SAWING MANTELS

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 16, 2015, 10:01:48 PM

We sawed Red Oak :D Mantels today. I've got quite a few Red Oak logs that are 2-3 years old. I actually sell more RO Mantels than I do the lumber.
Right now I'm air drying them outside but when the BIG steel goat shed gets finished, I'll have a lot of room to store and display my mantels. I saw them over sized so I can re-saw them to customer's specs.

Texas Ranger · July 16, 2015, 10:03:17 PM

Beautiful stuff, well done.

sandsawmill14 · July 16, 2015, 10:07:57 PM

that is some nice looking r/o

Peter Drouin · July 16, 2015, 10:28:09 PM

Nice, But with them on the 2" side of a 2x4 they might fall over on a customer.

WV Sawmiller · July 16, 2015, 10:37:22 PM

P.

What sizes seem to sell best? Do you re-saw the thicker mantles I see in the picture? I have a nice walnut in a draw on my place I need to salvage and am thinking of cutting it into mantle boards or some size that could be used for one.

Do you square all four sides or do you ever leave the front live edge? All I see look square X4.

How long do you leave it to air dry?

Magicman · July 16, 2015, 10:37:58 PM

Good looking mantels. ;D :D

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 16, 2015, 10:40:09 PM

Quote from: Magicman on July 16, 2015, 10:37:58 PM
Good looking mantels. ;D :D

You know Goats can't spell! :D I'll change it. ;D Thanks.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 16, 2015, 10:45:13 PM

Quote from: Peter Drouin on July 16, 2015, 10:28:09 PM
Nice, But with them on the 2" side of a 2x4 they might fall over on a customer.

As long as I have the $300.00 in my hand.....lets the chips fall. :D

kensfarm · July 16, 2015, 11:37:01 PM

Wow... those will be nice pieces. Looking at those stacks makes my back hurt some.

WmFritz · July 17, 2015, 12:18:03 AM

Gorgeous whack 'o mantels.

For a reference, I asked V how much we paid Barn Door Lumber to make our mantel when we built our house. Her best memory was ''ALOT'' !!!

From her reply, I'm guessing alot meant more then $300.00 in 1989 and your mantels are twice as nice. ;)

sandsawmill14 · July 17, 2015, 06:42:38 AM

poston do you need that much airspace with the thick timbers or did you use that for some other reason ?

bkaimwood · July 17, 2015, 06:43:15 AM

Awesome mantels Postonlt40hd!!! I was wondering given the size and thickness...do they crack pretty decent as I would expect for thick oak? Is it isolated to the pith and surrounding areas...if you could enlighten me on the details, I would appreciate it!!

LUV2MILL · July 17, 2015, 07:09:25 AM

Quote from: Texas Ranger on July 16, 2015, 10:03:17 PM
Beautiful stuff, well done.

I'll second that

WDH · July 17, 2015, 07:21:48 AM

If you can leave the juvenile wood and the pith out, they are much less likely to crack. Checking is something that you can live with, but cracking is more of a problem.

That is a fine whack of mantels there. I need to cut more of them, too, as it takes several years for them to air dry. 5" is a good thickness, but they are a bear to handle. You can re-saw down from 5", like the Old Goat says, if a customer wants it thinner.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 17, 2015, 07:55:40 AM

Quote from: sandsawmill14 on July 17, 2015, 06:42:38 AM
poston do you need that much airspace with the thick timbers or did you use that for some other reason ?

Don't tell the rest of them, just keep this between us :D.......I sticker with dry 2x4's. Eventually these mantles will be moved to my new shed and stacked and stickered the same way.
By using 2x4's in between the mantels:
1. this obviously gives me plenty of airflow.
2. this allows me to keep my mantles dusted and cleaned when a customer makes an appointment
3. This allows a customer to see each side of the mantel and ask for a specific one.
4. If I'm by myself, the wide space makes it easier to get the forks in between the mantles without damage.

WDH is correct on all accounts of RO splitting and checking. I use every piece of a RO log to make Mantles.
I have learned that what ever you are producing on a sawmill, the end results will have SOME junk either from splitting, checking, warping, cupping, bowing, rotten holes, metal....etc.
I don't throw it way when it comes to Mantels. I display the ug-lee stuff with the best.
When the human mind is shopping.....the mind will always go to the best.
You HAVE TO HAVE a comparison for the customer's mind to see. It is a MUST. If you don't, they will surly find something wrong with your good ones and try to talk your price down.
I put a price on my ug-lee mantels also and this helps explain why the best mantels are priced the way they are.
A lot of times, I've had customers pick out the worst Mantel....and pay to have bowties put in across the cracks. Usually these Mantels are going into a hunting cabin.
I just don't throw away a lot of wood. I likes to give every piece a chance to find a home.

*****I'll post a pic of a finished, dry RO Mantel this evening where you can see the checking*****

Finn1903 · July 17, 2015, 08:40:45 AM

Great looking stack of mantels!
How wide are you cutting them?
Thanks for sharing

WV Sawmiller · July 17, 2015, 02:49:38 PM

Posty,

I like the idea of displaying a range.

My dad had a monument business and he found most people tended to buy something in the middle others were going to buy the most expensive stone on the lot. By having one or two really large fancy stones on display he raised the average and periodically someone would come by and buy them too. If someone really wanted to spend money he would tell them he could get the same thing in black granite from Africa but it was 3 times the cost (which it was but it was beautiful stone).

Magicman · July 17, 2015, 03:09:44 PM

Folks seem to want HUGE mantels in their minds. I have trimmed mantels the third time before it got down to what they really needed. ;D

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 17, 2015, 03:36:30 PM

Quote from: Magicman on July 17, 2015, 03:09:44 PM
Folks seem to want HUGE mantels in their minds. I have trimmed mantels the third time before it got down to what they really needed. ;D

I have too Lynn.....and this gives a sawyer a chance to be a big part in a family decision that is very important to them. A customer will surely spread the word.

I do not charge to re-saw Mantels.

WDH · July 17, 2015, 04:55:11 PM

Just charge them for the original thickness.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 17, 2015, 05:00:37 PM

Quote from: WDH on July 17, 2015, 04:55:11 PM
Just charge them for the original thickness.

Exactly.

POSTON WIDEHEAD · July 17, 2015, 05:27:34 PM

Here's a RO Mantel I sold yesterday. Its 3 years old but looks like it came out of an old early 1900's house. This particular Mantel has the live edge left on it.
I like the older logs for Mantles.....it gives me an option for a Spalted face which gives it character and an older look.
The Corbels I carved from RO using my chainsaw wheel and a 40 grit sanding wheel.