[Raj Venugopal]

I have access to a large amount of limestone slabs taken off a local hotel. 3 pictures.

I'd like to use them for a retaining wall system and step system, but my question is cutting the stuff.

Is this stuff cuttable?

How would I "rough face" the smooth sawn edges of the slabs?

Thanks for your help.
Raj

[Raj Venugopal]

2/3

[Raj Venugopal]

3/3

[mark allen]

try to use a hydraulic splitter, like the ones masons use,... but bigger. try to cut half way thru and snap the rest, try to put cut edges to sides or back.... looks like some good stuff you got... good luck.

[John Palasek]

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Limestone cuts like butter with a regular cutoff saw as well. And you could flame the edges to get rid of the saw marks



-JP




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[site]

I haven't worked with limestone, but I'll tell you what works to rough face other stones. Soak the stone with water then heat it with an acetelyne torch with a rosebud tip. The smooth face will pop (1/16th of an inch on average) and whats left behind is a natural looking stone. It's slow work, and dress appropriately- the hot stone burns when it lands on your skin. There is a guy here who has mastered this technique, and he makes some really cool stone sculptures using only the torch.

[dan deutekom]

Another way to make the faces you want is just use a good old hammer and bolster. Score all the way around the stone and then keep at it until it breaks.

Or score all the way around with a cut off saw and then break off the face with a hammer and bolster. Then dress the saw marks with a hammer or use the water and torch.

It is time consumming but then most good things are.

[ianc]

Hey Raj

how about you let me have a peak at em ) - I will make you an offer - I just might have a job for them

~ian

[greg9504]

Holy crap man. I wish I was you. That's quite the score assuming it's free.

As others have said limestone is regarded as a soft stone and cuts easy.

If you are after a natural "rock face" finish get yourself a 3" pitching tool. After you make a cut with a saw, you take the pitching tool and place it about 1" to 2.5" back from the cut and holding it on an angle, whack it, knocking off a chunk of stone. This is the look that you see on most stone buildings that have a natural look. You get nice big "projections" this way. This site has a video of one being used (and sells them , they call the tool a "hand set")
http://trowandholden.com/cgi-bin/sto...6&product=cat1
If you buy one get a big one (2.5" - 3"), also they work better on flat surfaces. The more of the blade that is in contact with the stone the better. I assume that the limestone is fairly flat on the top and bottom.

If you will always be working with another person you could look into a bull set, which looks like a sledge hammer but with the pitching tool edge. One person holds it on the stone and the other whacks with a sledge. But only if you are doing lots of big 12" plus thick stuff, otherwise I would just stick with the hand held pitching tool. Hard to tell from the pictures how thick the stones are.

If you want a flame finish and will be doing a lot of it convert to oxy-propane, it's a lot cheaper. You can use regular BBQ propane tanks. The acetylene fitting is the same as propane, so you can use your acetylene regulator. But will need hoses rated for "all" fuels and a propane heating tip for the torch. I'm picking up the parts tomorrow to convert mine. So can't speak from personal experience, but the owner of the granite quarry I've been to often, uses it for all his work and was the one that turned me onto using it.

Is the hotel being torn down? If not please tell me they are replacing the stone with new stone.

[Squizzy Taylor]

Raj, Limestone walls form about 80% of my business. A multi purpose blade on a qwik-cut will do the trick, wet or dry it generally wont hurt the blade. We use a 16" Husquvarna. Good natural stone will contain "Capstone" which is essentially a fossil and it is harder than granite. This can sometimes cause a run-off when cutting. Make your cut and then split with normal masons wedges.

We use masons or bricklayers carborundum rubbing stones to finish edges and even up the texture. However, if you can build it right you shouldn't have to expose the cut surfaces too much.

Limestone can also be very soft and brittle so at times it takes careful handling.