A fast glimpse of the building of the Irish lookout tower. Stage One

This is the time lapse thing Nick Tomkins set up of the first stage of the tower build we did in California. It was over a week and a half of construction. The crew was working flat out going straight up with random sydney peak mica quartzite and dressed black granite. There are some ups and downs in video as we pre-fit several courses of stones before taking them down and then laying them up again with lime mortar.

The second phase of the stone tower is a special workshop open to 6 masons and will be happening in August. It would be an exciting thing to take part in if you have the time and were interested in spiral staircases, dressing and shaping stone, hot lime mortars, traditional masonry and early Irish stone structures. 

Have you ever wondered how old stone buildings were constructed? What tools were used and how stonemasons used them? You, are invited to learn and participate in the construction of the second stage of a 32 foot tall traditional Irish Stone Tower located on the beautiful rural Mendocino coast in Gualala, California.  Designed and directed by Master Stonemason Patrick McAfee of Ireland and Kyle Schlagenhauf, lead Stonemason from California. Learn how the geometry of the circle, polygon and cone are all brought together in the building of a stone round tower.  The workshop includes the traditional use of hot lime mortar, Roman style with a pozzolan. The tower will be built of coursed schist rubble walls, punctuated with bands cut black granite, both quarried in California. You will learn the secrets of effectively working with contemporary and traditional tools, as well as material handling and lifting. The use of a put log scaffolding will be introduced. Architectural features that will be cut by hand on site and installed during the workshop include the completion of a black granite newel spiral staircase, a lintel door and windows, an oculus window, candle niches, and a finial.

Space is limited to six skilled and experienced participants.   DATES: August 3 - 14, 2015   COST: $850.00, includes lunch. Proceeds benefit the educational mission of the               STONE FOUNDATION a non profit 501(c)3.   INFO: amber@stonefoundation.org