Thomas Berger will provide a granite carving demo for professional sculptors, organized by the New England Sculptors Association.
Thomas will focus on the step-by-step process of sculpting hard stone — discussing types of granite, handling large stones, and demonstrating various steps in the process of cutting, shaping, and polishing granite as well as how to use necessary tools. Safety aspects connected to granite work will also be discussed.
Lunch snacks will be provided between noon and 1 PM and guests are invited to wander the Sculpture Garden and relax among the flowers, view his sculptures, and observe insects in the pollinator garden.
Sign up through the website of the New England Sculptors Association
Presentation: Working with Granite
Qualities and Types of Granite
Qualities of granite and the difficulty of working with granite
Various granite types from regional suppliers, their qualities and use
Tools and Procedures
Splitting blocks with feathers and wedges
Using hand-held and pneumatic chisels
Cutting with diamond blades on hand-held saws
Grinding with diamond cup wheels, silicon carbide and diamond bits
Polishing with pneumatic tools and by hand
Flaming with propane-oxygen torchs
Handling Large Stones
Presentation of my lifting equipment and problems
Safety
Dangers of quartz dust
Safety with dry cutting / wet cutting / dust filter types / air masks / danger of electrocution
Please RSVP to David Adilman at dadilman@geosyntec.com. Cost is $20 per person, and lunch and beverages will be included. Make sure to let David know if you have any dietary restrictions. Please pay online (https://www.nesculptors.org/contribute) or send your check payable to New England Sculptors Association to Pete Spampinato, 21 Whispering Oaks Rd, Pelham, NH 03076.
If you have goggles and hearing-protection, please bring them with you. Thomas will try to reduce any dust-producing demo.
If you have any questions, please contact David at dadilman@geosyntec.com or Thomas at 207-439-7700.
We look forward to seeing you on June 29!