Just don't mention the war..

There was a time when every bricklayer used rods. One for building my house is still here - a length of 3"x1" hardwood, over 5m long (about a rod), and with a saw cut at every brick course position. They were put at corners for fixing the string line at the correct level. I have seen steel ones marked with ink. Quantity surveyors once measured brickwork in (square) rods.
 
Last edited:
Kenfuego said:
To me the more interesting detail is in the other brick courses, where the bricklayer of the day adjusted and juggled the brick courses as a skilled bricklayer does. My Father In Law had to show his bricklayer who was building their home how to adjust brick courses to avoid lopsided arches on the windows of the house. Then modern tradesman bricklayer insisted that it could not be done until Norm had him pull down the recently laid bricks and showed him how to adjust the pattern of laying so that all window arches were even.

F.I.L. was at that time in the Furniture retail business and had learned the techniques in his early Tech School building design and drafting classes 40 years before.

Times change I guess.

Ken
Click to expand...
Dunno about times changing but skill levels in some trades seem to!!!
 
56 Fregate said:
It would be a damned good place in fact, plenty of interesting drives on interesting roads and the local councils might be on to of the pot hole situation by then.
Click to expand...
Great area for a Muster, no argument. Location not so flash. It is nearly 500 km NE of our desired Adelaide-Brisbane mid-point line.... Perhaps a Mini-Muster? Perhaps put a proposal together for a Moama vote?
 
Kenfuego said:
To me the more interesting detail is in the other brick courses, where the bricklayer of the day adjusted and juggled the brick courses as a skilled bricklayer does. My Father In Law had to show his bricklayer who was building their home how to adjust brick courses to avoid lopsided arches on the windows of the house. Then modern tradesman bricklayer insisted that it could not be done until Norm had him pull down the recently laid bricks and showed him how to adjust the pattern of laying so that all window arches were even.

F.I.L. was at that time in the Furniture retail business and had learned the techniques in his early Tech School building design and drafting classes 40 years before.

Times change I guess.

Ken
Click to expand...
I can tell you with considerable authority that buildings new or old are not necessarily straight level or parallel and every trade has his/her own way of making things look right and if things look right they are right. For example; bricks are laid by hand and by eye to a string line that may have a sag or be blown by the wind, but the end user never knows. The chippy building a timber frame will have a quick sight along a timber stud before he nails it in place so that all the studs in the wall bow in the same direction, again the end user never even knows. The plasterer lays his plaster up by hand, the tiler makes his tiles work in a room that is rarely straight or square. Even the sparky and plumber have to work with what has been put before them and at the end of the day it all works. That's what makes the difference between a tradesman and someone who thinks he is.
 
JohnW said:
Great area for a Muster, no argument. Location not so flash. It is nearly 500 km NE of our desired Adelaide-Brisbane mid-point line.... Perhaps a Mini-Muster? Perhaps put a proposal together for a Moama vote?
Click to expand...
Well I'll be sitting on my hands because if the vote gets up, I'll be seconded to an organizing committee for sure.
 
Hi

I used to drive past these regularly and always admired the designs with the contrast of brick colours and various details, and the skill of the bricklayers. The square tower always reminded me of the one in St Marks Sq, Venice, albeit a bit shorter. The conical tower is quite European is design.

Between Victoria Pde & Albert St where they join Hoddle St, Melbourne.

Cheers.

1664426290609.png
1664426380596.png
 
Interesting brickwork, but well below the intricacy of Armidale cathedral.
 

Attachments

  • armidale.jpg
    armidale.jpg
    117.3 KB · Views: 84
Whippet said:
Hi

I used to drive past these regularly and always admired the designs with the contrast of brick colours and various details, and the skill of the bricklayers. The square tower always reminded me of the one in St Marks Sq, Venice, albeit a bit shorter. The conical tower is quite European is design.

Between Victoria Pde & Albert St where they join Hoddle St, Melbourne.

Cheers.

View attachment 210702View attachment 210703
Click to expand...
I'll bet the square one has the advantage, over St Mark's Square that is, of being vertical.... :)
 
56 Fregate said:
I can tell you with considerable authority that buildings new or old are not necessarily straight level or parallel and every trade has his/her own way of making things look right and if things look right they are right. For example; bricks are laid by hand and by eye to a string line that may have a sag or be blown by the wind, but the end user never knows. The chippy building a timber frame will have a quick sight along a timber stud before he nails it in place so that all the studs in the wall bow in the same direction, again the end user never even knows. The plasterer lays his plaster up by hand, the tiler makes his tiles work in a room that is rarely straight or square. Even the sparky and plumber have to work with what has been put before them and at the end of the day it all works. That's what makes the difference between a tradesman and someone who thinks he is.
Click to expand...
You should SEE one of the doorways in our 1960 house in Perth. Nothing has moved but the top of the door frame is 25-30 mm out of square viewed from side to side across the top. Only noticed when we put in a fabulous new Japanese door with a translucent panel, courtesy of Mr Shoji of Aussiefrogs fame. As Mr Harrisonati might comment, at least it is on the correct block of land..... Oddly all others seem fine. A Friday afternoon door frame perhaps.
 
I'll bite. The brick frog is made when filling the mould to ensure sandstocks and dry pressed bricks have clean corners and arrises. Probably from resemblance to horse hoof frogs. Unrelated to frog eating. Extruded bricks don't have them.

Have you looked at the bond? English above, but somewhat irregular at the footpath.
 
Last edited:
seasink said:
I'll bite. The brick frog is made when filling the mould to ensure sandstocks and dry pressed bricks have clean corners and arrises.
Click to expand...
A process known as angular displacement.. like a sheeps foot roller perhaps. A sand rammer used in foundry work has a similar profile so it rams down, sideways and endways at the same time
 
Last edited:
56 Fregate said:
A process known as angular displacement.. like a sheeps foot roller perhaps. A sand rammer used in foundry work has a similar profile so it rams down, sideways and endways at the same time
Click to expand...
I sometimes think that a working holiday in NE NSW would be worthwhile....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top