Making stone blocks without a commercial mould

[Granitechops]

When I was making arches for the extension Jan/June 2009, I had some mortar mix left over.

Waste not want not

I decided to make some building blocks, either to use as wagon loads, (I have got a quarry or two,)

or to possibly make buildings with

So I took two bits of roof batten

in one I cut slots roughly 1.5 ins apart with my table saw

I then cut some scrap hardboard into strips same width as battens were thick,

these then were a good tight fit into the slots, fitted so as to butt up to the other strip

when held in place with bricks thus forming a long mould to cast into

EDIT:- after the mix had dried off a bit, I stippled the top with a stiff nylon dustpan brush

 

[Granitechops]

So when the mix has gone off ( I used 3 sand to 1 cement)

the uncut batten peels off the stones

& using a screwdriver release the individual blocks

 

[Granitechops]

I found that by removing the "flashing" down the sides with a screwdriver, fewer blocks got damaged

 

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And same across the harboard joints

 

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while still 'green'

it was easy to rub flat any inequalities on a flat brick

 

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As you can see the blocks were made to random lengths,

but you could go all accurate & make all equal full size blocks plus some 1/2 & 1/4 ones too

 

[Granitechops]

Close up of effect of stippling has on surface

 

[Granitechops]

As wagon loads

 

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Dummy walls

 

[Granitechops]

or dodgy seating