Fireplace Mantle for a new friend

I posted this mantle that I built over at LJ but I want to start posting here more and share it.

It’s made of solid poplar. The top is 7 3/4” deep by 1 1/2” with a routed edge to give the illusion it’s 1” thick.
The 7/8” thick raised paneled columns have splined and glued 45 degree corners and mortise and tenon joinery.

The small 1 3/4” trim inside at the granite is obsolete new old stock I found in someone’s attic from the 60s.
I try to recycle something old into every project like this…. my own little pleasure trip.
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The client, Scott originally hired me to help him with his stair railings. see project: One more Stair Rail.
They turned out really nice so he asked me to build the mantle.

....still waiting for the carpet.

We were very pleased the way it came out.
It’s nice to have repeat clients and I’m glad to have a new friend.
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Btw – We had a lot of fun designing the mantle together too.

I jokingly told him I was going to build it so the top opened and a AR-15 rifle in a spring loaded hydraulic rack would pop out! He laughed and said. Yea!... Great idea!

I said we could make the sides so they open up with a hidden push button to hide the handguns, tear gas, ammo and banana clips. The other side would be for hiding his Bit coins, gold and silver stash…. Ha!

It was pretty funny. We continued to joke about it and he added some good ideas too!

It’s kind of a silly idea really. The doors would show, the lid might warp, there’d be seams, not to mention the heat and the cost….but, it was fun to think about different ideas and joke around.

Otherwise, it’s just a boring painted mantle! right?

Last Saturday, we went to the World of Wheels at the Stevenson Convention center in Chicago.

(no wives, guys only) We had a great time.

We drove there in my new Ford Explorer – “the Starship” we just bought for my wife… What a nice ride!
She let me drive it to the show instead of the big work van or my bumpy modified jeep.

Even though it had GPS we still got lost and ended up driving through the O’Hare airport on the way there AND on the way back! If you lived in Chicago, you wouldn’t laugh, you’d know! It’s like a spaghetti bowl in there!

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Lots of cool cars,.... the place was huge.

Any of you like hot rods?..... Mind if I share?

I’ve owned several muscle cars back in good ol’ days. I used to fix them up, put on a set of shiny mag rims
and a set of fat tires and make a few bucks after driving it for a month or two.

but nothing quite as nice as these cars….

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I had an orange 70 GTO Judge once, paid 1800.00 for it. Fixed it up and sold it for 2300, thought I was rich.

I had a 56 Chevy pickup too. It had a straight six in it. I wanted to put in a 350 V8 and paint it canary yellow like this one. But, I had to sell it to pay the bills. It was still fun to drive for awhile, rust and all.

56 and 57 Chevy’s are so badass….

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57 Chevy Nomads too….

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lots of 1932 hot rods there,... never owned one but they sure look cool.

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the rusty rod look is real popular now. I don’t know…..

32” rims! What!.....nice way to ruin a new Camaro…..this is so wrong!

One of my first cars was a 66 El Camino SS 327 with a 2 speed power glide, fat Posi traction tires on Cragar rims and cobra style chrome header side pipes. It wasn’t that fast but boy, was it loud!

I had a 70 Chevelle SS 396 with a Muncie 4 spd. Dark blue with white stripes, cowl induction hood, white interior…..very fast. The front end grill is one of my favorites. My finest ride.

The 62 Chevy 11 SS is one of my sleeper favorites. although, this was no sleeper!.... awesome!

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If I wasn’t so involved in woodworking, I would’ve been a motor head with a complete shop set up
with antique signs, metal lathes, welders and drawers of tools…. probably have a lift too. Man, I love cars!

I’ve always wanted to build this – a 65 Ford Cobra 427.

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It’s on the bucket list anyway……someday, you’ll see.

the 67 impala was the first car I bought when I moved here from California. It had a ” love knob” on the steering wheel with a picture of Marilyn Monroe on it……so you can keep one hand free.

I bought it for 200.00 from the owner of the Lake Forest Standard gas station I remodeled many years ago.

Many fond memories in the back seat at the drive in….great view! Ha!

The 69 Camaro SS RS is by far my favorite car. The hide away head lights and front grill are killer.

I had a 68 with a 350 4 spd. but it wasn’t worth much at the time, sold it for 1500.00, sure wouldn’t mind having it back now.

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this is probably more my speed…..

yea, right. more like this…..

Scott has owned several corvettes and really liked the newest model. It’s completely changed – looks like a Lamborghini from behind. I didn’t get a picture of it, darn it.

so many toys, so little time.

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It snowed another 4” while we were there so we couldn’t drive home faster than 30 MPH. The streets and signs were covered in snow and my wipers were a mess. It took two hours to get home.

A limo almost ran in to the front of us at the airport too!....my wife, Lynn would’ve killed me!

What a Great adventure!

btw – Now, he wants me to build him a wrap around bar. stay tuned……

-- mark - Grayslake IL.