Fireplace and mantel job

[HWooldridge]

Here's a little job I installed last night - took about 4 weeks to build. A couple remodeled their house and put in a large, sugar maple mantel over the existing fireplace. It looked pretty massive in the room until we added the screen, branches and other elements. The leaf and acorn bunches were forged from 3/16"x3/4" flat then forge welded together; overall texture done with my simple home made dies under the power hammer; finish is flat black that was sanded after drying and clear coated to provide highlights. Handles were fastened with copper rivets; pintle hinges were shopmade on the lathe. 1/4" tempered glass used in the doors and 2 sets of magnets (top and bottom) used to keep the doors shut - the screen in the picture is the original, left in place so the doors could be open while the fire is going. Frame set with "cramp" screws - i.e. several 1/4-20 socket heads were spaced equally around the frame to keep it anchored inside the brick opening.

The customers were ecstatic with the final product and I walked out with another award for a custom picture window - and that's the best part of the whole deal... ;)

[CurlyGeorge]

Beautiful work. I love the contrast between the wood and black iron. Looks great!! Thanks for sharing. :)

[jake pogrebinsky]

Very well and competently done job,my most sincere congratulations!
Texture in general was never my cup of tea,and this doesn't change it,but tastes do differ.Neat correspondence between the texture of the frame and that of the (oak,i presume)trees.
And wonderful to get another order too!

[Bob S]

Great job Hollis. Love the leaves.

[HWooldridge]

Very well and competently done job,my most sincere congratulations!
Texture in general was never my cup of tea,and this doesn't change it,but tastes do differ.Neat correspondence between the texture of the frame and that of the (oak,i presume)trees.
And wonderful to get another order too!

Thank you all for the kind comments. One thing I've learned over the years doing custom work is that blacksmiths tend to prefer a natural hammered look - but customers often like heavily worked surfaces, which those in the trade typically consider faux textures. Blacksmiths like rivets and forge welds - but 90% of customers don't see those things; although you'll know the educated ones when they come knocking. There is a building in San Antonio that has old ironwork at street level - probably done in the 1930's. I've walked past it on multiple occasions with various groups of people and commented on the craftmanship but most folks just can't see why pierced and riveted with hand forged scrolls is something to get excited about. It's one of the reasons why there are so many tubular steel gates with plasma cut cowboy art or torched flowers welded on...

When I was first getting started, an experienced smith told me that educated customers buy three things: Texture (natural or otherwise), interesting joinery and negative design space. They often cannot explain why they like a piece but you can sure see the eyes light up when it clicks. I try to give my customers their vision and work in my 2 cents when I can - like the oak leaf and acorn in the center of the mantle -but nobody can force traditional work on someone who already has a different expectation.

[BlissStreet]

I'm not sure the actual wood mantle is my taste, but the doors are pretty sweet.

[jeremy k]

How are the doors held shut, Is there a draft control on the bottom of the frame assembly?

[jake pogrebinsky]

HWooldridge,thank you,that is VERY interesting view!
Frankly,i'm facsinated with the whole subject of the difference between the smith's taste in ironwork,and that of a layman/consumer.
I've never heard it put so subjectively,thank you for an interesting thought.
(My own thoughts on the subject are odd and fudgy,i can't help but to get led astray into the ineffable...).

And thanks,JK,for a pertinent question,i'd also be interested in hearing about how the air is supplied.

[HWooldridge]

Doors are held shut with magnets, which would be clearly visible if the doors were open. The doors have 1/8-3/16" space all around so there is some draft there but primary air comes thru the draft lever vent on the outside of the house and the ash dump. Of course, the intent is that the doors be left open when the fire is blazing and closed only when the fire has banked or out altogether. I do not guarantee glass and tell customers that it is rated for no more than 600 degrees.

I also tallied some numbers today and believe this is probably my 50th fireplace screen - which really isn't very many for almost 30 years. I built 4 last year so there must have been some droughts in the past...

[jake pogrebinsky]

Mr.Wooldrridge,you've mentioned a number of most interesting things here,i have to exercise restraint not to ask about each and every one of them.Right off what caught my attention was the amount of time-4 weeks- that this job took.It was somehow gratifying to read that even such an experienced builder such as yourself doesn't get a job like that done overnight...
If i may ask,was that meant as a standard,8hr/day;5 days/week sort of 4 weeks?
Practicing blacksmithing as a regular trade,maintaining the shop,paying the bills,et c.,was always a great mystery to me,so please forgive if the question seems indiscreet,i'm just somewhat naive in my isolation...
Also,i full well realise that you've better things to do than answer endless questions on the internet,so please don't feel any obligation to elaborate in too much of a detail(or at all,even ).I simply can't resist asking a person who's been at it such a long time...
Thanks in advance!

[HWooldridge]

No problem - I should have been more specific that this wasn't the only thing in the shop and actual time for all of the iron was approximately 40 work hrs. The glass people messed up three times - panes were initially cut the wrong size, one was delivered broken and the last one was scratched. The job should have finished faster but it didn't.

"delete edit"

[HWHII]

Very nice work!

[jake pogrebinsky]

Thank you,sir.40 hours is still a very hefty chunk of one's time,but hardly surprising,considering how much needs to be done in a project that elaborate,and of this scope.

It was also interesting to read your recommendation that the glass not go over 600F.Good to know,thank you.

[MRobb]

Wow! This is really beautiful work! I don't think there is any part of it I don't like. Thanks for posting!


Mitch

[beth]

i really like the leaves, the way they look very soft - thumb shape dips on them, and i like the way you have shaped and attatched the handles, good and definate:) we never get this kind of thing over here in uk (or maybe i just never go in places that have them??) - in terms of the doors on an open fire - and i dont have any idea why.... we have open fire, no doors, or shut up completely in a burner. not this half way house which is a massive decorative opportunity i reckon!! thanks for posting and explaining :)

[HWooldridge]

i really like the leaves, the way they look very soft - thumb shape dips on them, and i like the way you have shaped and attatched the handles, good and definate:) we never get this kind of thing over here in uk (or maybe i just never go in places that have them??) - in terms of the doors on an open fire - and i dont have any idea why.... we have open fire, no doors, or shut up completely in a burner. not this half way house which is a massive decorative opportunity i reckon!! thanks for posting and explaining

Beth, the thumb dips are done with a ball peen under the treadle hammer. The basic shape is butchered in flat stock then drawn. I can comfortably make one leaf in three heats - two if I get a good heat and hustle (but that's too much like work these days)...<LOL>. I also usually have two leaves heating at one time so lag time is minimized.

In addition, I often do small-stock "forge" welds with an oxy-acetylene torch, which is pretty efficient on little stuff. You can design welds in the normal blacksmith way then use the torch for the heat source. I like it for control because I don't lose the stock in a larger fire.

[beth]

thats a thought - have been obsessing slightly about the ole forge weld recently - cant realy do it properly yet, funny to think of you achieving that with torch.... like the way you made your leaves - they look unusual for it i like things that look like they were made by parts of the body or make me think of parts of the body - thumbs in this case! :)

[loyd]

you did good, love it

[sfDuck]

I'll take a dozen ov em! Dang nice work, just as I'd expect from yas. The mantle pieces are the Crownin parts. An no I'm not dead yet, just smells like it! AHHHHH too close to the mares butt agin! See ya ALL IN THE FUNNY PAPERS AGIN bYE

[Ironman50]

Awesome work on that gorgeous piece! Great metal and wood combo. Like every detail and texture of the leaves and the doors. Shows great talent and skills, great craftsmanship indeed!

[loyd]

great bet that texture took forever, love it