Wrsit Breaking Bperation on an Irish Trowle"

[Glenderg]

I was reviewing some stuff on Lime mortar and cementious based mortar.,

 

I was trying to relate the standard UK mix to the standard Irish mix.

Normally the irish lime is lime, but the portand is Portland cement.

 

Typically, working with irish lime can be troublesome, (it needs more water, and more care and attention in it’s application) Then you also have the issue of Contractors using apprentices to apply same, and it’s not very satisfactory.

Once applied, it cannot be easily sanded or removed.

 

I notice that some contractors utilise horse hair and pigs blood to aerate same (which I assume is dependent on amount of air in the system) and can be described as “Aerated”.

 

In the US, they use gypsum predominantly, and lime based mortars are unusual in their application. But they call it “Drywall”.

 

Looking at various videos, and from memory plasterers apply the trowel to the brick or blockwork using a trowel, but then release and modulate their movements, so that when they apply the plaster, it may or may not stick. Was this application not marked on the trowel? Has anyone seen this on an Irish trowel?

 

In the US, there is the concept of “wax on, wax off” i.e applying the plaster whilst the drywall is slightly damp, to avoid a stucco finish. Since the normal way plastering works is that the gypsum is activated under watery conditions, it should also plaster the wall. Did Irish walls work the same? Did Irish Plasterers not have Union control incidentally? Only allowed union trowels?

 

The other aside is that with most plastering there is an additive, like fairy liquid to cut out the meniscus. Was this detector fitted to irish trowels?

 

Reason I ask is I want to build a model of a signal cabin, but I want to get the finish right so I can rest easy while viewing through a microscope.

 

Richie.*

 

*I’ll be back in a few days, moaning, if nobody answers.