Natural stone Supplier: ISCA Stone 'Specialist Quality Stone Importers and Suppliers to Devon and the South West'.

Slate: "Stone is a miracle of nature. No two quarries are alike and all stones vary within the same quarry. The correct selection taxes the skill of the quarryman. A quarry is like a book written in a strange language - it must be studied to be understood."

Quarryman quoted by A. Clifton-Taylor

Quarrying

The methods of quarrying sandstones vary greatly -where the stone is highly laminated it is lifted off using a crowbar or the bucket attachment on an excavator; Other quarries extract stone using 'plug and feathers'.

Rows of holes are drilled along the lines where the block is required to be split. Two long strips of metal known as featers with a long wedge -the plug between them are inserted into each hole. The plugs are hammered home down between the feathers a little at a time working along the line so the stone is split evenly.

One of the most common methods of quarrying is to use black explosive. Again a row of holes is drilled along the block and a small charge of black explosive is inserted into each. The charges are all detonated simultaneously, so splitting off blocks of stone from the quarry face.

Some quarry men using small amounts of explosive can produce blocks which can be transported strait for sawing, in larger quarries with larger charges the can be fractures. We at Isca stone try to work with blocks of 'A' Grade stone where fractures are almost eliminated.

However as natural forces have created the stone they differ from each other, which is where the beauty lies in such a unique and beautiful material.

Processing Stone from Quarries

The equipment used to transport stone has to be heavy duty by the nature of stone and its weight. The stones are carried to cutting plants where diamond saws work twenty four hours a day all year round for the duration of their lives.

If the requirement is for squared and polished panels of stone, the stones will be complete as they come from the saws. More intricate work is carried out on profiling saws and planing and polishing machines, and of course by hand.

Machinery hardware can also be programmed to accept instructions from Computer Aided Design systems. Hand working of stone, however, retains an essential place particularly in the final stages of processing, when highly skilled masons work the more detailed stones to their finished form.

Working stone is a fantastic and rewarding experience, it is a piece of history and encapsulated time. The variety is so diverse in colour, texture and patterning that it is no wonder the perceived value is so high when it is finally used in the home or in construction. To learn more contact ISCA Stone and we will gladly introduce you to how you might make more of this wonderful product.