Demand for slate has declined dramatically
since its 19th-century peak, as natural slate
has been replaced by cheaper, more regular,
mass-produced artificial tiles. The Welsh
quarries now produce less than 5 per cent of
what they did at their height, and Vermont
quarries even~ss.
Slates are still made today by hand by
slaters in the same way they have been for
centuries. Large blocks are dug out, thencut
with a saw across the grain into sections
slightly longer than the finished tile. Then the
blocks are 'sculped' or split into slabs with a
mallet and a broad-faced chisel. Finally, the
slabs are split into tiles using a mallet and
two chisels, and trimmed down to exactly
the right size and shape. A last touch may be
to punch two nail holes in one end. These
holes allow the slate to be fixed quickly in
place by the roofer. This last task requires
some care if the tile is not to split, and relies
on the slater's estimate of the particular
qualities of the slate
Demand for slate has declined dramatically since its 19th-century peak, as natural slate has been replaced by cheaper, more regular, mass-produced artificial tiles. The Welsh quarries now produce less than 5 per cent of what they did at their height, and Vermont quarries even~ss. Slates are still made today by hand by slaters in the same way they have been for centuries. Large blocks are dug out, thencut with a saw across the grain into sections slightly longer than the finished tile. Then the blocks are 'sculped' or split into slabs with a mallet and a broad-faced chisel. Finally, the slabs are split into tiles using a mallet and two chisels, and trimmed down to exactly the right size and shape. A last touch may be to punch two nail holes in one end. These holes allow the slate to be fixed quickly in place by the roofer. This last task requires some care if the tile is not to split, and relies on the slater's estimate of the particular qualities of the slate
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
