Hand Drilling Granite - Does It Make Sense?

[@labrador1229]

Great music.

[@ross6343]

As a retired union journeyman stone and marble and granite mason, I always used 'short handled' 6 or 8 pound hand sledges for doing what you were trying, among other stone shaping chores. I apprenticed with a 16th generation stone mason - his family was from Italy. When he first showed me that 'wrist flick' he used, Drew explained the weight of the hammer head was enough without trying to add 'force' with a big swing. Besides that, I could get more strikes a minute. Drew said my forearm and wrist would be sore for about 2 weeks when first starting, but would strengthen - he was right on all counts. Your quarry location caught my attention because I used to buy all of my stone hand tools from Trow & Holden in Barre. By the way...BEAUTIFUL granite - some of those pieces I've seen in your videos is tombstone quality stuff. You be one lucky mason to have found a 'grandfathered' granite quarry. Me thinks you'll do well with your quarry venture! Cheers...

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

I appreciate this comment. I used to have a 6 lb hammer that I liked, but lost it when I moved back from MT. Trow and Holden doesn't seem to have them these days, and I haven't found a suitable replacement yet. I can envision the wrist flick, and can understand how you might get more powerful blows in less time, I can picture the hammer rebounding off a good strike. I will try it out.

[@ross6343]

@@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062 The best part [after getting over the soreness] was far less fatigue at the end of the day. Plus, that 'striking style' was carried over into my other chiseal work like using a 'pitching' chisel [I noticed you using one in another video] or setting 'scores' for hand stone shaping. It also helped in doing delicate work like carving letters and numbers into both granite and marble. If I lived in your neck of the woods, I'd be knocking on your door! About them hand sledges I used for brut work...I'd get mine at Home Depot or Lowes and cut the handles to lenght. Cheers...

[@ehombane]

@@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062 With the experience of modern technology, I can see that there can be simple devices that simplify the work. The drill should be in a piece of wood, and with an uneven tip will jump and twist. So all you need is to hammer. If this does not work the jump should be done by a spring. Can be made of wood too. And the rotation can be done by a zigzag channel in the wood. Similar to ballpoint pen mechanism. There were guys inventing clockworks. How nobody invented this? If the wood was wearing too fast, they had metal working, since they could make the drill and the hammer. And the hammering implies a lot of effort too. So adding to this a wheel with dents around the perimeter hitting the drill would have helped a lot. better to use a crank than hammering. Maybe somebody did it, but kept it as guild secret.

[@JacquesTreehorn]

I guess it really makes you appreciate what the Incas and Egyptians were up to. Looking forward to seeing you build the hobbit house!

[@Saltmancer]

Harder times with stronger people

[@Tsuchimursu]

@@Saltmancer and a bunch of slaves in many cases... forced labour wasn't rare in stone quarries for a reason.

[@fh5kskalf]

"The Great Pyramid was built by quarrying an estimated 2.3 million large blocks weighing 6 million tonnes in total". The amount of work it took is almost incomprehensible.

[@barbarahouk1983]

There are videos challenging hand tools used in the construction of the pyramids precisely because of the difficulties. But this would mean humans LOST knowledge & technology. We are in the process of losing world gained knowledge now. The last big loss was 2,000 years to recover knowledge. Aristotle remarked he thought there was a more developed technology society before his. This would be 3x's; how many more cycles has our species been through?

[@defeqel6537]

Indeed. Though IIRC the stone used was also softer than granite.

[@jima1135]

John Henry only had to keep up with a steam drill! This Man-vs-Machine was over before it started haha Thanks for the entertainment

[@jima1135]

It it killed him to do that much!

[@janemorgan358]

Thanks for showing me about something I know nothing about.

[@Damodeg]

thats a great comment made me laugh hehe

[@Maggie-Gardener-Maker]

I saw you on Gold Shaw Farm so I came over and subscribed. My Dad was born in Barre, he was a stone mason for many years before I was born and some of my relatives worked in various Quarries. I still have relatives who live in VT and other New England states. I haven't been up there to visit for many years.

[@sabbys7750]

Thanks Alfred!! What an interesting video! I know nothing about working stones... Rocks.... Just find it immensely interesting!! Thank you for sharing!

[@jmflying]

Good luck with the new business.

