John Archer of J and J Sawmilling has patented a stone-cutting mill, designed to make stone masonry more accessible. 

Mr Archer said the prototype for the invention was created five years ago when he and wife Jeannie used it to cut stone for walls in their garden.

“Then we realised we had an idea and we went further with it,” he said. 

“Now it is available to the public.

“We’ll see where it goes from here.”

The first of its kind in Australia, the stone-cutting machine has been designed to cut stone measuring up to six metres long and two metres high and has so far been trialled on sandstone, granite and basalt. Landscapers from Lismore brought stone to Armidale on Saturday for a demonstration of the new tool and Mr Archer said they were impressed by the machine. 

“The landscapers from Lismore showed an interest,” he said.

“We’ve got our own stone but they wanted to see if it would cut their basalt and it did quite successfully.”

Mr Archers said the machine differs from other tools  on the market in that it’s designed to be used in the field and to make stone-cutting more accessible.

 “Stone masonry is dying out... it’s not a growing trade,” he said. “This will help the trade to start again.

“Hopefully the landscapers and the DIY people get onto it.”

The stone mills are being produced by Lucas Sawmills in Victoria, who helped develop the invention and have a patent on the railings  on which the saw is fitted.