Supporting stone when renovating mill

[Robin2020]

So I'm converting this mill into a small home. Walls are Cotswold stone and nearly 1m thick! Some large stones need changing due to fire and frost damage.
Just getting started on the area concreted to the left of the door. Pulled a huge chunk out and need to fit a big stone (pic with snow on roof). How would you support above it??? Strongboys and acro props? I dont think props go that low...Pins/needles...?
Lots to do so worth me paying out for the right tools and keeping safe....

 

[br jones]

Window to the left ,knock a hole right thru ,put rsj under large stone acro on either end ,that will hold most of it up ,put some strong boys under large quoin stone inside and out ,carry on

 

[Robin2020]

Oh.. nice idea. I was thinking of dropping that window a bit to get more light, so makes sense.

 

[Dry Rot]

I don't know the answer but at my last house in the wilds of Upper Banffshire, I wanted to put in picture windows. The old mason left the local ministers son to widen the windows and went off on another job.

The boy, early 20s, took out the full 10 foot width without jacking up at all! Admittedly there wasn't much wall above the window opening (18"?), but there was a slate roof. The mason was rightly shocked when he saw what the boy had done but did mutter how tough that old mortar was and it was probably a good job the minister was his father.

House was probably built 1850s, random rubble. I burnt the clutch out on my car hauling back the lintels for the windows in a borrowed cattle trailer! Exciting times.

 

[Robin2020]

Lucky boy! Great story. I am amazed how some bits remain standing.
Some of the smaller stones I will grind back and fit a thinner front stone. Others look big jobs! Here is a photo of the one

 

[onesiedale]

This has got all the makings of a really good build thread. Keep the pictures coming, we're all watching with interest

 

[Dry Rot]

I am no stone mason, but could you not take the concrete out a little at a time, build up the hole, let the mortar cure, then move on to do the next bit? I think that's how they would do a brick wall, a few bricks at a time, though obviously easier to build up a larger section. A bit drastic taking the lot out in one go -- unless you have a reverend as a father praying for your success in the background!

 

[jamesy]

Lots of props & fingers crossed!

 

[Andy26]

Lots of props & fingers crossed!

Can we have more pictures of this please, looks interesting.

 

[jamesy]

Can we have more pictures of this please, looks interesting.

Probably incriminating more than anything!

 

[Robin2020]

Awesome job. Inspiring stuff.

 

[Lofty1984]

Stand back and look at it common sense will dictate where you need to prop go over the top with the props as your not experienced in doing stuff like this

 

[Bongodog]

Lucky boy! Great story. I am amazed how some bits remain standing.
Some of the smaller stones I will grind back and fit a thinner front stone. Others look big jobs! Here is a photo of the one

I would do this piece next to the door first, acrow prop the door way and then put another short prop diagonally across the doorway pushing the stone above the damage upward and inward. Once you've then replaced the stones beside the door you've got something firm to help hold the rest up when you remove the concrete. Just remove a little at a time and replace before you move on and it will go fine and prop whenever you can/feel the need. One thing that is noticeable is that the window used to be twice the width, someone appears to have halved it in size to cope with the lintol cracking in half.

 

[Robin2020]

I would do this piece next to the door first, acrow prop the door way and then put another short prop diagonally across the doorway pushing the stone above the damage upward and inward. Once you've then replaced the stones beside the door you've got something firm to help hold the rest up when you remove the concrete. Just remove a little at a time and replace before you move on and it will go fine and prop whenever you can/feel the need. One thing that is noticeable is that the window used to be twice the width, someone appears to have halved it in size to cope with the lintol cracking in half.

Thanks. Like the idea of a diagonal support in the doorway. I agree that a bit at a time is the way. My strongboys and props arrive soon so I can crack on.
Interesting what you noticed with the window. Maybe it was wider but I'm not 100% sure. Not sure what the planners would say if I opened it out. It would be nice to drop it down too as it is too high to see out of from inside...