Advanced projects

[breadstick]

I like to challenge myself, so I decided to take on an advanced pattern like a Wild Wood Designs clock pattern.  Anyone done something like this?

[Lucky2]

Nathan, a picture of what your talking about, could help get you the answers you're looking for. 

Len

[WayneMahler]

If you can show the image, it would  help, just as Len stated. Looking forward to seeing what your talking about too

[breadstick]

Haven't decided on one yet, but something like this.

[NC Scroller]

If you are interested in doing a clock look at the late Dirk Boelman's site.  His wife Karen is still doing the business. They have many clock options.

 

http://theartfactory.com/

 

I have a good friend that makes clocks and he swears by Dirk's. One word of caution. MANY clocks require various thickness of woods. A planner or drum sander are important tools to have in your shop if you plan to be a clock maker. A band saw to do resawing is also a nice to have.

[WayneMahler]

Looks like a great challenge. NC Scroller is right about the different thickness of the woods used. Keep us posted on how things progress or your decision.

[Denny Knappen]

I have never done anything like that before.  Look like it would take years to complete.

[Bill WIlson]

It's kinda funny.  Please allow me to reminisce a bit.  When I first started scrolling, over 20 years ago, I had no idea the kinds of projects & patterns that were available.  I found a couple Patrick Spielman pattern books in the local bookstore and I did primarily Christmas ornaments and a few plaques.  About 11 years ago I joined a scrollsaw club.  Just about all the guys in the club at the time, seemed to be working on these great clock patterns.  They would bring them to the meetings for the brag table and I was profoundly impressed and somewhat intimidated. The founder of the club had done over 200 different ones and had many of them on display in his house.  I'll tell you what, that was an impressive display.  I thought that was what scrolling was all about and resolved to someday build one of these masterpieces. 

 

Then I discovered the scrolling sites on the internet and a whole different world of scrolling was revealed and it keeps evolving.  Our club has grown and only a few of those original members are still with us.  Almost no one cuts these big clock patterns anymore.  Most of the newer members have never tried it.  These days our brag table is comprised of other types of scrolling, like portraits, word art, intarsia, compound cutting, etc. 

 

In a way it's great, because the variety of projects means that there is something for every interest and every skill level, but in a way I think it's sad that the interest in these great old clock patterns has faded.  We've talked about it at our meetings several times and I still resolve to build one (or more) someday.  I've made several smaller fretwork clocks, but have not yet tackled anything like the Apostles Clock, the Dome Clock, the Shopiere Clock or the Chimes of Normandy Clock.  Perhaps when I'm retired and have more free time. 

 

Displaying one of these masterpieces is problematic.  Most folks just don't have the room for something like this and it's certainly hard to child proof them.  That has probably contributed to the perceived decline in their popularity.  But they are an important part of the history and heritage of scrolling and I'm glad to see someone else interested in taking on the challenge.  Please keep us posted on your progress.  I'm anxious to see how it goes.  Good luck! 

 

Oh and thanks for indulging my ruminations. 

[jerry1939]

I worked with wood for years, however, this is the first scroll saw project I ever did. It was done with a $69 Menards Performax saw. Solid 1/4" oak. Took 7 months, including the pedestal. York Minstrel Cathedral pattern by Al Spicer.

 

jerry

[amazingkevin]

I worked with wood for years, however, this is the first scroll saw project I ever did. It was done with a $69 Menards Performax saw. Solid 1/4" oak. Took 7 months, including the pedestal. York Minstrel Cathedral pattern by Al Spicer.

 

jerry

Jerry Jerry Jerry,You be the little ol clock maker himself ,Wow!

[amazingkevin]

I like to challenge myself, so I decided to take on an advanced pattern like a Wild Wood Designs clock pattern.  Anyone done something like this?

i,hope you do a work in progress when you start this one,Very impressive!

[bkrajnak]

Oh my jerry that is absolutly beutiful, I myself would never have the patience to finish some thing like that.

[Dave Monk]

Jerry, How amazing! dave

[Barry5180]

Nathan, I've got a couple of these on my scrolling bucket list.  One day I will tackle one.

 

Jerry, I like challenging myself as much as the next guy, but tackling that clock as a first project? I take my hat off to you sir. If I may ask, how long did it take you to complete?

 

Barry

[Clem]

Very impressive Jerry. Thanks for showing.

Clem

[tomsteve]

workshop clock i did a few years ago is here

 

http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/topic/16719-workshop-clock/?hl=%2Bworkshop+%2Bclock

 

i have the dome clock plans and will do it some day.

 

 

theres quite a bit of time involved in clocks but well worth it in the end

[jerry1939]

BREADSTICK,  Making a clock is no different than walking to your car in the parking lot.  You take one step at a time.  Remember your basics.  Cut one piece and do it well.  If you "hurry it up" with each piece, the finished product will "look like you hurried it up."  If you enjoy scrolling, by all means go for it.  My attitude is that patience has nothing to do with it.  I feel that there is no difference in making clock parts each day, or sawing unrelated things each day.  The sawdust looks the same.

