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fire place mantels

Started by 4woody, October 29, 2006, 06:44:32 PM

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WDH

While heavy, I think the best looking mantle is 4" thick by 12" wide.  When cut to size, miter the outside corners and run a double bead along the top and bottom.  This has a finished and very classy look.  The massiveness at 4" thick gives it a feel of high quality.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

beenthere

There are historically some symmetry and size ratios that have been used to apparently make things 'look' right. A search on 'architecture size ratio' turned up some interesting info, one of which was

Greek symmetry sizing stuff

I have a 4" thick, by 8" wide cherry mantel that is on 4" brick so it sets out 4" and seems to fit well. The other fireplace has a stone hearth and stone mantel, and are thinner with respect to depth.
I am thinking the mantel size that looks right will depend on the room, the materials (brick, stone, split rock, etc), the hearth and all put together. (or get the mantel, and build the room to fit the mantel   :) )
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

solodan

Well, thankyou Larry, I don't really think of myself as an artist, and actually I would rather just cut the timber and hand it over. :D It seems that once I finished and installed it for one customer they all want that. :-\  I will sometimes install them for free, cause I want it done the right way, and I am afraid that it will reflect on me if it comes out lousy. I can usually do an install on new construction in about an hour, so it doesn't really bother me, but I still have to take time away from the other stuff in my business. And you're right, market area does play a big role, I am lucky I live in a mountain vacation area, where people put a ridiculous amount of money into there vacation cabins. My usual customer usually has alot of disposable income, and lots of them have told me to charge more, as if they want to pay more. ::)

twoodward15

Wow, I guess I have to rethink my pricing.  I was thinking between $100 and $300 per depending on size.  Are you guys putting them up green or are you milling, drying, jointing and planing, and then installing?  Do they tend to stay relatively flat and straight if put up green?  I'm just thinking that it would take forever to get them dried. 
108 ARW   NKAWTG...N      Jersey Thunder

solodan

I would think that they would take forever to dry out as well. I always put them up suface dried, which seems to be dry enough. I have never had one twist or warp, that I kow of, but material that thick is usually pretty stable, at least with the wood I work with. I am not worried about checks, cause I have never done any mantels that were not rustic ones. :)

beenthere

solodan
That is an interesting observation.  What species are you working with?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

WDH

I think 4" thick by 12" wide has the best look.  It is massive enough to get people's attention, and it speaks very high quality.  I have done both ash and walnut this way.  To install, cut the outside corners off on each end at a 45 degree angle and run a double bead along the top and the bottom.   You run this bead on the support brackets as well. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

beenthere

WDH
I agree with you, and think 12" would look great as my mantel too (can't change it from 8" now tho).
My mantel came from a piece of cherry that my old boss had dragged around the country with him for 30 years. He had always kept it under his bed, as he moved from house to house. He kept it, to someday be able to have a fireplace and use it. After all those years, he realized it wasn't going to happen, and when sitting in my unfinished rec room 'bout 1972, he made the statement that he finally knew where that mantel belonged. It had a heard check in it, and was twisted a bit and bowed a bit. Don't recall the original size, but it ended up 4" x 9" after sawing, joining, and planing. He wouldn't take a thing for it. I've had it in place a good 30 years now, and it hasn't moved a bit.  Very proud of it.  :)

The 'logger' from the forestry forum auction sitteth on the mantel now.

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

4woody

hAY ALL IT LOOKS LIKE I OPEND A GOOD TOPICE THANKS A MILLYONG KEEP IT COMEING IN I AM LEARNING A LOT JUST WANT A LITLE ON DRYING THE MANTELS TO THANKS A LOT

solodan

beenthere, I pretty much saw ponderosa, sugarpine ,white fir, and incense cedar. We have plenty of oak, and some  other harwoods, but I live in a  transition zone forest and most of  the homes are log homes or cabins with v-rustic pine interiors. I have never been asked to make a mantel out of any thing other than pine or cedar. I made a mantel for a guy last year out of sugar pine  that was 6"thick by 24" wide and 8' long, that one was real heavy. :)

Burlkraft

Here's a Big Leaf Maple burl mantle I cut the other day for the fireplace in the new addition. It's 12....er so wide and 8" thick right now and 6' long. When we put it up I'll saw it down to 4" thick.









This was after the first cut






Why not just 1 pain free day?

jpgreen

Disposable income.

