When we built our home, we had the timberframers bring us a 6x9 red oak timber to use as a mantle piece. Over the last 4 years it dried, split, and cupped badly. It ended up sloping nearly 2" and the LOML wasn't happy about propping things up level, particularly when she tried to hang the grandkids' Christmas stockings. We had bolted it in during construction and there was no way to remove it.
Ended up taking a sawzall with a demolition blade and ripping the mantle, leaving about 4" still bolted above the stone. Took 2 hours!!
Built this "box" to slip over the old remnant. It isn't furniture quality, but it is FLAT and LEVEL - the two requirements that I was given. My first attempt at scribing to stone, and my first attempt at crudely carved applique. The little brass plaque was given to us by the timberframers and was recovered from the original mantle.