[@mewald8429]

I enjoyed seeing the math break down behind the hand drill. Very interesting

[@donmisener]

My Grandfather work as a chisel holder when they put a highway through their area when he was 12. For 45 cents a day. He had 2 guys with sledge hammers hitting the chisel and would have to turn it a 1/4 turn in between each strike. He made 15 cents more than his Father who was a logger. That was 60 some years ago. Amazing how far we have come.

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

Egads, he must have taken a few mis-strikes on that job!

[@donmisener]

@@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062 not one. It amazed me how he would do it for the length of a bit. It was for the blasting for the highway. The stories he had were amazing. I can see you and your son making good memories. Thanks for sharing!

[@donmisener]

@@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062 now that I'm thinking on it, it was much longer than 60 years ago. It would have been in the 40's. It was in northern Ontario.

[@nancywebb1845]

Watching this demonstration, made me think about in times past why it took so long to build using stone and how grueling it could be.

[@barbarahouk1983]

I appreciated the editing. Watching 2 events at the same time is a neat editing technique. It is also informative since humans learn my compared experiences. I really don't blame you for not choosing hand drilling. It is a nice historical lesson. Sorry I am 6 days late but it's been a hectic week. Stay healthy and keep adding video. I'm in your cheering section.

[@jenford7078]

Great music, it was paired perfectly with your work! It's touches like this that make watching someone's channel enjoyable.

[@RandyLea]

For anyone interested, there is a great video on KZbin about how stone masons built castles in like the year 1300. It's pretty long, 6 documentary episodes in a single almost 5 hour video on KZbin. The Title: What was life like as a medieval castle builder | secrets of the castle.

[@RandyLea]

I really like the 13 knot rope tool they used

[@myzacky96]

I'll check it out!

[@E-Kat]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@toothpick7797]

I cannot wait until your next video comes out...loved the music, loved the split screen, loved everything about your video...thanks for the enjoyment

[@laulaursen6613]

Fun to see you work. Perhaps you could make a beginners journey series. Also, some more videos on your amazing land please.

[@ross6343]

As someone who apprenticed to become a stone mason, this video is good 'intro' into how apprentices started learning the craft - learning to use a hammer and chisel.

[@mathportillo]

Amazing video! Don't worry about the audio issues! I think your current audience have the patience to enjoy the content while things are ironed out. I can already see improvements from video to video! and this in itself is very entertaining IMO

[@SwannOG]

Hammering a hole through granite manually is hard work. I had to hand drill using a star bit and a 5 pound hammer into 4 inch granite 8 different holes for running transmission wires thru.

[@sherirobinson6867]

The music is fabulous

[@Austin-xs8bn]

Congratulations on the channel, hope it keeps going well!

[@maureen8930]

I have to admire your dedication to the stone you are a very good teacher your music cool 👍👍👍

[@l.mcmanus3983]

Could you do a video that gives up a close up look at the granite that you are working with and any variations in the rocks that there are? Close enough to see that grains in the rocks? I love rocks and seeing it up close would be very interesting to me.

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

Will do

[@renn8827]

@@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062maybe you could borrow the microscope from Morgan that he has used in videos. Can you possibly show us more of the property and the wildlife that inhabits it

[@ronaldschmidt4748]

Thanks for showing us different types of ways to do stuff. Appreciate the video. Out

[@myzacky96]

Love your choice of music, very catchy toon, and I let all your ads play through

[@reneedearing1046]

Love the channel! Toby dog sent me

[@bekind3931]

I would always have assumed power tools were faster, but it was interesting to see this demonstration and to see just how much faster.

[@obviouslycloe6940]

would love to see a How To on building a granite retaining wall and the obstacles concerning the region (deep freeze and thaws, drainage, settlement ect.

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

I will try to get to that before the year is through, it's definitely on my list. I have four different styles of wall that I want to build up there.

[@AtomskDKing]

Thanks, I can show this to my crazy ancient alien family member who thinks granite can only be cut by diamond

[@majorleaguegrowing]

rainy days can be no joke in the mountains, creeks can become temporary water rapids. it was pretty cool to see

[@deborahellenberger7153]

Excellent. Thank you so much. You put yourself through torture for us!! Really found your stemming water flow as well. Thank you Alfred.

[@nicholas3354]

Two inches in thirteen minutes? That's good; I see why hand drilling was viable back when it was necessary.

[@bioalma1998]

I'm loving these videos! also the audio is wonkey because of the humidety/rain. I you can keep the mic dry is wont change/ crackle.

[@OokamiNoGatsu]

seconding this! its also possible that (if you're using an external mic separate from your camera) a connection came loose between the two. otherwise, this fine person's information is spot on.

