In progress project

[Patrick Nailon]

I thought I'd post my current project - an old-fashioned schoolhouse clock with a calendar hand, made of cherry.

I've been itching to do one of these since I first saw the plans at my local Rockler. I have scoured the web to find pictures and possibly free downloadable plans, but no dice. Luckily, Woodsmith mag (see the first picture) made one of these back in '82, and I found a cheap copy on eBay.

I looked at my local lumber yard for QSWO, but only found boards that would be way too much wood for the project. Luckily, I also found two very nicely figured cherry boards, so I went with those, as I'd not yet worked with cherry.

I started cutting this last Sunday, after finishing my bookcase on Friday, and completing my tavern mirror Saturday, in between coats of poly on the mirror. I was worried about the 8 pieces that form the octagon top, but my miter saw has a 22.5 degree setting, and it was dead nuts on (BTW - do women use this term? Just wondering). I cut the 8 pieces very carefully and slowly, and I'll be darned if I didn't get glue-line cuts with almost no fuzz even on each cut!

I've been slowly and carefully putting this all together, and it's coming together wonderfully. I plan to finish it naturally. I'm thinking of natural danish oil, topped with shellac. Natural DO has no stain, correct? I don't want any blotching. I'll also suntan the piece once completed and finished.

Oh, and I'll add more pictures as the project progresses.

[Jim Becker]

Nice progress on that. I have a friend in Colorado who built a similar clock (I think his is a WOOD Magazine design version) and it looks great on the wall. 'Looking forward to the end result for yours!

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Looking good. Gives you a great feeling when you make that final cut in a mitered piece and find everything lines up just right, doesn't it.? I have a couple wall clocks I want to do but have yet to decide on the movenments.

[Jeff Craven]

I plan to finish it naturally. I'm thinking of natural danish oil, topped with shellac. Natural DO has no stain, correct? I don't want any blotching. I'll also suntan the piece once completed and finished.

Nice project!

You might want to do a washcoat of dewaxed shellac before the oil to help prevent blotching. There was a good article about preventing blotching in the latest issue of Fine Woodworking.

[Michael Sobik]

Looking good! I've always wanted to try a clock, but the detail work seems dauting. Please keep us updated.

[Jerry Olexa]

looks good. Anxious to see it finished. Nice work!

[gary Zimmel]

Nice start on your clock Patrick.

Keep us posted on your progress.

[Bruce Page]

Nice looking miters.
Zinsser Seal Coat works well for sealing the cherry before finishing.

[Radek Kowalski]

Its looking great so far. Where did you get the internal workings for the clock? Thanks.

[Patrick Nailon]

Its looking great so far. Where did you get the internal workings for the clock? Thanks.

I bought the calendar clock kit from Rockler. I wish now that I hadn't, as the same kit thru Klockit is about a third of the price. I will be ordering the necessary bezel thru Klockit tho.

[Patrick Nailon]

Here are a few more pics. I've got the top attached to the back (my FOUR year old daughter, after looking at the Woodsmith magazine picture, and the back, told me, "But daddy, it needs an octagon!" Holy cow! Where did she get that word? Then I remembered what a big Chuck Norris fan she is...

Don't get me started on Chuck Norris facts.

Anyway, here are some more pictures.

[Patrick Nailon]

UPDATE 09/18/08

I made the door that opens for the pendulum. According to the instructions this was supposed to be the hardest part of all - instead, I found it pretty easy to do.

I did make a mistake - in routing the 3/8" roundover on the outside of the door, I didn't realize that the shorter sections at the bottom were shorter than the space between the two fences of my (cheap) Sears router table. Oh well.

Something for me as a newbie to deal with. My plan is to cut the old piece out and make a new piece to glue in. Will keep all informed.

[Bruce Page]

UPDATE 09/18/08

I did make a mistake - in routing the 3/8" roundover on the outside of the door, I didn't realize that the shorter sections at the bottom were shorter than the space between the two fences of my (cheap) Sears router table. Oh well.

Something for me as a newbie to deal with. My plan is to cut the old piece out and make a new piece to glue in. Will keep all informed.

Yep, those things happen.
It's still looking very good.
You might find sanding out the burn mark next to the miter a chore. Probably should've sanded that out before glue-up.

[Patrick Nailon]

I managed to get this one done nights and weekends in only three weekends. Just started it two Sundays ago. Discovered a lot of things along the way (don't we always?), such as how the quartz clock mechanism, which has a day of the month hand, works, and I'm still trying to figure out how to get the pendulum to work.

At any rate, I was introduced to a wonderful product I'd never used before - Wundercote from Rockler. I'd read about it, and I had a $10 Rockler rewards certificate so the Wundercote was only $3.99. Of course, Rockler had a blowout on a bunch of stains, glazes and other products for .99! Can't beat that. Wundercote literally dried so fast I was recoating in 20 minutes! Flowed easily, shined up beautifully (at another's suggestion, I sanded with 600 grit between coats, which shined it up nicely every coat. The color came from General Finishes Honey Oak DO. One coat, sanded with 220 grit then wiped off.

Then when the clock was done, I used Johnson's Wax to preserve and protect. I like the smell and the slightly tacky waxy feel that waxing gives. And for the elders of the group - remember "Fibber McGee & Molly"?

[gary Zimmel]

Beautiful looking clock Patrick.

You did a great job. Thanks for the posts...