Setting up batter boards to create frames for dry stone wall building

[@toonybrain]

I bought the set of three a few years ago, and they're a time saver. They 're sturdy and easy to use. Good video presentation of batter board set up; there aren't any videos out there that provide a comprehensive explanation.

[@patrickfogarty2581]

Where do you buy these ?

[@brycemickler]

Excellent video, thanks! Can't wait for things to get back to normal so I can go to some of the workshops 👍

[@lukegrainger8670]

you are brilliant, thanks for this excellent advice and repository of good information on dry stone wall building from Australia.

[@bigoldgrizzly]

When you are working alone, it's sometimes handy to pre-drill the holes 6 inch or so for the rebar to get a start ..... works a bit like a spare pair of hands especially in harder ground

[@bensandri367]

Thanks for uploading these, Brian!

[@johnboscor.582]

Very good explanation

[@pro-wall5005]

I would love to be able to use the metal bars you tap in But I just love making a wooden frame I find its better. I think it’s just what people get use to Happy walling

[@ryanpedersen5722]

When borders open id love to fly over and do a course

[@dinoroy8962]

nice explanation, thank you...

[@ShannonAlexanderPoland]

Thank you for the great video! After two wonderful Stone Trust trainings (2 day intro and 2 day cheek end), I’m getting ready to do my first independent practice wall in our pasture. We have these batter board frames, which are great. In calculating the dimensions in this video, how did you arrive at the 16” width at the top of the wall? Was that just a preference or was that calculated somehow using the 42” height? Im still a little foggy on how these calculations are made. Thank you again for this great video-really helpful!

[@brianpost1448]

Sorry not to respond sooner. The top width is something you pick, just like you pick the height. Typically the top width is going to be in the 14" to 18" range. It depends on the stone you have. If you dont have much small stone going wider is helpful. However there is tremendous savings in the volume of stone needed if you go narrower. For a 4 ft high, 20 ft long wall. if you go just 2" narrower you will save about 1 ton in stone about (1/2 cubic yard). This adds up quickly if you are doing a long length.

[@train4905]

Awsome😊😊

[@darnstewart]

For the width and height of your wall use the 3, 2, 1 formula. If the top of the wall under the coping is 12inches 1, the base will be 24inches 2, and the height will be 36inches 3. For the wall he described her the proportions would have been 42inches in height 3, 28inches at the base 2, and 14 inches at the top under the coping 1.

[@brianpost1448]

The 3, 2, 1 formula can work well for typical free standing dry stone field wall (fence) applications as 2nd example shows. However it locks you into a 1:6 batter. It also becomes increasing incorrect the farther you get away from a wall 42" to 54" high. For example with most stone it is impractical to build the top width at 12" wide, there just is not enough width to fit reasonable sized stones in. Conversely a wall that is 6 ft tall would end up with a 2 ft wide top, which is quite excessive, unless you are building with unusually large stones. In general the top width should be dictated by the stone you have. You want as narrow a width as possible that still allows for the structure needed. Typically that is in the 14 to 18 inch range, while the base width needs to increase with wall height, the top width does not. So the 3 2 1 formula can be useful, but you have to be aware its limitations.

[@darnstewart]

@brianpost1448 Thanks for the reply, Brian. Can you tell I have an aversion to mathematics. I actually used a calculator to make sure my numbers were right in my first reply. That and I've only built a Lego wall. I do like to see some dry stone walling, I was surprised to see our friends in the US using it.

[@patrickfogarty2581]

What are the dimensions for the wood on the level?

[@dirkhagar2399]

As a builder myself it always bugs the crap out of me when a so called professional doesn't know the difference between plum and level. Com on Man!!

[@ejenkins378]

As a builder who worked as a laborer and stuck with it until I learned the trade through manifestation.... makes me sick to see landscapers who manipulate, go and pay cash and think in a couple weeks they can do jobs and take work from real masons . Then you get the dumb yuppie customers who don’t know better