> I've narrowed down the morter to a Type O, slightly harder then K but
less then N.  Now comes my hard task.  Finding suitable lime for the
mortar mixture.  My first stop was to Home Depot.....nope no lime
there.  Looked in the masonry section and the garden section to no
avail.  Next stop the local garden store......Sorry we sold out last
week and we're not expecting any till March.  Foiled again!   Next stop
Lowes once again no luck in the masonry section.  I did however have an
interesting converstation with one of the employees that went something
like this:
>
> Lowe's Employee: Can I help you find something?
> Me: Yes, I'm looking for some Lime to make mortar for a conservation
project.
> LE: (Glassy eyed stare.....the answer to this question was not in the
Lowe's training manual)   Dude, why don't you make it easy on yourself
and get a bag of sakcrete?
> Me: Well...... thanks for your time.
>
> After prowling around the garden section I did come up with one
prospect, but I'm not sure if it's the right material so I'm asking
here.  The product they carried was pulverized dolomitic limestone.
Maybe someone can tell me if this what I need.
>
> I also made a call out to a feed store about 20 min from my house.
They carry hydrated lime in a 50lb sack.  I'm thinking this is more of
the product that I want to use.
>
> Can someone explain the difference between, quick lime, hydrated
lime, and pulverized limestone???
>
> Thanks,
>
> Nate Gillette
> Grand Rapids, MI
>
>
Nate: This is supposed to be simple. Hydrated Lime is really common
stuff that any local mason's supply store should have. If Home Depot is
out of it, it is probably indicative of why my Home Depot stock has
tanked. The lime cycle is basically this:

1. Dolomitic Limestone (Calcium/magnesium carbonate) + dynamite =
pulverized dolomitic limestone ("dolomitic" indicates a magnesium
content of at least 35%)
2. Pulverized limestone heated to 1800 degrees drives off carbon
dioxide leaving behind quicklime (calcium/magnesium oxide)
3. Quicklime + water= Hydrated lime (calcium/magnesium hydroxide) + heat
4. In your mortar, hydrated lime + carbon doixide = calcium/magnesium
carbonate. That's where you started. That's why it's the lime CYCLE.

Edison Coatings, Inc.
M. P. Edison
President
3 Northwest Drive
Plainville, CT 06062  USA
Phone: (860)747-2220
Fax: (860)747-2280
email: [log in to unmask]
Internet: www.edisoncoatings.com

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