Stone Mason Tools - CanuckJim

[jengineer]

So a web is only as good as you make it. This is essentially a cross post of data now that we have a tools section. This picture is also posted in the photo gallery along with the description...

Credit goes to CanuckJim



Left to right:
a large Marshalltown brick/block trowel
a 1/8 inch pointing trowel
a 1/2 inch pointing trowel
a 2 inch square end plastering trowel
a small brick/tile trowel useful for restricted spaces.

Immediately above is
a decorative 3/8 inch pointer called a beading tool or grapevine here
(gives a rounded convex shape to facade brick joints; there are other sizes).

At the very top,
a rectangular Marshalltown smoothing trowel for slabs, foundations, plaster, parging (very useful).

Not shown, an all metal, double ended block joint pointer;
it results in a concave finished joint.

Except for the beading tool, all should be available at Home Depot/Lowes/OSH....
Masonry suppliers will handle the more expensive Rose label and things
like the grapevine.

The dark staining is from refractory mortar: LaFarge Fondue.

The narrow pointers and the beading tool are all shown working faces up;
others down. I modified the length of the pointers to the size I prefer,
then rounded the noses to prevent tool marks in the finished joints.

For brick joints, simply choose the pointer width that fits most snugly.
These are also useful to dry measure and maintain consistent joint size
without using a tape.

[Xabia Jim]

Here are some tools from the Lonja (15th century silk exchange) in Valencia.

(no I can't list the names.... but they're pretty cool and the building was awesome)