Hello, in this video we're going to cover the basic procedures
for lifting a stone grave marker using a hoist or lifting
system. Two things to keep in mind is always exercise personal
safety and to do no harm to the monument itself.
These stones are extremely heavy, but very delicate
and caution should always be taken.
Many fallen or sunken grave markers are too large or weigh too
much to be reset by hand. For these markers a mechanical
hoisting or lifting system must be used. There are many types
of lifting systems in use, from very complex cranes and truck
mounted hydraulic booms to less complex gantries and tripod hoists.
In this video we are going to demonstrate the use of
the more economical and readily available tripod hoist.
Before we get started, we want to make sure that all of our
parts are secured and stable. To do this we will probably have
to move the headstone away from the base to give us room to work.
This is where our lift is needed. It is important that you
follow all manufacture's recommendations when setting up a
lift. Failure to follow these instructions could result in a
malfunction, which could possibly harm the operators and
damage the historic grave marker.
Before hooking the load on, it is important to make sure
that the lift is level and that all of the footings are on
solid ground. If the area that you are working in is muddy
or has sandy soil you might consider placing large pieces
of wood under the feet to help distribute the weight.
As we move forward with our reset, remember to always keep
safety in mind. Make sure that your hoist operator has
steel toe boots and other personal protective equipment,
such as a back brace if needed.
The next aspect of safety is knowing that your equipment is
rated for the load that you want to lift. All hoisting
equipment from straps to our tripod hoist have their
load limit printed or tagged on them. It is important
to know if your stone is within these limits.
The weight of a stone can be easily calculated by measuring
the dimensions of the stone and calculating the total volume.
The volume is then multiplied by the stones density.
More information and formulas for this are located on
the NCPTT website at this address.
To move this marker we are using a woven nylon lifting strap.
One advantage of nylon straps is that they can be tied and
attached to your monument in a variety of helpful styles.
There are a wide variety of nylon straps available for
lifting and hoisting. More information on the different
kinds of straps and their specific uses can be found at
this address.
Chains or cables should not be used when moving historic markers
for fear of damaging the fragile surface of these markers.
Now it is time to clean the stone. Pay particular attention
to the two surfaces that we need to bond together during
the resetting. After the stone is washed it will need
to dry out before anymore work can be done. It is a good idea
to let the stone dry for a few hours before continuing work.
Now that we have cleaned our stone, we are going to first
focus on the base. The monument’s base is the most important
part. Without a stable and plumb base any repairs done to
the stone will risk the chance of failing in the future.
If your base has the remnants of metallic pins we will
need to remove them before continuing with the resetting.
Instructions on how to remove and replace the metallic pins
are in the NCPTT video “Resetting a Stone Grave Marker, Volume 1”
also available on the NCPTT website.
The next thing that we notice about our base is the traces
of the old failed hard mortar. We must remove the loose
mortar to get a good bond when the stone is reset. We are
going to carefully remove the old mortar with a hammer and
chisel. This procedure will be done to both the base and
headstone.
Now that our stone is dry and the old mortar is removed we
can prepare the base of the headstone. For this reset we are
going to use a two part epoxy on the broken tab and a lime
pointing mortar around the edge of the headstone.
Care should be taken when mixing a two part epoxy.
We start by laying out the mortar around the edge of the stone
about a half inch away from the outside of the headstone.
Next it is time to place the headstone back on the base,
making sure to guide the stone slowly and carefully. It is
important to have enough help to safely lift and control the
stone while it is maneuvered back onto the base.
For this particular head stone two lead shims are inserted
on one side to help level the stone. This is particularly
important on larger stones but may not be needed on smaller
ones. The lead is soft enough to flex and help level the
stone without causing damage.
Once you have checked that the headstone is level and plumb
and made any adjustments necessary, you must then remove
any extra lime mortar.
Now that the stone is set we can carefully remove the lifting
tripod. The stone should be braced while the mortar sets.
Now that you have watched this video on the basic procedures
for reseting a stone grave marker while using a hoist or
lifting system, you will have the confidence and knowledge
needed to reset stones in your cemetery. Remember to always
exercise personal safety and to do no harm to the grave
marker itself. And good luck in your preservation efforts.