Last month, I visited Scotland and toured an old castle. Looking at the walls, I saw how each stone was placed by hand long ago. It hit me that modern shortcuts can't match that kind of craft. For example, the corners were still sharp, with no cracks in the mortar. I returned and tried to be more careful with my own brick projects. Now I think about those masons whenever I mix cement. Their work lasts because they did not rush.
Most crews insist on fully dry bricks before pointing. I went ahead while they were still damp to meet a tight schedule. The wall turned out solid and we finished on time.
I now measure the area and depth precisely before calling the plant. It avoids leftover mix and extra costs.
The crew had to halt work and coax it down from a pier piling. Sometimes I miss the chaos of old-school tools, but not the avian assistants.