latest project

Tom Bussey

Member
Messages
145
Location
Nashua Iowa
Here are a couple of pictures of the mantle that I started just before Christmas. My wife only had to ask me once to do it. Well maybe once or twice a year for the last 18 years.

The bottom and sides are rough sawn red oak. The top is also red oak. The depth of the mantle is about 11 inches . the top is planned and sanded on both sides. Every thing came from one board which was 16 feet long. We discussed it and we decided to leave it unfinished until late spring. I like to finish both sides of a project and since it is over a fire place we didn't know how extra heat would effect a fresh finish not to mention smell at the holiday season.

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Here are some other pictures of the living room decorations and a picture of things I have built in the past.

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PS The four saws belonged to my grandfather who apprenticed in the late 1800s. I know most will find it hard to believe, but the teeth on the cross cut saws were sharpened like sharks teeth and cut on the push and pull stroke. I didn't believe it until I tried out the saws.

Anyway thanks for your time in viewing my post and have a Merry Christmas.
 
Great looking mantel and collection, those are to be prized for sure Tom. A mantle has been on my project list for a while, but need to do some other finishing around all of it first.
 
Nice job on the mantle, fitting them to the brick seems like a trick to do on something that thick.

PS The four saws belonged to my grandfather who apprenticed in the late 1800s. I know most will find it hard to believe, but the teeth on the cross cut saws were sharpened like sharks teeth and cut on the push and pull stroke. I didn't believe it until I tried out the saws.

Intimately familiar, my dad had a theory about how those old cross cut saws built character or something... anyway they cut pretty quick once you get the hang of it but still a heck of a work out.
 
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