Devin Devine, stone mason based in NEPA, projects completed across the USA
email devin@devineescapes.com
A Flight of Stone.This is a story that I remember our third grade teacher telling us
Once upon a time there was a king who’s youngest daughter was of marrying age, but the king had already seen all of his children get married and moved away and he didn’t want to lose his last child.
Princes from other kingdoms kept showing up at the castle, with gifts, for the princess who they hoped to marry.
So the king set up a series of challenges. A tournament, to test the suitors to find out who was the most suitable, who was the smartest, strongest, and possessed of the best moral character.
Finally, there were three princes who had proved themselves equally qualified, and they demanded the king choose one from among them.
They didn’t ask the princess? Well IDK, maybe they did, but arranged marriages were a thing back then, especially for royalty.
So the king said okay, if one of you can make this stone fly–then I will grant you permission to marry my daughter.
The first prince was a really strong man.
He just tossed the stone as high as he could, figuring that sure, it probably wouldn’t fly, but it’d stay up there longer than the other guys are able, so I’ll win by default.
And he tossed the stone up pretty high, and it was up in the air for maybe 3 whole seconds.
No one was too impressed.
The second princely suitor, he was into the occult. He drew a circle on the ground, and began calling upon powers….he made offerings, he spoke strange languages, he made strange signs….and for a minute, it was impressive, mysterious and a bit scary even.
But that stone just sat there, like a like a lump of solid mineral substance.
The first prince felt his confidence level rising.
But the third prince now stepped up, and this guy had a hammer. He used the hammer to smash up that stone. Then, patiently, he used that hammer to pulverize that stone all the way down into a fine powder.
The third prince then took up this stone dust and tossed it into the air, where it was caught up by a breeze, and gently floated away.
The first two suitors protested, but no one paid them any mind.
The princess swooned at the clever and hard working young man.
Thoroughly impressed, the king supported the union.
The people of the kingdom cheered.
*OSHA attempted to issue a citation. You’re not supposed to cut stone without collecting the dust or using water, to keep it out of the air. Haven’t you ever heard of silicosis? But this was long before OSHA ever existed, and they didn’t have a time machine, so the prince totally got away with it.
**our third grade teacher may have told the story a bit differently
And they lived happily ever after.
THE END
New video, showcasing the grout sponge technique for keep stone dust down
Usually I’m using a sponge like this –but a piece of upholstery foam from furniture, or car furniture works just as well. A piece from a car is what I’m using in the video.
Related content: cutting stone
And check out my stone art gallery before you leave
Thank you
Dust is a really big deal whether mineral, wood or chemical. Young people dont always give it its due but after a few decades of casual intermittent exposure it can end up killing you. Use dust control equipment, mask up, put antifog on your glasses. Devin is right, silicosis is bad news.
True: I can remember being in my 20s and early 30’s and not taking this talk of dust seriously. I’d cut stone with a big saw–and use a mask most of the time–and that’s not good enough. Once it’s in your lungs, it stays there.