[@RonnaHarlow]

I actually enjoyed the "wonky" audio! It seemed to add more "personality" to an already interesting video!!

[@johne9181]

Great to see around the quarry

[@mcmanon5696]

Instead of making a very long comment I'll summarize by simply saying this : I love everything in that video. Thanks for the great content! :D

[@frederickmoller]

I don't know about a compressor, but in Northern Ontario you can probally pick up a pneumatic Jack leg drill or a Stoper for relatively cheap as they are almost obsolete as Jumbo Drills are the norm in most mines these days, just a thought.

[@Blackmoon9u9]

❤ your work and video Keep doing it, and keep being too natural

[@brianking4360]

We love VT and the beautiful masonry work that you and your colleagues have designed and installed. It's cool that you have your own quarry. Thanks for sharing your videos. Keep it up.

[@kenibnanak5554]

When I was a kid a stone mason hammer and a star drill was about the only method available for the do it yourself handyman. You could build some good muscles sinking a few holes in thick granite.

[@marthabomorgan7214]

We live in the woods of North Georgia(Ellijay,Ga.) and we love your post!

[@jamesbarry9147]

Stonemason 👋 ... . My old tutor in college told me stories of the ole quarry techniques. When drilling using this method in the quarries , often a young apprentice would hold the chisel and tuen it while four men with sledge hammers would each strike it in turn . They were a well oiled machine and would sing songs to the beat of their tools

[@leestimis9264]

I'm so glad I found this channel. I'm so into learning new things. How others make their living and just enjoy life and family. You are a very interesting human. Thanks for showing us how good things were and are still being made and produced by good old fashion muscle and brains.

[@Lord_Sully]

That song really grew on me lol. Great video. Your voice and vocabulary are relaxing and enjoyable. I don't think I've ever said that to another man....

[@carlaworden6566]

Thank you for teaching us beautiful ! Thank God for power tools !

[@kimc5048]

Loved the way you split screened this very nice touch.

[@Valcour]

The single-jack(one man working the hammer and the drill) and double-jack(one man holding the drill, and one or two men swinging the hammer) process were no easy thing. The men who performed those jobs were tough and determined. I'm sure you would be a lot faster with practice. Stick with the drill. Great stuff, Alfred!

[@rennemichaels2706]

Dude, it is getting too cold to be working in the rain. Stray dry! :D

[@Anonymouzor]

back in the day they usually had a lot of people hitting the chisels with sledges!

[@davidj.mackinney6568]

Love your videos. Very different and interesting.

[@dennisreeves632]

Fun stuff, love the videos and the music!!!!!!

[@caroline0515]

New subscriber from Gold Shaw Farm. I wanted to be sure and support your new venture, Albert. I wish you the very best of luck.

[@georgedavidson1221]

Albert. You need some rain gear. I worked in the rain before. You need a good suit but the hat or hood is the secrete to keep rainfrom going down your neck

[@lindseykoditekhogan8743]

Ha! I don't have any rock climbing friends that'd be impressed by hand drilling vs power hammer drill

[@johnlehmeyer8793]

See this is why I like you, " I tried an intro in the rain but it was raining" 😂

[@jenunmaskedca]

So....I'm not sure you are aware, but there was an issue with the audio occasionally. :P

[@cherylhuot4436]

Amazing the time and effort saved with electric drills and modern equipment! The amount of math required in stone work would have eliminated me! 😂plus being an old lady with no strength! Guess I’ll just watch you and learn from my recliner. Thanks for the videos!

[@DenBlackburn]

At long last, Ive been looking for someone with a hand drill, no one believed me when I tell them I built and put up a car port using one, as we had no access to electricity, I was starting to think it was all a dream lol, it was 35 years ago, the tool was amazing, only 8mm as it was the size we needed, but it was so fast.

[@IbelongtoJesus.]

Hey Alfred 👋😁👍

[@frederickmoller]

Alfred, when I was about 7 years old my Dad had mining claims with some like minded men up here in Timmins ON Canada, but being poor they hand steeled Quartz outcrops to set-up blasts. I have a photo of myself, my Dad, and one of the other prospectors hand steeling a drill hole to be blasted, my job being only to pour some water to cool the bit down when told to do so, though I don't remember the actual blast, bummer but in my adult underground mining career, I blasted daily.

