Practical Masonry


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Look inside the book

Practical Masonry

A Guide to the Art of Stone Cutting

William R Purchase

Hardback £35.00 $70.00

Publication date 5 May 2009

232 pages

ISBN 978 1 873394 86 1

Special Summer offer - free standard delivery in the UK

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Introduction to the 2009 edition

Read the new introduction by Richard Hoyle and Daren Tailby

First published in 1896, Practical Masonry has for many years been one of the best technical stonemasonry books for apprentices, experienced masons and craftsmen. It offers a clear and straightforward approach to the major techniques and tools required to practise this craft. The very useful and instructive drawings, showing the various details, are a central feature of the book and provide the starting point for each accompanying analysis and description.

This new reprint of the revised 1904 edition, now available from Donhead, includes in depth technical information on the setting out of arches in all their forms, ramp and twist staircases, raking and stretching moulds, gothic mouldings, domes, vaulting and tracery windows. Each of these give a vital understanding of how stone buildings are constructed and how the loads and stresses within are controlled and even manipulated to provide structural integrity to the building design. The information contained within this book is as relevant today as it was 100 years ago and will be invaluable in assisting masons, conservation professionals and all those who are involved with this ancient craft.

This is a hardback, high quality reproduction of the original book with a new Introduction written specifically for this publication.

Contents:

Tools and appliances. Squares v Mallet vHammer v Chisels v Boasters vClaw-tool v Pitcher vJumper v Drags v Dummy v Cross-cut saw v Pick v Axe v Patent axe v Spalling hammer v To frame up a saw, for hand sawing v To cope or split a block of stone or granite v Wedges v Plugs and feathers v Lewises v Dogs or nippers v Trammel heads v Platform or drawing boardv Sheet zinc v Arches and joints. Definition of arches v Segment arch, and joints v Semcircular arch and joints v Semi-oval arch and joints v Semi-elliptic arch and joints v Equilateral arch and joints v Lancet arch and joints v Drop arch and joints v Tudor arches and joints v Flat or straight arches and joints v Joggle joints, secret arch joint v Saddle or water joint in cornice v Rebated joint in coping v Bed joints in spires v Dovetailed joints v Dowels and cramps v Masonry details To form a plane surface v To form a winding surface v To form a cylindrical surface v To work a length of cornice v Various examples of dressing stone v The entasis of a column, by two methods v To diminish or enlarge a section v To draw a raking mould v To draw a stretching mould v To set out the Grecian fret v Staircases Definitions of steps v Proportions of the tread and rise v To set out a spandril step v Plan of a good type of stair v Part plan of winders, and development v Bed mould, and well-hole mould v Working of the winders v A spiral stair with solid newel v A sketch of one of the winders v A spiral stair with open newel v Development of the winders v Bracketed steps v Solid steps v Treads and risers v Method of sawing spandrel steps v Circular work (ramp and twist) A terrace stair, circular on plan, with raking balustrade v Plan of balustrade and steps v To set out the development of outside and inside elevation, and moulds for the same v To work the plinth block v A sketch of the finished plinth v To work the length of capping v A sketch of the finished length of capping v Section of the balustrade v Arches, circular on plan A semicircular arch in a cylindrical wall, the soffit line at springing converging to a centre v To set out the plan and developed elevations v The bed and face moulds v Working of the arch stones, or voussoirs v A sketch of segment of hollow cylinder v A sketch of one of the arch stones v A semi-circular arch in a cylindrical wall, the soffit line at Summering being parallel to the axis of cylinder v To set out the plan and developed elevations v The bed and face moulds v Working of the arch stones v Diagrams of the developments v Working of small models v Skew arch and niches To set out an oblique semicircular arch rib v Plan and elevation of the arch v The face and joint moulds v Working of the arch stones, or voussoirs v To set out a spherical niche, with horizontal beds v Plan and elevation of the niche v The bed and face moulds v Working of the stones v To set out a spherical niche, with joints radiating to a centre v Plan and elevation of the niche v The bed and face moulds v Working of the stones v A sketch of one of the finished stones vCylindrical vaulting To obtain the profiles of the rectangular and annular groins v To set out a rectangular cylindrical vault v The bed and section moulds v Working of the angular groins v Working of the key-stone v Sketches of the several stones v A sketch of the vault v Domes & pendentives Definitions v A square area covered by a dome and supported by pendentives v; To set out the plan and sectional elevation v The bed, face and section moulds v Working of the stones v A sketch of one of the stones in dome v A spheroidal dome v To set out the plan and section v The bed and section moulds v Working of the voussoirs v A sketch of one of the finished voussoirs v A sketch of the dome v Groined vaulting A groined vault in four compartments, square on plan, and supported by a central shaftv To act out the plan (one quarter) of the vault v The bed and section moulds of the Summerers v Working of the Summerers v The bed and section moulds of centre key v Working of the key stone v A sketch of the rib v Working of the rib v A sketch of part of the vault v Skeleton plan of vault v Groined vaulting (continued) To set out the plan (one quarter) of the vault and elevation of the ribs v Plan of the Summerer vThe bed and section moulds of the bosses v Working of the boss stones vA sketch of part of the vault vPart plan of vault Houses of Parliament v Tracery windows Their infinite variety v Geometrical tracery, based on the equilateral triangle, the polygon and circle vSetting out windows generally v Constructional lines of equilateral window v Equilateral window completed vConstructional lines of circular window vCircular window completed v Constructional and completed lines of pointed window vThe face and section moulds of Summerer vWorking of the Summerer v Sketches of various cusps v Gothic mouldings Their general characteristics v Profiles of the Norman period, 1066 to 1189 vOf the Early English period, 1189 to 1300 v Of the Decorated period, 1300 to 1377 v Of the Perpendicular period, 1377 to 1547 vGrecian Mouldings Their general characteristics vTypes of mouldings v Roman Mouldings Their characteristics as compared with their Greek originals vTypes of mouldings vSupplementary matter v Masonry estimating and quantity surveying vBuilding stones v Lists of stones: sandstones, limestones, alabaster, marbles: foreign, British, Irish; granitesvTables of diameters, circumferences, and areas of circles v Glossary of terms used in masonry and stone cutting.

