Saw Schedules and Job Tickets

Before a stone gets to a banker mason, it gets to the machines. In the setting out shop the stone is added to the saw schedule based on the construction drawings. A job ticket is also prepared and sometimes a zinc template. Therefore saw schedules and job tickets were an integral part of the stone cutting process at the Cathedral.

The work on the tower was divided into 10 zones, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and FP. Each zone had a North, South, East, and West elevation and stones were prefixed with the orientation and zone letter. The first stone listed above, NC 112, denotes a particular stone on the North elevation of C zone. It indicates it is a base stone with its overall dimensions. The zones were logical or manageable divisions. The “A” zone started at the cornice/roof level and ended at the top of the columns at the start of the gablets. The “B” zone comprised the gablets and terminated at the cornice where the “C” zone began comprising the sill/weathering courses and window elements.

Job Tickets

Job tickets were created in the setting out shop at the same time as the templates and schedules. They were issued to the stone cutters and sometimes sawyers when they started on a stone. The ticket would usually have a sketch of the finished piece along with the overall dimensions. It also provided a record of who had worked the stone and when.

• Thanks to Stephen Boyle for the original saw schedules and the information of job tickets.