[@quietkate]

Agree power tools sure make a heck of a lot of difference, imagine nowadays lasers and/or sound waves (ultra sonic vibrations) could be utilized but perhaps not cost effective for a small operation, unless you hit the lottery, big time. Admire your tenacity.

[@Lynne2106]

Most interesting! Thanks for letting us in to your world with stone.

[@tamaraneil486]

Just subscribed on recommendation from Gold Shaw Farm. Good on you for starting your own channel. Good luck!

[@davidlagle6840]

Love the series. Just found your channel and have already made it through all the videos. Record everything! And sort it out later. I want to see it all come together. The quarry and the stone cutting. Heck, you need a volunteer? Keep up the great work!!

[@jjsager1]

Love the music! Was a hand hammer and drill just done by one person or were there a team of two? One to hold and twist the drill while the other hammered?

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

I would have thought the former exclusively, but judging by some of the other comments here, occasionally they would work in teams.

[@THEDRAGONBOOSTER8]

Very interesting video .All the best from Tassie Australia.

[@richardp.nathhorst9317]

This is a fascinating video and well worth the time you spent making it. I've done a similar test with an old 1/2" cross tip stone drill that belonged to my grandfather. It worked about the way the beautiful hand drill you chose but did not cut quite as effectively. It's clear that the weight of the hammer blow falling is sufficient and no additional force is necessary to drill a hole. It's a slow way to make a hole in granite from another era but it does work. Anyone who is interested in stone work should learn how to use the old tools even if you, like most of us, use power tools routinely. There is a certain amount of mental perspective and accomplishment from hand drilling a line of wedge and feather holes and splitting a piece of granite entirely by hand. My Buddhist friends would say that there is a Zen lesson to be learned. I don't know about that, but I did both gain a respect for the people who spent their lives building with stone by hand and the permanence of the work they built. Drilling a set of 1/2" holes by hand is definitely a an experience that was worth having. But no I use a power drill on granite when I do some granite splitting. What doing it myself taught me was that it can be done and I can do it the old way too.

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

It was an interesting experience for sure! It definitely makes me appreciate modern drills

[@cmiller120392]

Sounds like rain hitting the camera microphone.

[@davingilsdorf213]

Love the channel and all the videos on it but I think it's safe to say the drill was a little faster than the chisel, Just a little though.

[@AParr-cp4ib]

Thank you for another interesting video. OMG, what a lot of work to hand chisel a chunk of granite! I had no idea how this was even done - you have showed us all. I think you have a real talent with making videos, and making them interesting. The use of the split screen really put a perspective on things. Best of luck with your new stone quarry. I sincerely look forward to your upcoming videos. I "subscribe" to a lot of KZbin channels, but I have not seen a channel like yours before.

[@DiscGolf_]

Love the channel man!

[@claudiaserafin6868]

Send that rain to Washington State. No rain for over 100 days!

[@sammi_cat4261]

I would love to see what's the inside of the rocks look like after you open them up.

[@twospeed368]

Would hand drilling have been a two man operation? One to handle the chisel one to do the striking? I'm guessing that the market space is too small for such a thing but it seems like someone smarter than me could engineer a tool that you could insert the chisel into to provide a more ergonomic grip and contain a trigger based ratcheting mechanism so that you wouldn't need to flip your wrist back and forth.

[@371508129]

Have you ever thought of making custom headstones?

[@georgedavidson1221]

That was my idea. Not sure where they come from and cost ???

[@Krismerfol]

I like the video but I would prefer hearing the sound of hitting the granite! Keep it up good work

[@CuriousEarthMan]

Thank You!

[@s.dandrea7417]

Beautiful music

[@catsj1767]

I watched most videos then I realized I was using data and not WiFi. Still in the habit of Limited Data Plan. 😊😊 I apologize the ignorant comment about how to take care of the land. You do care. Thanks for caring and repurposing. ❤

[@lindacsmith13]

ouch - that looks like it hurts. thanks for sharing

[@adrianlangford5577]

love the music choice!

[@JLJohnson]

Also don’t have friends that are impressed with hand drilled holes. Probs a good thing. Hipsters. 😂

[@rosemarielee7775]

Knowing how the vibration of each blow goes through your hand, I thought you did very well simply to keep going for that long.

[@sharespotsy]

Please pardon my stone ignorance, but why would you need a hole in your hunk of granite?

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

So that you can split it using feathers and wedges. Also, for anchors.

