Stonehenge 181
Image by The Eternal
Stonehenge

Stone shifting 5

GordonP G
GordonP Sep 17, 2003 11:13:25
Replying to Steve Gray

No need to move the fulcrum point, as the stone is levered up less leverage is required for each stroke, so slide the lever further down the stone with each lift. The fulcrum point remains the same and the angle remains the same.

Just to prove to myself that I too am remaining open minded, I've just been out on the lawn testing the long pole idea. I used a scale model real stone 1in to the ft, a 40in dowel, some string, 2 dining forks, assorted heavy hand tools and Eileens prized hanging basket.

My report: At this scale it works like a dream.

Do I like it? No it just don't feel right, I don't think that's how it was done, levers barely figure at all, the people who built Stonehenge were like me, a bit simple.

S Steve Gray
Steve Gray Sep 17, 2003 12:26:18
Replying to GordonP

Hi, I'm back (said with a heavy Austrian accent).

So if you're letting the fulcrum log slide down the stone that's pretty much what I was saing yesterday, except that you also have some guys up on the tower to look after the levers. OK, under these conditions the tower takes no loading at all and you are merely using it as a personnel platform.

With regard to the pole method, I think it is entirely in keeping with our approach in that we raise the lintel stone (and the pole with it) using levers and crib, then we attach the rope and then lever the lintel back down to the ground again, all using your original idea.

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