PUT IT TO GETHER S ER IES
Warm Up Your Fireplace for the Holidays By Timothy Betts By Timothy Betts Photos by Aesthetic Outdoor Photography Photos by Aesthetic Outdoor Photography
Oh,
the crazy things carpenters get asked to do…. A client the crazy carpenters asked to do…. came to methings this spring with aget pre-finished, white pine A client came to me this spring with a pre-finished, white half-log they had purchased while on vacation. They wanted to pine half-log whilehearth on vacation. complete theirthey riverhad stonepurchased fireplace and with the halfThey to complete their stone log aswanted the mantle, but since theriver stone hadfireplace already and been laid, hearth with the half-log as the mantle, but the two attaching the mantle was not going to be easy.since Commonly, stone had already been laid, attaching the mantle was stubs of log are laid into the stone and protrude out from the not to be easy. Commonly, twowasn’t stubs of log by arethe laidmasons, wallgoing supporting the mantle. Since this done into the stone and protrude out from the wall supporting it wasn’t practical to disturb the river stone now. Apparently, a the mantle. this wasn’t by the masons, it wasn’t number of Since contractors haddone already been contacted, including practical to disturb the river stone now. Apparently, a not a log builder, and all had declined the challenge. While number of contractors had already been contacted, an expert in log construction, I am a sucker for a challenge including a log all had declined the challenge. and I have hadbuilder, some and experience trimming inside log homes. The While not an expert in log construction, I am sucker for of the idea was to construct two log legs to supporta the weight amantle, challenge and I have had some experience trimming and then set pins into the mortar joints with epoxy to inside homes. The idea was to construct two log legs keep log it from tipping. to support the weight of the and here then issetworking pins intowith an As a carpenter, the realmantle, challenge the mortar joints with epoxy to keep it from tipping. irregular object. The logs are not straight, the floor is not flat, andAsthea wall carpenter, the real workingneed to is not plumb. Still,challenge the legs here of theis mantle with an irregular object. The logs are not straight, theThe key be plumb and the top of the mantle needs to be level. floor is not flat, and the wall is not plumb. Still, the legs to accomplishing this is to use a bench as a reference ofplane to the mantle need to be plumb and the top of the mantle make the cuts. needs to be level. The key to accomplishing this is to use a bench as a reference plane to make the cuts.
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