The attached set of sketches shows what we have coming up in a month or so. We will trim out a zero-clearance fireplace face with tile, and then surround it in an arrangement of cherry wood. Everything is straightforward except that the mantle has curvature.
Whoops! I got the sequence wrong. We’ll do the millwork first, then the tile last.
The mantle has the appearance of a 6″ high x 7″ deep “beam,” but we have always thought it would be made as a hollow box.
The earlier concepts resolved construction as using laminated top and bottom pieces, requiring the making of resawn 1/8″ “veneer,” more resawn stock for backing (or wacky wood), bandsaw work for bending forms, glueup work, bagpressing, yadda, yadda, yadda.
The whole thing would get shop made, including the 5/4 front face, but the face would not go on until the subassembly of core/back and top/bottom was mounted to the wall.
Our new concept is to dispense with the top and bottom as laminated curves, but to make the curves using the bandsaw and 8/4 stock. We think we’ll put far less work into it this way. We’ll need to clean up the bandsawn surfaces, and smooth them to a nicely faired 180 grit, but we think that is doable.
What would you do?
Replies
Here is the pic showing how we might do it with the bandsawn parts for top and bottom of box at the curves.
I would probably glue up solid & cut like this
I've always prefered strips and laminating to a form
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