This project started 5 months and today finally came to its conclusion. The end result is a very happy misses along with a very relieved me. It started with the misses wanting a solid beam mantle like no one else has for her new rock wall fireplace. I think we succeeded.
The mantle is cherry that was recovered from a barn that was being torn down and measured 11 ft by 16 in 4 1/2 in thick, see this thread. Using a draw knife to shape the front and hand planes to shape the top and bottom it was shaped mostly hand tools. I must add that there was some good instruction from Mike Davis at a workshop last year and good input from other members here. I wish I could say no power tools were harmed, but I was not going to try and rip a 4 1/2 in thick board with a short handsaw. It was finished with Waterlox original and I gave it a rubdown with steel wool and wax this morning.
This pic at it's final resting place
The mantle is cherry that was recovered from a barn that was being torn down and measured 11 ft by 16 in 4 1/2 in thick, see this thread. Using a draw knife to shape the front and hand planes to shape the top and bottom it was shaped mostly hand tools. I must add that there was some good instruction from Mike Davis at a workshop last year and good input from other members here. I wish I could say no power tools were harmed, but I was not going to try and rip a 4 1/2 in thick board with a short handsaw. It was finished with Waterlox original and I gave it a rubdown with steel wool and wax this morning.
This pic at it's final resting place
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