Popular Post TerryMcK Posted April 24, 2014 Popular Post Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 A few days ago I awoke early one morning at around 5AM. I went down stairs to make coffee and sat for a while in my living room watching breakfast TV. I was joined by Anna the cat who is a totally black cat. She sat on my lap awhile and then got off. I heard her mooching around opening cupboard doors and the like. Next minute she appeared standing on the fire (which wasn't lit) staring up the chimney. The next thing I knew, quick as a flash, she had disappeared up the chimney and bits of soot and brick dust were falling down. Now the fire is gas powered and there isn't a great deal of soot up there but I was dumbfounded. "What do I do if she gets stuck?" - I thought. I had visions of firemen dismantling the brickwork of the chimney to get her out. Fortunately she emerged a few minutes later none the worse for her experience. I had noticed in the past that there were occasional black foot prints on the carpet so it must have been a regular thing for her. So to put this to an end I stopped all the jobs I had in the shop to make a Fire Screen. I told my wife Elly I would just cut some plywood as a temporary stop gap until I could buy a wire mesh fireguard. She was not too impressed by the thought of having a piece of dirty plywood across the hearth. Then I thought why not just make one from hardwood. I had some French oak and some crown cut sapele ply left over from a previous project so I just put together, what is in effect, a frame and panel door without hinges. Construction is mortise and tenon joints with grooves to hold the ply in place. Finish is with shellac under ArmRSeal. At the moment the screen is held in place with wedges but the intention is to have rare earth magnets in the screen engaging with some tiny, unobtrusive, steel brackets mounted on the brickwork. BEFORE AFTER As we very rarely use the fire it can remain in place. When we want to light the fire the screen simply lifts out and can be put behind a chair. This might work unless Anna decides to try an "open" the door! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Tidy work, Terry! Very nice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Great fix! Nice work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Terry, Good resolve and execution. You might find now that Anna is not really black after all! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 ==> I had visions of firemen dismantling the brickwork of the chimney to get her out Well, you could always just light the gas burner... Bet that would work right quick.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Crawford Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Really like the book matched panels. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Nice work Terry! Really elegant solution to a pretty mundane problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 First off - nice work! Good idea using magnets to hold it in place. Second....any idea why she might have been going up there? I hope there are not any critters that might have been coming down the other way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted April 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 First off - nice work! Good idea using magnets to hold it in place. Second....any idea why she might have been going up there? I hope there are not any critters that might have been coming down the other way.Good point John. The chimney has a gas cowl on top to stop animals and birds climbing down so hopefully no chance of that. However both cats are very inquisitive and Anna is always climbing trees and low buildings (like my garage shop) and probably just loves climbing. We call her Killer as she is always bringing critters both, live or dead, in as "presents" for me. The other cat Amber just brings in moths and butterflies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 Great solution, beautifully executed ! I had to make a similar cover to keep my girlfriends cat out of her fireplace. I just put 2 legs on the back side to prevent it from tipping in and a handle sideways at the top. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted April 27, 2014 Report Share Posted April 27, 2014 Well considered solution! Have you considered a dog? Might solve the problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjeff70 Posted April 27, 2014 Report Share Posted April 27, 2014 She was probably showing off for you. Now that she knows you're not impressed she'll have to look for other ways. She sounds like a pretty cool cat. Nice work on the cover panel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted May 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2014 I've suddenly remembered we also have another open chimney in one of the bedrooms. The house is an Edwardian house originally with hearths in every room. Most of them have been blocked up upstairs apart from one. I noticed Anna the black cat who sparked all this activity eying up a route up this chimney the other day. Guess I'll have to make another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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