You hit the nail on the head there Dan.  I get so tired of living in a broke county sometimes..   ::)
-95 Wood-Mizer LT40HD 27 Hp Kawasaki water cooled engine-

WDH

Ash makes a truly beautiful mantle and is not a bad actor to dry.  It machines like a dream and has a very bold grain pattern.  Straight grain ash is a good choice for a mantle.  I have made and installed two of them, and they turned out fantastic.  The mantle in my great room is 4" x 12" walnut, and while plain and unadorned, it looks great.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

rebocardo

> The massiveness at 4" thick gives it a feel of high quality.

I think so. I just have to figure out how to use my mantle on my wood stove :-D

To help decrease checking I end coated mine and dried outside.

Chris Burchfield

solodan, nice looking mantels. How do you transfer the log radiun to the supporting arms?
Woodmizer LT40SH W/Command Control; 51HP Cat, Memphis TN.

solodan

Chris, it is a saddle notch that consists of two straight cuts. Basically a v cut into the bottom of the mantle and then the supports get two flat spots to make a point. Then I feather out the point just past the contact of the two pieces. This makes a very tight fit and the illusion that  one of the pieces is scribed to the natural contour of the other log. Even upon close examination it is hard to tell that it is just two straight cuts. If you are working with bigger logs, you could make this three flat and straight cuts, basically a v again but with a flat bottom.

WDH

Solodan,

I re-read this thread, and I went to your gallery to see the mantles that Larry referenced.  They were outstanding ;D.  You should have posted some of those pics...(maybe you did but I did not see them).

Here are a couple of mantles that I made.  The walnut one is in my house, and it is the plain-jane model.  The ash mantle was one I made for Dodgy Loner's Aunt JT.





Getting a big chunk of wood without splits and checks can be challenging :).
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

Dodgy Loner

I seem to remember you having a few more of those walnut mantle pieces laying around, WDH!  I think when I build a house, I'll cut a knotty redcedar mantle about 3" thick with a live edge.  The straight edges look better in a more formal house than what I intend to build.
"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man's lawful prey." -John Ruskin

Any idiot can write a woodworking blog. Here's mine.

WDH

Yes, I have 3 more blanks that are 4" by 12" by 10 '.  I also have daughters, so you can guess what that means :D.

The little log cabin might need a nice cedar mantle when you add on to it ;D.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

ladylake

Quote from: solodan on October 30, 2006, 12:49:11 PM
I wouldn't say I was an expert, I just make alot of them. ??? ::)  ;D I kind of already do what everyone else is saying, I custom saw each one. But I think there is a need for precut ones as well, cause sometimes I feel I give the customer to many options, and most of them don't really know what they want. ??? What I really like is when they just tell me to make whatever I want. If it is for yourself, well now , I guess you can do it however you want.  8)
How dry do you get the mantels before installing them?    Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

solodan

ladylake,

I just got back from your neck of the woods today. I was out visiting my wife's family in Minnisota and Wisconsin. I usually get the surface down to about 8%- 10%, something that is easily accomplished out my way just air drying. Most of the work I do is fairly rustic, so checks are ok, but twisting is not. I looked back at what I wrote and claimed that I had never had any twist,  I do know of one live edge slab I cut for someone that was 7" thick that twisted. It was one of the first I had ever cut for someone else. :-\ The pith ran through it corner to corner :-[. Of course it twisted. ::) :D This could have been avoided. :)  I do try to use standing dead incense cedar If I can. This stuff is usually very dry and very stable.

WDH, Thank you. Yours are outstanding as well.  :)

treecyclers

I do a lot of custom mantles myself.
I cut from 2 1/2" thick to 12" thick, 8-20" deep, and as long as I can go.
I do a ton of quarter round mantles with a rustic edge, mostly of Juniper and Pine, which people here love.
If they finish it out, prices start at $300, if I finish it out, prices start at $500.
Superdave
I wake up in the morning, and hear the trees calling for me...come make us into lumber!

blaze83

Hi All,

this is a really interesting thread, I never considered using a thicker slab for a mantle, hee is one I did a couple of years ago. I used crown molding and some other moldings to build up the mantle and give it a sturdy feel. it's a little easier when it is for a gas or eletric fireplace then real wood heat,  less shrinkage because of the lower heat.... or maybe I'm wrong...that's deffinatly happened before :D
trying to rember how to post the photo >:( >:( if its not here it will be shortly

see ya

blaze83
I'm always amazed that no matter how bad i screw up Jesus still loves me

blaze83

ok, I think I remember...here we go


I'm always amazed that no matter how bad i screw up Jesus still loves me

WDH

Looks great Blaze ;).  Yours is the more refined traditional approach I think.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

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