Before the winter, I want to make firescreens for all our fireplaces (1886 Queen Anne, but a sorta’ country version). Each fireplace was made for coal, and has a cast iron surround, about 16-20 inches wide, and 22-26″ tall.
All the fireplaces and chimneys have been relined, and we use them. First floor ones have been deepened 6″ for wood; upstairs have gas/coal setup.
I’m imagining something simply framed to fit into the cast iron surrounds, something out of copper or brass or bronze screen – but what’s best?
Why not buy them? Because we have twelve to do, I’d like them to fit within the openings, I’d like them to match, as well as being hand-crafted.
Any ideas from out of the ether?
Forrest – looking forward to cooler weather
Replies
I have made custom pot racks ,fireplace screens ect.
what I have done is pick out a design that I liked -
or customer liked and transfered it or freehanded it
on heavy weight paper then took it a sheet metal
fabricators and had them either laser or water cut
it on their machine, another way is to visit a art /craft
supply store and look though their stock of transfers
and silloetes-sorry sp.- and worked from there ive done
everything from palmtrees to coyotes that way they can
program their machines to cut about any size shape you
want I bought the screen curtains from fireplace supply
stores as they need replaceing every so offten anyway
I use one inch angle and one and a quarter inch flat bar
for the fireplace frames. the fab. co's. also have a differant metals
to choose from.its also a lot cheaper than a plasma cutter. dw
Edited 9/3/2006 9:45 am ET by dedubya
Edited 9/3/2006 9:47 am ET by dedubya
Hey - I love the water jet and stencil idea - we've got tons of paint stencilling, anyway. Have to talk to DW about this tonight.
Thanks!
Forrest - scratching my chin and staring into space . . .
There is a guy here who makes some of them that are very practical. I don't have q phto so I'll try to describe them...
They have feet of strap iron maybe 10-12" long perpendicular to the openning. The face slopes back maybe 10°. Base is about 6-8" out from openning, depending on the size.
The two sides are wedges. The face has a U-shape about 4-6" wise and tall from base. Then the gate is hinged at the bottom. This is all framed with solid rod - about 3/8" or 1/2" and sheathed with a nice heavy hardware clothe.
The unit is stable and sets in front without needing to be moved except to clean the ashes all out. You swing the gate open with one hand to add firewood with the other. It is much easier than moving the whole unit like many require, and less chance of scratching the floor. They are very popular.
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I like the wedge-shaped idea - then I wouldn't have to tie to the cast iron so firmly, and the swing open idea is perfect. We have tile hearths coming out 14", so that would be fine.
With some water-jet-cut and screen panels, this could be the answer!
Thanks -
Forrest - hmmmmmmmmmmm
hey man, the good thing about getting the water jet or lazer
is once you get one done which is sorta expensive- they can do
a hundred at a fraction of the cost once everything gets programed
into the machine- I invision a Gone with The Wind Theme-- old giant
live oaks, silloite of a plantation, horse carrage man you got my
creative juices flowing, oooowaaa that sounds kinda bad dont it! sorry dw
Maybe this is hijacking the thread but still it's related.
What are most of you in the colder climates who have or are installing wood burning fireplaces doing about over night cool-down heat loss? I don't particularly like glass doors but what are the other options?
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