Tips for Success:

• Know the requirements
• Arrive at least ½ hour early to settle in (examiners can answer questions before test starts)
• This is not to be your highest quality work, it is the work you can produce in 7 hours
• Sort the material as you strip out (generally not more than 30 min)
• Strip out the wall so there are equal amounts of stone on both sides
• Though stones should be on by ½ the allowed time (3.5 hours)
• Sort face stones by size, keep copes, hearting, and throughs separated.

Procedure:

Outlined below is the general process of taking the test, from beginning to end:

• Stripping out
  • Relatively quick process (roughly 20-30 min) of taking apart the existing test wall and sorting the stone.  NO THROWING STONES!  (examiners are looking for safe practices). The better the stone is sorted the easier rebuilding will be.
  • Spread out stone as much as possible.
  • Leave a safe walk way, clear of lose stone, on both sides of the wall for examiners access.
  • Building stone (face stones) and hearting should be laid out on both sides of the wall.
• Preparing and laying foundations
  • Use the biggest available stones
  • Set the foundation stones length wise into the wall, or so that they are at least 2/3 the width of the wall.
  • The foundation stones should fit tightly together
  • The foundation stones should be well-hearted (packed)
  • The foundation stones should not move when walked on
  • The marks for foundation stones are higher than any other part of the test.
• Building and packing the first lift
  • Continued use of largest remaining stones set lengthwise into the wall
  • Span all joints in the previous course (no running joints)
  • Keep stones level and in courses if possible.
  • Wall must be thoroughly hearted
• Throughstones
  • Placed mid height in the wall
  • Spaced 3 feet apart on center
  • May stick out 2-3” on each side of the wall
  • Throughstones must be hearted under tightly: no light should shine through
  • Place throughstones carefully to avoid creating running joints.
• Building and Packing second lift
  • Built the same as the first lift but with smaller stones
  • Gradual reduction in size of stone
  • Definite level finish at cover-band/cope height.
• Coverband and cope
  • Coverband is optional
  • A coverband is a course of flat stones that span the width of the wall set on top of the second lift and below the copes.  (It is like a second course of throughstones)
  • Heart tightly under coverbands so they sit firmly and light is not visible underneath
  • Copes stones (set vertically) should sit solidly (not propped up on pins)
  • Copes should be tight together and should not move when pushed.
• Batter, line, and straightness for entire wall
  • Overall wall should maintain an even face free of bulges and hollows
  • String lines should be used correctly (keep strings level)
  • Top should be even
• General approach and safety
  • Safe handling of heavy stones
  • Safe use of hammer/tools
  • Keeping a clear work space along both sides of wall
  • Appropriate work gear (boots, safety glasses)
  • Observance of The Stone Trust policies
  • If unsafe practices are used, especially if others are endangered, the test candidate will fail and may be stopped part way through the test.
  • Under most conditions you will be working immediately next to another test candidate
  • Examiners will take note if one candidate is affecting the other’s work (if you are being held up by another’s work pace, the examiners may provide additional instructions or time)