In a message dated 12/15/2000 7:56:04 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< So, is the repointing work underway?  What exactly are you repointing for?
>>


Gentle Reader,

Whaddaya mean, "what exactly are you repointing for?"  Could you repeat that
in the form of a question?

One would assume (even in the face of  the inevitable result of assuming)
that the reason for the repointing was that the mortar wasn't worth a damn
anymore (if it ever had been, given that Twybil reports it was gypsum-based),
and that in order for the brick to remain in place, new mortar which can be
relied upon to develop bond is required.   The result of inadequate bond
between mortar and masonry can be seen (but wasn't really clarified, as I
remember) in the piece by the mysterious and heretofore unknown Mr. Bilger's
regarding events at 142 West 140th Street some years ago.  One last grain of
sand in the mortar washed out from beneath the piece of rubble stone that the
whole damn thing was balancing on; the stone shifted, the stone fell out and
took other stones with it, and after hanging in mid air for some seconds
until it, too fell apart, the brick wall collapsed and took one end of the
floor and roof joists with it.
Blooey.

And, yes, I would've preferred a kinder, gentler cleaning which nevertheless
got all the goddam soot off the masonry at the the Athaletic Club, but we
were dealing with a 24 story building in a very exposed location, rather than
a museum objet brought into a laboratory for cleaning by angel wings.  Ya do
da best ya can.

Ralph