tools for working with sandstone

[knuckledragger]

Has anyone here ever worked with sandstone? On my land is a large sandstone bluff that goes down to the area by the creek. There is one area that is a pretty steep slope and I was wondering what would be the best tool to use to carve steps into the incline.

Also, what would I use to level out an area at the top of the bluff so that I could build a small stone cabin/camping area? Jackhammers, airchisels, what?

[tufhelp]

Not so sure about the tools for working that sandstone, but I'm suposin' that before I'd think about trying to "level" the top of the bluff I'd see if I could build a foundation/concrete pad form system of so that I could cast a level surface on top of the natural bumps, slopes and depressions.

A “contoured” forming system that would allow for the forms to follow contours of the surface on the bottom edge and have the top edge acting as the level side of the pad. Possibly some shafts of rebar lowered in to holes drilled in the sandstone and wired/welded to the slab reinforcement system which will act as anchors for the pad.


Then you could lay up the walls starting on the bluff surface just outside of the pad - from the outside it would look rather like it sprouted from the mound, with the level floor surrounded by the exterior walls.

[machinemaker]

usually the sand in sandstone is abrasive silica sand, but the bonds that hold the sand together are much weaker. My experience is that normal chisels and air tools will work, but the sand will be tough on them.
kent