How exactly were the giant faces carved?
• Pointing: The method of transferring the measurements from a model to the block of stone to be carved. The Rushmore models were 5 feet high. Gutzon Borglum made a special pointing machine for the models that measured in inches the distances he would need to transfer to the mountain. He also made a second pointing machine 12 times bigger for the 60 foot faces to be carved. The measurements were transferred from the pointing machine of the model to the pointing machine of the faces at a ratio of 1:12. To see a photo about of this, click here. • Blasting: Because the faces were so big, it would have taken forever to carve them by hand. Gutzon Borglum came up with an ingenious method of using sticks of dynamite to blast away bits of granite. Under Borglum’s guidance, workers soon got the technique down to a science. They were able to start the shaping the faces by just the right size explosions. This was achieved by cutting the sticks of dynamite to the correct length, thus translating t
