Any woodworkers here?

[dennishoddy]

Thanks to all. Appreciate the input! I hope to take about 3-5 inches of wood out and Still maintain the shape/strength. The current mantle hangs on a 2in board bolted into the brick. The board is about 5ft long. What is this wobble blade you speak of?

Wobble blades are like a table saw blade set with some washers to offset the blade so it doesn't run straight. It wobbles, and cuts a wide kurf.

 

[Shadowrider]

Correct, but if one doesn't have a dado blade for their table saw, my suggestion is the redneck way that will work.
I have dado blades, and about any other accessory for a table saw that one would desire, but I could see he was not an advanced woodworker by his questions, and thought to keep it basic.

Lots of people cut dados this way, especially with a good quality table saw and good 1/8" kerf blades. There are even dado stops specifically for it.

http://www.microjig.com/products/dado-stop/

 

[dennishoddy]

Lots of people cut dados this way, especially with a good quality table saw and good 1/8" kerf blades. There are even dado stops specifically for it.

http://www.microjig.com/products/dado-stop/

Nice!
I actually went out to the shop to take a pic of my Dado that has the calibrated "washers" I'll call them for lack of the correct term that escapes me for the moment, and discovered I have a pack rat problem. The entire bottom shelf of my wood working accessories is covered in pack rat recoveries. Work to do in the morning......
Haven't used that stuff in a while and its in the "other" barn.

 

[mtnboomer]

That looks like well-seasoned oak with lots of knots in it. Probably harder than woodpecker lips. Wish you luck.

 

[SlugSlinger]

You can do some cool stuff with just a skill saw, you just need to be creative and use some imagination. I built a pergola and wanted some bullet proof joints. The pergola withstood an EF2 tornado that hit our house a year ago.

I built this with a skill saw and a drill.

 

[SdoubleA]

That looks like well-seasoned oak with lots of knots in it. Probably harder than woodpecker lips. Wish you luck.

Yep.....#4 dunnage grade for flatbed loads. Hard and unstable with lots of twist just for fun.