The Craft of StonemasonryHardcover, 21 September 2012

The craft of stonemasonry will never be a dying art; the skilled use of hand tools to create or repair masonry structures will always be essential and sits well with our modern construction industry. The traditional stonemason holds skills and knowledge that have produced the most spectacular and beautiful structures the world has ever known. This book introduces the world of the artist craftsman, from the basic essentials of selecting stone, developing tool skills and techniques, to producing set-work pieces of the highest quality to become part of the built heritage. Techniques are explained with an accessible but detailed approach, and supported by step-by-step photographs: Turn a boulder into a perfect cube. Make a voussoir for an arch. Produce a tracery quatrefoil. Carve a stunning sphere. Repair an ashlar wall.