Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
because absolute precision of the cut size and shape to the face templet, and
that the brick face was square to bed was essential with joints too fine to take-
up any inaccuracies. Later in his list (Nicholson, 1823, 389) returns to elabo-
rate on the bedding stone:
The Bedding-Stone consists of a marble slab, from eighteen to twenty inches in
length, and from eight to ten wide, and of any thickness. It is used to try whether
the surface of a brick, which has been already rubbed, be straight, so that it may
fit upon the leading skew back, or leading end of the arch.
The Hammer used by bricklayers (fig 7) is adapted either for driving, or dividing
bricks…the axe part, more nearly resembles an adze, but is not so broad in pro-
portion to its length.
This is what we now term a 'brick hammer', though the drawing in Nicholson's
plate is incorrect. The axe blade, as drawn, should be turned through 90º so
that it 'resembles an adze' as he correctly describes - in his drawing it does not.
The development and popularity of this particular cutting-tool, to cut and
trim the brick to the desired shape, was undoubtedly instrumental in the
decline of the use of the Moxon-styled short brick axe.
The Chopping-block is made of any chance piece of wood that can be obtained,
of about six or eight inches square, when for two men to work thereon; and
lengthened in proportion for four or more. It is generally supported, about two
feet three inches from the ground, upon two or more fourteen-inch brick piers.
It is better to have several blocks when they can be obtained, in preference to
allowing many hands to be employed at one; because the vibrations communi-
cated by one workman are liable to inconvenience another.
The Chopping-block is used for reducing bricks to any required form by means
of the axe.
The term 'Chopping-block' denotes its use - to facilitate the cutting, or
chopping, of a brick to shape. It was not placed on the bench or 'banker' as
Nicholson terms it, but was frequently positioned so as to isolate the resultant
vibrations created from precise work being undertaken at the bench.
Nicholson shows an error within the text and in his accompanying Plate of
tools and equipment (Fig. 97), for he has 'The Banker' and 'Camber Slip' as
'(
Fig. 13
)
'
in his text, yet denotes both, as
'Fig 12'
within the plate. Clearly he
intended one, 'The Banker', as it comes first in the text, to be
'Fig 12'
and 'The
Camber Slip' to be
'Fig 13'
. Also the Rubbing-Stone is not marked B, in his
plate, as he states.
All drawings and templets would have been prepared on the 'banker'; the
rubber squared on the rubbing stone and then scribed or 'tinned' for axing
at the chopping-block. The prepared rubber would then be returned to
the bench for the axed surfaces to be rubbed flat on the rubbing stone and
