoxy paint. I figure any place that does work for cemetary's can do the same. When I talked to the workers they were glad to be doing something different too.

 

[elalexander]

Hi Idabe. Yes I did start at the lower back corner first. I had my wife hold a pole with a string and I put a stake in the yard at ground level just to see how high I had to come up. I knew the size of the barn and I wanted to be able to walk around it so I adjusted as needed. First I dug three small ditches through where the barn would set to let any water get out from under the barn and made sure these were beneath the first course of large stones which I buried. Then I set up old pieces of pipe with a string and line level atached and started to stack the rocks. I also stacked them back. I didn't simply build a wall and throw rocks in behind it. I wanted it to last. Spent Coors light cans were used as a binding agent as well. This was before I had my riding mower and wagon and my tractor. Hand tools and a wheelbarrow. It was also 5 years and 7 stents ago, couldn't do it now. When I got close to were I needed to be I started hauling in #57 stone/gravel. 20 tons total. I think it turned out nice. Anyway, there are several good books on stone work that you could read to get an idea of what it is all about. That was what I did and then I just got after it. Thanks for the kind words, EL.

 

[ldabe]

Hi Idabe. Yes I did start at the lower back corner first. I had my wife hold a pole with a string and I put a stake in the yard at ground level just to see how high I had to come up. I knew the size of the barn and I wanted to be able to walk around it so I adjusted as needed. First I dug three small ditches through where the barn would set to let any water get out from under the barn and made sure these were beneath the first course of large stones which I buried. Then I set up old pieces of pipe with a string and line level atached and started to stack the rocks. I also stacked them back. I didn't simply build a wall and throw rocks in behind it. I wanted it to last. Spent Coors light cans were used as a binding agent as well. This was before I had my riding mower and wagon and my tractor. Hand tools and a wheelbarrow. It was also 5 years and 7 stents ago, couldn't do it now. When I got close to were I needed to be I started hauling in #57 stone/gravel. 20 tons total. I think it turned out nice. Anyway, there are several good books on stone work that you could read to get an idea of what it is all about. That was what I did and then I just got after it. Thanks for the kind words, EL.

Again, great job...and thanks for the instruction.