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Arts & Crafts Mantelpiece |
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I designed and built this mantel for a friend who wanted something simple but unique--not always an easy thing to accomplish. Actually, the bones of the Craftsman Style Mantel I built for the JLC Live show in 2004, with the chamfered corbels, makes a very nice 'simple' foundation for a lot of different designs. Just change the ornamentation and you change the look of the whole piece. |
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As usual, I started with a Sketchup drawing, AFTER I visited their home and shot some pictures. I imported one of the photographs into Sketchup and placed the mantel on top of the photograph so we could all see what the mantel would look like installed on their exiting stone surround. |
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Here's a shot taken when I was completing the mantel in my shop.
As soon as I have more time, I'll put up more photos--and the video-- shot while I was doing this job. |
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On this project, I wanted to experiment with my Domino for reinforcing the long bevel joints in the pilaster legs. Wood movement always opens those joints and I don't like setting up my lock-miter bit and router table if I can help it. The problem with the Dominos was that even the smallest ones couldn't be installed in 3/4 in. material on a 45 degree bevel joint. Or could they? Steve Bace from Festool told me about a guy who put a spacer on the plunge shaft of his Domino. That sure sounded like a good idea to me.... |
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I cut the spacers from the only small tubing I could find in my shop--the plastic tube you get with a new drill bit. PVC would work a LOT better, trust me. |
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I wrapped the tubing with blue tape so I'd remember it was on the tool! |
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The spacer stops the mortising bit from penetrating through the face of the 3/4 in. stock. |
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I made quick pencil marks for the mortise locations, the same way I would for biscuits. |
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For about 1/4 second I thought about holding the dominos with my fingers and cutting them off in...
my table saw--no, bad idea;
my miter saw...no, bad idea;
my band saw...well, I could do that...no bad idea.
I cut a few mortises into the end of a 1x12, then stuck the dominos in. I made a registration line on the edge of the board so it would be easy to cut them all at exactly the right length. All I had to do was align the registration mark with the edge of the throat guard. |
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The finished joints ended up perfectly square. What a nice surprise.
More later!
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