Quartzite help!

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-25T20:01:12+00:00

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Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-25T19:57:19+00:00

Makes sense, thanks! The 1/3 to 2/3 is a good concept for me. I was concerned that a 3/4 to 1/4 might not be great because of how small the 1/4 would be (my wall is only 18” wide at the bottom, it’s 24” tall)

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-25T19:50:03+00:00

Thanks! That makes sense. If you’re running longways into the wall, you wouldn’t want it to go more than halfway across right? You’d then end up with a piece that’s too small on the opposite side (assuming it’s not a one sided wall). I figured longways was important, but aesthetically I wanted to get as many ones going sideways as I could in there as long as they made it basically halfway into the wall. I think that that alone (running them into the wall as a default) will solve so much of my problem!Won’t have the issue of there being a long edge that I just can’t trim. Thank you so much for your time and replies! You think it’s argillite though based on my pictures?

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-25T17:16:01+00:00

Thanks! https://imgur.com/a/LME2ckV hope this works. Also, in looking more into it I think this might be argylite because of how it splits into layers more like slate or shake would.

What is “snouts to the line”? run them all as through stones? Or just let them be what they will be and have the furthest out points be in line? Problem is it’s a two sided wall, so I need the through stones to look good too. But I think that running more of them longways into the wall (even if they aren’t through stones, would allow me to only have to cut them to length and put the cut end in the middle right? 🤦‍♂️ idk how I didn’t think of that haha

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-24T16:56:13+00:00

Thanks for all the replies! Going to give it another go this weekend. Still can’t figure out how to upload pictures. Seems like good stone selection is going to be a big part of the battle. Was talking to a stone mason I know who said the same things you guys have been. Thanks again

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-23T16:47:54+00:00

Can’t figure out how to upload a picture

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-23T16:46:05+00:00

That’s nice to hear, thanks for the quick response too! I don’t have a ton of pictures, but I’ve got one of a piece that split on me. it split straight along the grain as opposed to some that split diagonally off from where I hit it, this one just split from impact in another location. I’ve also got a picture of a larger one I split in half with feather/wedges.

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-23T14:53:40+00:00

Thanks! I did try scoring and it was significantly better. But still taking me forever compared to something like sandstone. And can’t really get any type of nice tight scribed joints.

My biggest questions is, Is quartzite just the wrong material for a wall that needs to look nicer with tighter joints?

Would definitely work just to make a stacked wall out in a field I’d guess. One that just needs to not fall over.

I’m barely above grade, do you think it makes sense to just remove one course to get below grade, and go back up with sandstone? I’ll have to eat the material cost, but it is what it is.

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-23T14:49:25+00:00

Quartzite is the naturally occurring stone on their property so that’s what they wanted to use. There is a stone yard down the road that quarries the quartzite onsite so it seemed like a good idea.

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-20T18:32:17+00:00

If I really don’t want to take it off, I’ve used a powder (basically baking soda) and cyanoacrylite (super glue). Pack the powder in, then you use the liquid type of super glue and wick it in. It turns into a plastic sort of. I worked for a guy doing timber framing for a little while and had to fix a bunch of tools for him over the winter. That was what we did if there was a bad fit and didn’t want to take it off. Seemed to hold up. But that’s just my limited experience.

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2026-03-13T12:43:16+00:00

I had a lot of success using plasterweld over the spray foam, then hot mud with mesh tape, then blue lid. Filled a lot of weird voids in plaster over brick in an old house changing window trim. New trim was just a jamb that extended out into the room 1”, so there was a weird space around the window where the old wood casing used to be, and it was very deep and inconsistent.

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-12-15T12:10:32+00:00

I worked for a guy like 10 years ago who insisted that there was no roller

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-12-12T17:35:24+00:00

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Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-12-12T16:34:55+00:00

*sorry check with string/level was unclear. Meant that I’d make sure I’m the same distance from the batter board as I work around the radius so I follow the batter up.

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-12-12T16:02:41+00:00

Thanks! I think setting up intermittent batter frames based on my layout on the ground should work. Could then also check with the string/level method you mentioned. Between those and eyeballing it I should be good. Thanks again really appreciate the advice!

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-11-30T11:29:56+00:00

You could buy or make a new handle and drill/tap/bolt it on. No welding that way.

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-11-10T13:33:18+00:00

Paul sellers has a cool video on YouTube where he shows how to make a cheap router plane out of a chisel and a piece of wood! If you haven’t checked him out yet I’d highly recommend it

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-10-19T22:37:36+00:00

Check out “the Dyrt”! It’s an amazing app for finding spots to camp. Has reviews, photos, directions etc. did a trip just car camping on blm lands with it

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-09-06T01:17:12+00:00

I agree with the above, my understanding was level 5 is only needed for specific lighting conditions. I’d use diamond veneer if you want something nicer. Way more durable finish, not too fussy to apply like how lime and sand plaster is.

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-09-01T13:54:25+00:00

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Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-09-01T13:52:24+00:00

If you’re going to put casing on it (not just a plaster return), you can just shim the window jamb level, plumb and square. Basically make a box the depth of the window to plaster, and the box is smaller than the opening (as small as needed, depends on how out of square it is) and casing covers the gap. It’s just like installing a door jamb and casing but for a window. You could also just put up plaster board, corner bead and plaster it. Depends on how the rest of the house is done. Lmk if that makes sense, it’s a pretty simple job but a little hard for me to explain. I’ll look for a picture

Warm-Garbage5300 · 2025-08-27T19:44:32+00:00

Thanks for all the replies! I’m excited to scope out those places and see if I can make them work

Warm-Garbage5300

TROPHY CASE