Great room mantle comes to life...

After centering the mantle, the ends were trimmed and shaped and talk about noise!!!


It's more then just cutting an end of a log off, this tree was saved when the foundation was dug.....so it's about shaping and bring out her beauty, knots and all.


As soon as the log I could see how it would look up in place, now both myself and woodcraver had to get on the same page....which was easy. The top of the mantle already had a small shelf carved into it, we decided to work her down a little more and develop a second shelf...


Once the left side was worked down, it was time to work on the right side some and bring it into symmetry....where have I heard that word before.....Hummmmm!!!!!!


Once the chain saw had worked it's magic, it was time to bring out the 4 inch grinders and work at reducing the rough spots......


After the ends were cut off, grinded down to a somewhat of a smooth surface and the second shelf carved in......the rest of the mantle had to be sanded......and what a happy core that was....


And after the first sanding, came the second one was finer sandpaper.....and more sanding and more sanding.....


And more sanding, it seemed to go on for days.....but what a job they did and by the time they got down to the 2,000 grit sandpaper it was smoother then a baby caboose......ROTFL.


And there she was in all her beauty......the shelves are for candles that can be lite when our friends are having personal problems.....also for Christmas stuff....according to the boss....hehe. For those who come to the TAL that we will have here.....you will see things in the mantle that I have not been able to get on film......it's how the moon casts shadows over the mountains and into the house which end up appearing on the mantle......some really scary stuff......

When I look at the mantle after everyone has left for the day and it quiet, the sun is falling behind the Great Smoky Mountains, I remember the words that RFK used to say....."Some men see things as they are and say why, I dream things that never were and ask, WHY NOT."

You should never give up on a dream...no matter what others say or think.....there never should be any retreat or surrender when life throws you lemons, not one step.....just keep pressing forward .....always pressing forward.....forever pressing forward.....and no looking back.....