Our Toolbox: What We Use and Why
Bridging Craft and Technology in Modern Stonemasonry
At stoneCIRCLE, the tools we use tell the story of our craft—where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we’re headed.
Our workshop is a unique environment where heritage hand tools meet cutting-edge machinery. This combination of old and new offers us unmatched flexibility, precision, and artistry in working with stone.
Here’s a look inside our toolbox and how each tool plays a part in transforming raw stone into architectural beauty.
Mallet & Chisel
Still used every day for detail work, these timeless tools embody the essence of hand-finished quality. Nothing replaces the human touch when it comes to lettering, carving, or fine adjustments. Our masons rely on years of experience to guide the chisel precisely; no two strikes are the same.
Bon-Accord Air Hammer
Almost unchanged since they were designed nearly 100 years ago, these pneumatic hammers are used to remove stone faster than a mallet and chisel. In skilled hands, they can sometimes replace the mallet entirely.
Grinder/Polisher
We use both electric and air-powered polishers for cutting, shaping and polishing stone. This tool is essential in producing edges and finishes. Combined with carborundum or diamond abrasives, the polisher can take a sawn edge to a mirror polish. The skill lies in knowing how much pressure to apply; too much and the stone may lose its definition, while too little results in a finish lacking depth.
Jenny Lind
Named after its iconic motor design, the Jenny Lind is a manually operated polishing machine used for smoothing stone surfaces by hand. It requires skill and control to achieve consistent textures. This tool reminds us that even in a world dominated by CNC technology, hands-on techniques still lead the way in surface refinement.
Did You Know Why It’s Called a “Jenny Lind”?
The Jenny Lind polishing machine is named after the type of electric motor that once powered it—a rounded, finned motor affectionately nicknamed after Jenny Lind, the 19th-century Swedish opera singer known as the “Swedish Nightingale.”
The motor’s elegant, corset-like shape reminded engineers of the singer’s silhouette. Over time, the name stuck—not just to the motor, but to the entire polishing unit.
Today, even as modern motors replace the originals, “Jenny Lind” remains a lasting term in stone and metal workshops across the UK.
CNC Bridge Saw
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) saws are where nearly every job starts. Able to cut the shapes from a slab of marble directly by reading a drawing sent electronically, they are fast, accurate and essential. So essential that we have seven of them in the workshop.
Five-Axis CNC
At the core of our high-tech operations, this machine shapes intricate forms from digital files. With simultaneous movement across five axes, it produces everything from elaborate capitals to solid baths and basins with precision. It’s where creativity meets code.
Waterjet Cutter
Using a high-pressure jet of water combined with abrasive particles, these machines cut complex curves and shapes through any material without generating heat. Alongside stone, we cut any type of metal, wood or plastic and have often cut bronze sheet to set it flush into stone recesses that have been cut on the five-axis CNC.
Surface Finishing Machine
We often need to either hone or polish entire slabs, and this automated machine is ideal for the task. Once programmed, it will run unattended until the desired surface finish is achieved. Often used to polish intricate patterns we have cut and bonded together, so that they leave the workshop with a perfect ‘lip-free’ surface.
Why It Matters
For over fifty years, stoneCIRCLE has been committed to mastering every stage of stonecraft. Each tool, whether handheld or computer-controlled, is selected for its contribution to the process: craftsmanship, efficiency, or both.
We invest in machinery to enhance our capabilities.
We invest in our people to uphold our high standards.
