SUPPLIES
Wood: cherry—one piece 3/4” x 1-3/8”
x 15” (for an outside strip); red cedar—one piece 3/4”
x 1-3/8” x 15” (for an outside strip); Colorwood®—one
piece 1/8” x 7/8” x 15” (for an accent strip);
red oak—one piece 1/8” x 7/8” x 15” (for
an accent strip); sassafras—one piece 1/4” x 7/8”
x 15” (for an accent strip)
Tools: band saw; jointer; thickness planer; table
saw with carbide tipped blade; miter box with carbide tipped blade;
drill press with 1-3/8” Forstner bit; disc sander; random
orbit sander; palm sander; vise; awl; grinder with buffing wheels
with tripoli and white diamond compounds and Carnuba wax
Sandpaper, assorted grits (including 120 and 150 grits)
Superglue (optional - to fill any wood gaps)
Titebond II
Linseed oil/paint thinner mixture (2 to 1)
Aerosol Deft
No. 4/0 steel wool
Flocking material* or adhesive backed felt**
36mm clock face
*Available from: Woodcraft, 560 Airport Industrial Park, P.O. Box
1686, Parkersburg, WV 26102-1686; www.woodcraft.com.
**Available from: Crafts Supplies, USA, 1287 E. 1120 S., Provo,
UT 84606; www.woodturnerscatalog.com. |
Introduction
Sometimes events that can best be described as “happy
accidents” occur and are basically mistakes that eventually turn
into something special. Such was the case recently while making a batch
of small chopping boards (see the April 2001 issue of Creative Woodworks
and Crafts). I dropped one of the boards and the resulting damage was
too extensive to repair. Disgusted, I threw the damaged board into a box
reserved for kindling wood; but avoided burning it—I guess I unconsciously
hoped to eventually find a constructive use for the ruined project. Shortly
after this happened, I did a craft show in Maryland. A woman came into
my booth lamenting the fact that no one seemed to be making small clocks
anymore. Suddenly, I had a use for that damaged board!
INSTRUCTIONS
Step
1. Begin the process by deciding what species of wood you will
use for the two primary strips. For the clock featured here, I chose cherry
and red cedar, but there are many other combinations you could choose. Once
you decide, square up the two pieces to 7/8” x 1-3/8” x 15”.
In addition to the two larger outside pieces, you will need two smaller
strips measuring 1/8” x 7/8” x 15” and one measuring 1/4”
x 7/8” x 15”. These will become the accent strips on the clock.
The 15” blank will yield four clocks. |
Step 2. Once all of the pieces are cut to the correct sizes,
check to make sure that the grain direction is going the same way in each
component (this avoids tear out) and make a witness mark across the blank
so you can be sure to have glued it together as planned. I use Titebond
II to glue my blanks together.
After the glue cures overnight, remove the clamps and scrape off any excess
glue that might have accumulated and dried under the clamps. Try to keep
the stock as thick as possible, planing it down flat on both surfaces—be
sure not to go below 3/4” thick, however.
Step 3. Select the “good
face” of the stock—the one you want the clock face to go on—and
mark it. This good face will go DOWN on the table of the saw— assuming,
of course, that your blade tilts to the right, like mine.
The bottom edge of the clock must be beveled at about a 13 to 14 degree
angle (15 degrees is just too steep—the clock becomes a little unstable
and tends to tip over backward). This slight angle allows the clock face
to be read easier while it’s sitting on a desktop. I like to sketch
this angle on the blank so I won’t get confused when I make the
cut.
Step 4. Tilt the blade on the table saw
and set the rip fence so you just “kiss” the bottom edge of
the blank. Don’t remove any more stock than is absolutely necessary
to get a full bevel. continued on page 48 ....
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