I want to do a fireplace mantel that has an eyebrow arch upswoop in the middle of a 12-foot total width. The mantel is to emulate the appearance of a cherrywood beam with an ox-yoke sweep to it, with a 6-inch section height and 7-inch depth.
My concept is to have it made as a box, with multi-piece sections making up back, front, and top and bottom. At the core of the concept is the ability to make and fit curved-face top and bottom pieces.
Bandsawn from 2-inch material, those pieces will need to be smoothed and faired.
See the attached pics to see what’s going on.
What would be your method for smoothing and fairing the curved parts?
Replies
I think I understand what you are aiming for, the approach using solid stock at the curves seems incredibly labor intensive. At 7" deep, from the wall, pattern routing or shaping against a template would be problematic at best.
Had you considered making plywood ribs and covering them with bendable plywood? A router template is easily made from your drawings that you could use to make the pieces. This curved section could be veneered over ( on the top and bottom) and the front piece could still be solid wood.
If you are intent on the solid stock at the curves, the use of a good sharp spokeshave or compass plane, sure will get the sweat-a- flowin'!!
Best of luck!
-Paul
Sting, no need for sweat there. You can use a Stanley or Record compass plane for the bulk of that project. The Record is still being made and not too bad by comparison to other 'modern' planes-better get one before the accountants rationalise the production methods....
Some scrapers will also be useful and some suitably shaped sanding blocks. It should be an enjoyable experience.
I have seen adverts for a portable electric power plane that has a flexible sole,but I think that is more suitable for use by professional joiners and shop fitters....
the compass plane is of course one option, but you could get a fair curve as well with a flexible sole body-man's rasp available from automotive body shop supply houses. It actually bends to a "fairer" curve than the compass planes, has a longer "bed" and has found equal or better favour in my workshop compared to the compass plane.
If you get a new one, it will be sharp, and on 2" of oak, will provide good excercise.
While you are there, see if they have a flexible sole long sanding pad as well, to help keep the curve fair when you get to the finishing part of it.
Hope that helps.
Eric
in Calgary
Make-up a former using either plywood, MDF or expanded styrene foam (yes, the stuff they cut with a hot wire). Laminate-up your mantle from 1.5mm 3GL birch plywood (a vacuum bag press helps here: if you don't own one take a look a JoeWoodworker) and then assemble as you would any torsion box. This gives you no major headaches trying to find/tune/master a compass plane (and before anyone says it I do own one), nor any problems dealing with mixed grain in finishing.
Scrit
Hi Stinger,
I think I'd bandsaw the curved profile - leaving the line - and clean up to the line with an oscillating spindle sander. If you want to ease the corners, that would be straightforward with a router or, for that matter, patternmaker's rasps, scrapers, and spokeshaves.
Good luck,
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
I was thinking about the oscillating spindle thing, but that surface is 6" wide. That little Delta benchtop one is the only one I know of, and its reach isn't much.
With a pattern and a top-bearing flush trim bit at 2-1/2" long, we can reach to get most of it, going in from both sides, then clean up with a Rotex ROS.
Whoops! Forget what I said about the benchtop toy. That was before I saw this.
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What is a "New Susanka Mantle Board"?
If I had to guess I'd bet it relates to Sarah Susanka, an architect who is a frequent Fine Home Building contributor, and author of several interesting design books including The Not So Big House.
I built a copy of architect Sarah Susanka's original "not so big house," and my CAD files include many models that aided construction. I called them all "susanka" something.
I am building a copy of her newest can-sell-to-the-public design, and my CAD files are all labeled "new susanka."
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