 

BARRY5180,  I had surgeries done on one eye 20 years ago.  Only turned out "fair."  Eye strain is my limiting factor.  I saw for 2 hours in the P.M., take a 1 hour coffee break with my Sweet Wife of 54 years & go back and saw 2 more hours.  Can't stay at it any longer.  For the clock and a pedestal, 7 months elapsed from start to finish.  It has been given to a son in Des Moines, Iowa.

 

THANK YOU ALL for the nice comments! 

 

jerry

[Bill WIlson]

Jerry brings up an excellent point and one that tends to get lost when people start thinking about doing large, complex projects like this. 

 

"You take one step at a time.  Remember your basics.  Cut one piece and do it well.  If you "hurry it up" with each piece, the finished product will "look like you hurried it up."  If you enjoy scrolling, by all means go for it.  My attitude is that patience has nothing to do with it.  I feel that there is no difference in making clock parts each day, or sawing unrelated things each day.  The sawdust looks the same."

 

They see the enormity of the finished project, the sheer size, the number of cuts, and lose that perspective.  Jerry's advice is spot on!

 

The biggest challenge I see with building the larger clocks is the assembly.  Most patterns have pretty good instructions, but getting all the pieces to fit properly, and assembling them in the correct order takes a little time and an ability to conceptualize the process in your head, before you start gluing stuff together.  On the larger projects I've done, it paid to dry fit everything, at every stage of the build.  Occasionally you will find anomalies in patterns or perhaps a cut isn't perfect that will affect the way things go together.  By dry fitting everything first, you find any problems and if you do it several times, you are less likely to make a mistake when you make it permanent.

[Scrappile]

another place to find clocks and other neat fretwork projects,  i have done the 5 dragons box,

 

http://www.finescrollsaw.com/order.htm

[WayneMahler]

I'm wondering  a clock like this. Would you just display and enjoy it? Or attempt to sell one? I have thought many times about doing one. I have done a few very intricate pieces but never for bragging rights. Love to see these and admire those that have been cut,I guess I'm wondering if it is worth the time and effort in general.

[NC Scroller]

I'm wondering  a clock like this. Would you just display and enjoy it? Or attempt to sell one? I have thought many times about doing one. I have done a few very intricate pieces but never for bragging rights. Love to see these and admire those that have been cut,I guess I'm wondering if it is worth the time and effort in general.

Wayne, I have a good friend that makes clocks like this. In fact that is about all he makes. They are absolutely beautiful. He does sell them or should I say attempts to sell them. They do not sell well and when he does sell one he gets very little considering how much time and effort he puts in it. But he keeps at it because he loves to make them.

 

Now he is in Hickory, NC. Not a craft /tourist hot spot. Where you live has a lot do with the ability to sell and how much you can get.

[Bill WIlson]

Wayne,  I think customers willing to spend the kind of money that these advanced clocks are worth, are very rare.  Our club put on a display at a local craft show about 10 years ago.  We weren't selling items, just displaying our work, doing demonstrations and promoting the club.  Naturally, folks came up asking to buy things.  In those days, our club sort of specialized in these big clocks and there were several on display.  One lady had her eye on one and asked the price of it.  She was told it wasn't for sale, but she was insistent and just didn't want to take no for an answer.  Finally the gentleman who made the clock told the lady he would sell it for a dollar a hole.  She actually started to count the holes, but then very quickly realized where that was leading and gave up.  We all still laugh about that story today, but we also kind of agree that in reality, it's not all that far off of what a fair price would be.

 

Most of the guys I know that have made these clocks end up either keeping them, giving them away to family/friends or donating them for some sort of fundraising effort. 

[breadstick]

Thanks everyone.  Decided on a Rhinelander clock from The Art Factory.  I'll order the pattern once I hear back from them about what wood size I'll need so I can have everything around the same time.

 

I was thinking about what you guys said and I came to the same conclusion.  It's really no different than any other piece I've done, just a whole lot more of them.  I'm really hoping business picks up a bit and I get busy, so I can just do a panel when I have a free evening and keep doing more of them until I'm done.  I figure it'll take a year or so to get done.

 

I read something a while back that said everything you've ever read (in English) has been made up of 26 letters.  I was helping my step-dad get adjusted to scroll sawing and I told him something similar.  Everything you'll ever do on the saw is either an angle, straight line, or curved line. Figure out how to do those well, and you can do any pattern made.  Of course, it's a lot easier said than done, but still true.

[NC Scroller]

I read something a while back that said everything you've ever read (in English) has been made up of 26 letters.  I was helping my step-dad get adjusted to scroll sawing and I told him something similar.  Everything you'll ever do on the saw is either an angle, straight line, or curved line. Figure out how to do those well, and you can do any pattern made.  Of course, it's a lot easier said than done, but still true.

LOVE IT!!!!

[TripleJScroller]

I too plan on building one of these wonderful clocks, hopefully sooner than later.  To me it's a challenge that I'm really looking forward to and hopefully I can do it at a quality that I'll be proud to have in the family as an heirloom for a long time.  I don't think I'd ever try and sell anything like it as I just don't think you could ever get out of it what you put into it.  I think its got to be done out of love of scrolling and a desire to produce something beautiful.