Maine roofing slate

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Author Message   Steve T Posted on Monday, July 03, 2006 - 10:16 am:        I have a few questions about Maine slate hopefully Walter M or another one know the answer. I have delt with salvage slate for a while and it seems there are a few different types of Monson slate? I have alot that is drilled with a nice countersunk hole and aolt that has punched holes, have also seen a few different types which I feel are Monson. Where there a few different quarries running and each had its slate and way to make it like VT quarries, We also have some that are the hardness and color of monson slate but are shinnier and full of small flint lines and shale looking. Anyone ever delt with Brownsville slate?? Any info or history would be great?? How long did they quarry monson for??   John Chan Posted on Monday, July 03, 2006 - 06:46 pm:        Brownsville is the same stone as Monson, but wasn't really commercially quarried like the Monson. All the Monson slate is drilled with countersunk holes. The Brownsville is offset punched and not drilled. Also, they look slightly different. If you're looking for some I think we might have some available. Call Durable Slate at (800) 666-7445   Walter Musson Posted on Monday, July 03, 2006 - 07:45 pm:        Steve, Yes some Monson has the countersunk holes-the later quarried slate most likely.I've got a lot with punched holes without the countersunk areas. Brownville slate is just a little softer-easier to punch holes with your hammer and cut too. I prefer working with Brownville more than Monson.Trying to hand punch a nail hole in a half width slate for a rake out of Monson will result in broken ones quite often-best get out the cordless drill. John is not entirely correct-lots of Monson doesn't have coutersunk holes. I wished I could find a good history of the Quarries North of here!   John Chan Posted on Monday, July 03, 2006 - 11:17 pm:        Hi Walter, That's pretty interesting. I've only seen the Monson with the drilled holes. I guess you learn something all the time. I did notice the Brownsville punching/cutting easier, but doesn't it come from the same vein?   Walter Musson Posted on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 07:07 am:        Those two towns are a ways apart,and even though they both have slate quarries the stones composition varies somewhat.I'm certainly no geologist or expert as to why this is,just a slater who uses salvage Monson and Brownville much of the time. Most of my salvage Monson from 1900 on has the drilled holes but I don't have any info on quarries or time lines for what transpired.