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Throughout history, men and women have chosen to preserve the memory of their near and dear with lasting monuments of stone. No other symbol can attest for so long to the respect and love according to a friend or family member.
Since 1846 the preferred tribute of thousands of Maritime families has been a personalized stone skillfully crafted by the Tingley artisans.
Monuments commemorate the lives of specific individuals and the emotions others shared with them. As man developed, so too did his monuments: a pile of rocks over a grave; the pyramids of Egypt; the Taj Mahal; and the burial courtyard of a Christian Church are all examples of early monuments.
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From the 1800’s to the turn of this century white marble was used to create personal monuments.
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| As tools became harder and more durable so too did the material and white marble gave way to the everlasting granite. The modern monument is a blend of technology and craftsmanship. |
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| Today’s quarry is a surface mine. |
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| To cut blocks of stone, both horizontal and vertical holes are drilled and packed with explosive charges. |
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| When the explosives are detonated, a large block of granite is separated from the block wall. It is then blasted again into smaller blocks weighing eight to ten tons each. |
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| The blocks are moved from the quarry by crane and graded. Approximately twenty percent of the granite mined is of the quality required for the making of a monument and will be shipped by rail for further processing. |
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| To make manageable slabs a diamond saw cuts the rock into various thicknesses. Because of the hardness of granite, additional finishing does not significantly diminish the thickness of the slab. The sawn granite is then delivered ready for the creation of a memorial. |
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| Joint cutting is also done with a diamond saw. |
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| The key to a monument’s luster is an even polish. With granite this is achieved through the use of successively finer abrasives by the same general principle as a craftsman sands a fine piece of furniture. Like wood, the more constant the pressure and the motion the more brilliant the shine. A set of four revolving bricks are attached to a head which in turn rotates maintaining a constant pressure on the stone by means of hydraulics. A buffer completes the polishing process by generating heat. This heat closes the pores of the stone creating a gloss finish. Because of the hardness of granite the use of state-of-the-art technology ensures consistent quality in the polishing process. |
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| Even with state-of-the-art technology, the use of skilled craftsmanship is an essential part of every monument. After polishing the slab is segmented for individual monuments. |
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| By outlining the appropriate size of a finished memorial, the stone cutter will, taking into account the grain of the granite, use hammer and chisel to shape the granite to its proper dimensions. |
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| Then the monument is set up on the contour grinder to smooth the top. This is done through the use of a grinding wheel which spins as it move back and forth across the top of the stone. Different contours are obtained through the use of templates. |
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| Polishing of top and sides is done on an automatic top polisher. |
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| The base upon which most monuments will rest is six inch thick, gray unpolished granite. The base is broken from the slab in the same manner as a memorial. The four edges then being shaped by the stone cutter. Should a smooth edge or all finished base be required then the edges are sawn smooth with the wire saw. |
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| The purpose of a memorial is to record a life. A great deal of care and individual attention is taken in the lettering of a monument. The range of possible designs is as broad as the range of people’s lifestyles or desires. There are the traditional corner flower designs, side bar designs special shapes and scenic designs. It is also possible to create designs to suit the personal wishes of the client. The lettering process uses state-of-the-art computer graphics and an automated stencil cutter. |
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| They are arranged and then cut into the stencil by means of a press. |
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| This stencil is glued to the face of the monument. The design and lettering areas to be sandblasted are cut from the rubber stencil. |
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| The lettering and design are cut into the stone by sand blasting. A jet of the pressurized mixture of abrasive grainand air cuts into the open areas of the stencil. Where the stencil covers the surface of the memorial the surface retains its polished gloss. The exposed design is etched into the granite surface. The result: a memorial that will retain its crisp clear detail forever. |
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| The final stage in creating a personal memorial is its placement at the grave site. The initial step in setting monument is the installation of a cement foundation. Its purpose is to prevent settling or tipping. |
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| Once the granite base is centered on the foundation, the monument is carefully lowered from the truck and taken by hand trolley to the site. |
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| When centered in place, a setting compound is applied between the monument and the base. Specially designed for monument use, this compound seals the joint between the monument and base as the memorial is lowered into its final position. |
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| A personal monument is a reflection of profound inner feelings. Nearly a century and a half of service bears witness to the ability of Tingley Monuments Ltd in giving visible expression to those feelings. Now and forever. |
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