Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
3
1
⁄
8
●
12½
7½
ins - (318
191
80 mm)
3
1
⁄
8
●
9½
9½
ins - (242
242
80 mm)
The smallest rubber was still larger than the typical contemporary face brick,
then generally 9
76 mm). As stated above the larg-
est rubbers were generally intended for use as either long voussoirs on deep-
faced arches (especially the long springers in a camber arch), but they were also
utilised for deep 'tailing-in' on cut-moulded oversailing courses, as headers, as
well as for some carved enrichments. Being of a thicker gauge also meant that
certain architectural features such as ashlared pilasters could be cut and rubbed
to be laid with fine putty joints yet keep gauge with the standard walling. Most
other companies continued to make their rubbers to the standard size. This
also remained true of malm cutters, the production of which ended with the
rapid decline of London Stocks due to competition from the Fletton industry
at the close of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Several companies
continued supplying rubbers as green-moulded (over-sized) voussoirs requir-
ing only rubbing to create flat surfaces with sharp arrises, 'topping and tailing'
(cut to the required intradosial and extradosial bevels from the drawing);
and the dummy joints correctly applied with the saw to create the desired
face bond.
4½
3 ins (229
115
Dry-bonding Gauged Work Prior to Building
In all quality gauged brickwork once all the cutting work was finished, and
while the bricks were still dry, the enrichment would always be set out first by
dry-bonding, using appropriately sized purpose-made spacers for joints. Gauged
work, during the late nineteenth century, according to Walker (1885, 61),
was set with, '…a white putty joint, which should not exceed the thickness of
a new sixpence'. More commonly called a 'tanner', it was
1
⁄
16
ins (1.5 mm) in
thickness, and used as a quick measuring gauge by rolling it along and between
the setting-out line as the templet was adjusted to allow for the joint.
Once satisfied as to accuracy of fit and bonding then, depending on the
nature of the enrichment, profiles and/or templates would be carefully pos-
itioned and onto these all setting-out marks transferred to erect lines, for
guiding level, plumb, gauge and, where appropriate, radial alignment of the
brickwork. This prevented the disheartening and messy taking apart of any part
of the newly laid brickwork upon an error being discovered, which could both
damage the bricks having been dampened prior to laying, and made any adjust-
ment to individual bricks virtually impossible.
Once the accuracy of fit had been determined then the bricks were dusted
clean and, in order of setting, lowered into a small tank of clean water that
would be positioned next to the dipping box. To set, or lay, gauged work the
