Granite Carving Tools
Granite is a very hard stone that is carved into functional and artistic objects. Stone masons and sculptors start with large blocks of granite and use both hand and power tools to carve the stone into the desired form. Carving tools are chosen by the worker depending on the scale and shape of the project.
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Masonry Hammers
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Tempered-steel masonry hammers perform best with granite because of their hardened composition. They range in size from 1 1/2 to 4 pounds. The weight and shape of the hammer are dictated by the force needed to carve a particular form in the stone.
Chisels
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Chisels are involved during all steps of carving granite. Many stone workers prefer carbide-tipped chisels for their superior hardness and because they can be sharpened to last longer. Point chisels are used to create the basic form of the piece. Tracer chisels expand the point chisel's work and create lines in the granite's surface to help in cutting and splitting the stone. Claw or tooth chisels have blunt teeth at their ends; they are used to carve across the surface when working on a form.
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Pitching Tools
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Pitching tools or handsets are carbide-tipped chisels that have square, flat ends. They are struck with a heavy hammer to remove large areas of stone. Like all stone chisels, handsets come in a variety of shaft lengths and head widths. Heads with wider ends can remove more rock and are used to give a rough outline when starting on a piece of granite.
Power Saws
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Power saws can cut and carve into granite if they are used with diamond-coated blades. This extra-durable blade has the ability to cut the stone without the aid of water if used with slow, constant pressure. Blades that are used to cut granite should be checked regularly for hairline cracks in their surfaces.
Grinders
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Power grinders use a variety of attachments to carve, smooth and shape granite. Bowl-shaped grinding wheels that have a layer of electroplated diamond on them can remove stone at different angles and curves. Similarly, flat-disc grinder attachments can work at the stone's surface if they have this diamond coating.
Rasps and Rifflers
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Rasps, files and rifflers are used when finishing or altering the shape of stone in hard-to-reach places. They have diamond-coated surfaces with many raised spikes to wear away the granite. These tools are available in curved, belt, triangular, square and other shaft forms.
Bushing Tools
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Bushing tools are chisel-like shafts of hardened steel that are used as pulverizing bits with hammers. Their ends are formed in different shapes to crush the quartz crystals that make up the granite in particular patterns. Bushing tools are used when smoothing over or finishing areas of granite.
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References
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- Photo Credit granite image by Andrzej Solnica from Fotolia.com
