thought about a belt sander...

the mortar is widely variable, some is soft, and some of it is permanent. I won't be using that face on the outside, nope. It destroyed my glove. tomorrow will be leather glove time. dragging/rubbing, etc. I've considered it. even grinding them on the sidewalk. wax on, wax off,

eta:

I heard about a guy that got a diamond encrusted blade on his chop saw and sawed that shit off. I'm thinking about that too.

I think you'll find zippy's hammer quite amazing, but leather gloves for sure.

If you're okay with the occasional gouge on the sides, you could get some serious work done with an angle grinder that has a masonry wheel in it.

Having a vise or something to hold the bricks would be ergonomically smart.

But I think zip has it right; never pass up an opportunity to collect another Estwing.

If you go this route, try to be considerate of your neighbors and don't do your loud obnoxious grinding for hours on end during their prime weekend BBQ time. Grinders make some of the worse noise for power tools. Not to mention the clouds of dust wafting all over the place.

The *chink* *chink* of a brick hammer is much better, imho.

Another idea is to clean them as you are installing them. You are handling them an extra time or two with your method.

Move them to the project, chip at them with the new hammer, install them.

"Laziness is the cool aunt who lets you smoke pot in her house of invention."

Smart grabbing those bricks. $$$$$$$$

Pshaw! All in all it's just another brick in the wall...

You're thinking of Dark Side of the Moon.

Don't give me that do goody good bullshit.

Let's not make this an us and them thing.

You guys were right, A-mazing.
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V they have been working on that design for a few thousnd years , just the right heft , ju as t the right angle on the pick/chisel side , worth the duckets for cleaning or forming and laying bricks , good job

been a while but here's an ongoing project (aquariums always are).

for the last month or so i have been dealing with sick fish of which 3 of them died. they were a yellow tang, blue damsel and finally my black and white clown fish aka saddle back clown fish i think.

as if it couldn't get any worse, the tank lighting went south. the upper lighting spectrum circuit let the smoke out so i ordered one wednesday and it arrived today. i got that together and installed but not before a very slight piping water leak soaked the power strip causing a circulation pump and my semi-new uv filter to fry. i had a spare circulation pump (in the right top corner there) but the uv filter will have to wait.

i suppose i could splice on a new plug but would rather not do that. come to think of it i might to it for a temporary fix until the new one arrives.

anyway, here is a pic of the tank now all cleaned up and ready (i think) for more inhabitants. on the side of caution i'm going to wait another week and keep a close eye on the 3 fish that are in there. and yeah, i quarantined the sick fish and treated them but to no avail.

It's a full time job taking care of that tank.

sure is, but worth it imo! :)