Repointing a Stone Foundation

Hi there,

I've been a lurker for a while on this great forum, but now in need of a specific DIY. Just purchased an 1890 3 family home which needs some random repointing of the stone foundation.

There are spots of crack and there are spots where the mortar is missing.

So I have a few questions to the experts...
-Can I do this myself or should I get a professional? I have basic experience in DIY, but have never tackled something like this specifically.
-What are the basic steps? Can I just chisel the old stuff out and slap on some mortar?
-What kind of mortar do I need to use? Consistency should be fairly thick I assume?
-Can I put the mortar over the existing/old stuff if it's deep enough?
-Do I need to apply some kind of primer?
-Is the same type of mortar use on the outside as on the inside?
-Can I mix in stone or rock?
-Will I need to paint over? Can I paint over to prolong life?
-Are additional steps required to prevent water seepage?

Any other information is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Konrad

Repointing a Stone Foundation