Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-10-17
POLISHING GRANITE.
- This Seemingly Intricate Work II
Performed by Clever Artisans.


Performed by Clever Artisans.
The form is given to the stone by the
Hsnds of skilled masons, in much the
ne way as is done with other stones
0n1after nature. Of course the time
n4Hired is considerably greater in the
oman of'granite as compared with other
almnses
nthe surface is not to be polished,
IL only tihe-axed, dis it is called, that
a1aene by the use of hammer COM
Esed of a number OF slips of steel of
xsut sixteenth of an inch thick,
WITCH are tightly bound together, the
aages being placed on the same plane.
VkAh this tool the workman smooths
tDesurface of the stone by series of
tpa or blows given at right angle to
lie surface opc.lic} u1oa. By this
Mnnns the marks of the blows as given
SBEique1y on the surface of the stone
ire obliterated, and smooth face pro-
Gnced.
Polishing is performed by rubbing in
the first place with an iron tool and
snnil and water. Emery is next ap-
lied, then putty with flannel. All
plain surface and molding can be done
" machinery, but all carvings, or sur
hces broken into small portions of
vaxi0us elevations, are done by the
EHnds of the patient ha nd polishers.
The operation of saving block Of
av1nite into slabs for panels, tables Or
chimney pieces is a slow process, the
Este Of progress being about half an
Hssh per day of ten hours. The ma
chimes employed are few and simple.
They are technically, called lathes,
wagons and pendulums or. rubbers.
Thela thes are employed for polishing
sE columns, the wagons for fat sur
flee, and the pendulums for holding
and such fat work as is not suitable for
6ke wagon.
In the lathes the column is placed
and supported at each end by points,
upon which it revolves. On the upper
sufface of the column there are laid
Eleces of iron, segments of the circum-
esrence of the column. The weight of
these pieces of iron lying upon the.
oaltmn, and the constant supply by
THE lathe attendant of sand and water,
snnery or putty, according to the state
axffnish to which the column has been
DEought, constitute the whole opera
ton.
While sand is used during the
nsugher state of the process, these
mons are bare, but when using emery
and putty, the surface of the iron next
tm the stone is covered with thick
nknnel
The wagon is carriage running
upon rails, in which the pieces of
x5sne to be polished are fixed, having
uppermost the surface to be operated
upon. Above this surface there are
shafts placed perpendicularly, on the
fswer end of which are fixed rings Of
iron These rings rest upon the stone,
and when the shaft revolves they rub the
surface of the stone. At the same
time the wagon travels backward and
hsrward upon the rails, so as to expose
the whole surface of the stone to the
ASTON of the rings.
The pendulum is frame hung upon
hinges from the roof of the workshop.
To this frame are attached iron rods,
moving in a horizontal direction. In
the line upon which these rods move,
and under them, the stone is firmly
pAxced upon the floor. Pieces of iron
xrs then loosely attached to the rods.
and allowed to rest upon the surface of
the stone. When the whole is set in
motion these irons are dragged back
ward and forward over the surface of
the stone, and so it is polished.
When polishing plain surfaces, such
asthe needle of an obelisk, the pieces
af iron are fat, but when we have to
Halish molding we make an extra
Fzaftern of its form and the irons are
east from that pattern. Mason.