[@maranatha331]

Hey Alferd you show make a video about make a piece of rode using stones. Also will you consider getting a machine that makes gravel

[@renn8827]

What if you created a scenic waterfall feature with the runoff water running into it do you think you could carve a waterfall feature into the rock for the run off water into the river you mentioned there was. I have seen a lot of properties that the value increases with a waterfall feature. Your videos are very entertaining and informative and I’m extremely excited to see what you do with the property after you finish quarrying it in Ohio there are alot of really nice rocky feature parks like Nelson’s ledges and millcreeks lantern-mans mill and this is a beautiful property with so much potential. Do you own the property on the other side of the river would you be able to do a stone bridge?

[@shaunt4118]

Great video! Thanks Alfred! Random question, where’d you get that hat? It looks great!

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

I custom ordered it from a dude in Australia; Creatures of the Wild Unknown. I found him on Instagram. I even sent him a buffalo nickel Concho to incorporate into the hatband

[@shaunt4118]

@@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062 that’s so rad! Thank you!

[@mrMacGoover]

Would it be cheaper to refurb that steam engine boiler to run a pneumatic rotary hammer like in the old days?

[@williamtaylor2412]

LOVE THIS THANK YOU

[@maureen8930]

Did you ever get to make the fireplace 🙏🙏

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

Haven't started that yet, when I do, it will take a few months to build

[@wavytiger1]

the hammer drill bit, how expensive and how long do they last?

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

That one was around $50, they last until the carbide busts off, and that can be quite a while. This drill is probably a little oversized for the 1/2" holes that I generally drill, and I think it leads to premature failure. In short, $50, hundreds of holes.

[@tabby1848]

File this under the work smarter not harder category.

[@beepbeeblebrox3972]

This video gave me meories of what broken stone smells like

[@raymondflavin8708]

How do you carve something like a curve on a piece of granite?

[@krispy777]

For the stone you’d bring indoors for a fireplace, do you power wash the stone? Or file certain sides down? Obviously you clean off the dirt and moss, but is there anything that’s done to them before becoming indoor quality rustic stones? Or do you just face the drilled sides towards a wall. Or are most of your stones for outdoor builds only?

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

After all of the handling (stones pulled from the mountain, processed into veneer, shaped on site, then set) the dirt gets knocked off. The last step on most jobs is to wash the structure down, often with a diluted mix of muriatic acid. Historic drill marks could be left exposed in most situations, because they have a certain appeal. Fresh drill marks will tend to be buried, because they are less appealing to look at.

[@krispy777]

@@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062 ok that’s cool. Thank you for replying. I obviously have zero stonemasonry knowledge, but I am curious about the content.

[@Tsuchimursu]

definitely not like scythe versus lawn mower where you can do the same job in pretty much the same time just not as evenly xD

[@Maggie-Gardener-Maker]

I saw the electric cord on your rotary drill but I have to wonder what you were plugged into for electric power on the top of that mountain. Can you talk a bit about that? Since I'm new perhaps older videos tell about your having a mobile power station or grid service up on that mountain?

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

I had a generator with me.

[@moltopericoloso]

Kudos for the "veritable" at 7:12 😉

[@watchandwait410]

Hi I was wondering how thin you could cut the stone without it breaking.

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

That really depends on the height of the stone, but anything less than 4" (100mm) would be tricky

[@shieldsfamily3709]

very interesting

[@Saltmancer]

Don't be afraid to redo your intros and such a couple times many channels do several retakes.. It looks so nice up there if your roads are long enough maybe atv rentals would be a blast there. Of course probly need some safety rails on the sharp cliff turns

[@bekind3931]

Your personality is really coming thru. Loved the split screen and music. (You are using music in the public domain, right? So you don’t have to pay copyright fees? I hope so.) The title you put on the thumbnail itself, in red … it’s hard to read. Doesn’t stand out. I think the font is too skinny. Maybe use block letters instead? Instead of repeating the video title, maybe put, ‘Which Will Win’. Btw, you can change the thumbnail anytime as many times as you want w/o losing the view count nor comments. So if you’re unsure what to write, just choose one. If views are low, change it up to see if it does better. Just my thoughts. Liked this video though. Please show us how you do the gutter thing in the road too.

[@vermontheritagegranitecomp2062]

Morgan pointed me towards Epidemic Sound, and I have been cruising their catalog. The fonts in the thumbnails have been frustrating, especially because I am no good with Photoshop. I actually spent some time this evening looking for a new font with an outline that will stand out better. I appreciate the feedback, keep it coming!