The author:

William R Purchase was born in Dorset, c1854. He became interested in the construction industry as a boy and, by the time he left school, already had a deep enthusiasm for the natural stone industry. Beginning as an apprentice stonemason, he quickly developed his skills by observing the experienced masons, developing a particular passion for geometry and setting out. After completing his apprenticeship he became an experienced and highly skilled mason, progressing to become the company’s mason foreman in charge of the workshop and also all site activities and contracts. During this time he worked on some of England’s most magnificent and highly decorated public buildings. Sadly, detailed information about Purchase’s career and the buildings he worked on was lost during the Second World War.

From the reviews:

It’s hugely cheering to see Donhead patiently rescuing for a new generation the texts we hunted down in second-hand bookshops as students in the early 80s, swapping photocopies like cherished conkers...

I could say, Read this marvellous book and weep. Instead, read it and learn, architects as well as tradespeople, and fight back against the erosion of skills. With the right skills, everything is still possible, for new work, as well as repair.

JAC Read the full review

Donhead specialise in reprinting classic works in the building/architecture/conservation field at prices well below the cost of the originals. As such the value of this work to trainees and apprentices is already well established.... If I had come across an original copy at this price level I would have grabbed it with both hands. Donhead are to be congratulated on giving such good value for money.

Tools & Trade History Society Newsletter Read the full review

Provides a fascinating glimpse into the work of the Victorian mason... There is far more here than most masons would need in a lifetime spent on this most skilful of trades. The setting out of staircases, domes, arches and niches, vaulting and tracery are detailed, as are the many mouldings with their classical and traditional origins. I even began to understand how to set out a skew arch!.. Factors to be considered when selecting stone are carefully examined, and many of the British quarries are listed, their stone and its properties recorded. A helpful glossary of terms completes a fascinating and informative book.

Ecclesiastical and Heritage World

The quality of the reproductions throughout is excellent. Donhead are to be congratulated on bringing these books back into print. They deserve a place on any conservation architect’s, conservation officer’s or construction historian’s shelves.

Practical Masonry gives in 218 pages an excellent overview of stone masonry in 1904, perhaps in more detail than the average reader will require, and is a useful work of reference rather than a good read. It will also prove very useful to architects seeking to draw gothic and classical details on CAD, for which a detailed knowledge of setting out is essential.

CHS Newsletter

The book is as helpful to today's practitioner and student as it was when the first edition was published in 1896... It provides us today with a vivid understanding of how late-19th and early-20th century masons undertook their work, and created the masterpieces in stone which we care for now. It is clearly written by someone who had a passion and skill which they wanted to pass on to others.... Purchase's book is one of those which I would recommend for a readable introduction into stone. It provides some of the best sketches I have seen to explain setting out and working out the angles for arches and staircases. It is for these, and the gems of information, that I would recommend buying the book for the office. It will be of use to architects, surveyors, historians and craftspeople alike.

Context

Donhead Publishing 2010