Replies

1. 
   kensshop | Dec 19, 2003 01:28am | #1

   My first thought would be to consult someone who is in the business of restoring old houses.  I believe one method they would employ is to use an existing pattern from which to create a mould.  Then you can make exact copies.  You would have to find an example of this pattern, or something very close to it, maybe in an old house in your hometown.  Laying it out and routing/carving would be my only alternative.   It's going to be fun seeing other suggestions.   Good Luck, Ken
   

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   Edited 12/18/2003 5:28:47 PM ET by Ken's Shop

   
   

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   Edited 12/18/2003 5:37:31 PM ET by Ken's Shop

2. 
   jako17 | Dec 19, 2003 03:45am | #2

   On the old mantles a lot of applied mouldings  were made of "compo"which I believe is some mix of glue and plaster .They were cast in this medium.There are I believe ,still a few sources of compo mouldings .Unfortunatly I do not have the names of any.

3. 
   DaveHeinlein | Dec 19, 2003 03:53am | #3

   For the circle&cove onlay, you could use a scroll saw.

4. 
   johnhardy | Dec 19, 2003 04:54am | #4

   I'll be brutally honest and say that the detail on the actual mantel looks, to me, awful. It's far too pointy and actually looks like it could be dangerous. Plus it looks very prone to breakage.

   For the detail on the front of the mantel, it seems to me that you could rout out the pattern in something like MDF and then pour something like plaster into the pattern to create the onlay. Or, perhaps you could use something more pliable than plaster. The lines would be crisp doing this but I'm not sure if the lines would break out when you removed the detail from the "mold".

   The other thing is "wood" vs. paint. I'm partial to natural wood, but this almost gets to be a religious argument.

   By the way, if you're looking for gorgeous, real wood onlays, check out Enkeboll Designs, located in California just south of Los Angeles. Their stuff is very high end and, frankly, goegeous.

   John

5. 
   Floss | Dec 19, 2003 06:15am | #5

   Mike ,

   Decorators supply,www.decoratorssupply.com, has thousands of composition mouldings to choose from. Composition is made from hide glue and sawdust ,wood flour, I believe and needs to be heated over a steam bath in order to be applied to the wood surface. Those mouldings in the picture ar probably wood. The cove and pointed crown looks pretty simple. You could probably stack several layers of quarter inch material and use a forstner bit to drill holes in the center and rip the strip in half and have something very similar to the photo. Some slight handwork may be needed to make it pointy. The fretwork on the frieze is usually laid out on thick stock and sawn on a large scroll saw and then ripped into thin sections and then applied.I dont know if Decorators supply would have fretwork in composition, however you can probably find someone who makes it in wood.

   J.P.

1. 
   billinm | Dec 19, 2003 11:18pm | #6

   All,

   I appreciate your thoughts and recommendations.

   j.p. - thanks for the recommendation on Decorators Supply.  I spoke with one of their sales people and I've e-mailed the photo to them - they think they have some composites that will work.  They are UPS a 300+ page catalog out to me.  I didn't realize they were here in Chicago - where I happen to live.

   As for the pointy crown - I'll use my drill press, a jig and a 3" forstner bit to cut the crown.  I'll cut an extra blank that I will use for a template.  Attaching the template to the crown, I'll use a round-over bit with a bearing to put the final edge on the piece.

   Regards,Mike

1. 
   Sphere | Dec 19, 2003 11:54pm | #7

   If ya have not found a way yet..get "mold latex" at DICKBLICK.Com apply a few coats of latex , let dry, peel off and support with something (i use clay)..mix bondo, put in mold, let it set, take it out and repeat as needed works great. 15029.1see if this works link wise..that is how I did this carving repo.

   Edited 12/19/2003 3:58:53 PM ET by SPHERE

2. 
   Norse | Dec 20, 2003 10:33pm | #8

   You can also try Outwater Plastics.

   Norse