Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'clocks'.
-
A few years ago, I saw an ad for a very large auction in Boston. In the ad was a photograph of a beautiful, unusual, scroll saw clock. It had a minimum starting bid of $500.00. I just had to have it so on the day of the auction, I got up very early and drove all the way to Boston from New Hampshire. It was a 3 1/2 hour drive. The auction was held in a very large room with many items to be auctioned off. I walked around the room two or three times and could NOT find the clock. I finally asked an attendant where it was. (Real men NEVER ask for directions) He told me it was completely destroyed on the flight in from Hawaii. He told me they built a box around it to try to protect it but somehow it was destroyed. He brought me over to a table in the far corner of the room where they had put all the pieces. The pieces were in three large ziplock bags with a photograph of what the clock DID look like. Most of the pieces were the size of a half-dollar coin. A few a little larger. I was thinking, I still want it and surely NO ONE in their right mind would want it, so I would be able to get it for almost nothing. When the bidding finally came up the pieces were brought out. The bidding started at $50.00. Believe it or not, there was another "clock-nut" and HE wanted it as much as I did. The bidding went up over $270.00, but, I won the bid. I am positive, everyone there thought I was completely out of my mind to spend that much for three bags of pieces and a photograph. I took the three bags and photograph home and set up two card tables side by side and laid out all the pieces. It was like putting together a very large puzzle. As I assembled the individual pieces I glued them together as best I could. After three or four weeks I had most all the individual pieces put back together. (I had to guess at a few) I took the individual glued pieces and drew each one out on paper. The only original pieces were good enough to save were the ones that formed the round head that supported the clock movement... everything else had to be remade. After a few weeks, it all came together. Of all the clock designs I have copied and recorded, this clock is, by far, my favorite and I think one of the most beautiful scroll saw clocks ever designed. Written by John Nelson. Reprinted with permission from the author.
-
More clocks again. Wife handed me this picture, make this! OK so I made 2, There is more table saw work than scroll saw. Only did the clock cut out of 3/4 popular with the scroll saw. Getting the pattern of the trim molding to line up and cutting the 45 degree cuts was more complicated. Determined the size of the box by the layout of the trim. Couldn't understand why the tops of the trim stood away from the box. Found out that for some reason they don't make the base at true 90 degree?? Had to put the pieces on the belt sander to make everything square and that pulled the tops back in. Needless to say, she made me work so she had to contribute to the project. More of her great painting.
-
I seem to be stuck in the mantel clock mode. The gold one I made got shipped to my sister in law in Germany. BUT! my wife still wanted one so the next one was made with delft blue with white background. Then she wanted to try another paint scheme on the other one. These clock are fun to cut since the top plate is so thin. The backing is more involved since I have to cut 3 pieces of 3/4 pine (or Poplar). I match them as close as possible, stick them together with carpet tape, and then drill 3 guide holes for finish nails for alignment. I disassemble everything. Glue the 3 pieces together with the guide pins and clamp. Then comes the SANDING. The next ones should be easier since my wife just ordered me a WEN oscillating drum sander from EBay. Face plate is just pin nailed to backer. BTW, I mentioned the 2 sided carpet tape. It is my "go to" tool for temporally holding small pieces like hinges for alignment for drilling or just tacking pieces together.
-
Greetings, My name is Stan and I am 65 years young. I am a retired carpenter and millworker (custom doors). Scrolling has always intrigued me but somehow I never took it up. (I bought my very first scrollsaw just last week). I look forward to interaction with the Scrollsaw Village Community as I believe I will be able to learn quite a bit from the more experienced members. My hobby for the last 5 years has been modifying vintage and antique Banjo Clock cases into what I call "Memory Clocks". If you are not familiar with The American Banjo Clock I have no doubt that you will recognize its distinctive shape. Basically, a Memory Clock is a working, functioning clock whose original mechanical movement has been replaced with a battery-powered Quartz movement. The resulting space enables the clock case to become a display case (sometimes lighted). In the two display areas a person can showcase emblems of some of his, or her favorite things. Pins, badges, insignia, stickers and so forth that might represent the owner's career are a good example. Club memberships, Military affiliation, religious depictions are also some topics for a Memory Clock. The first one I built was for my Wife's Dad, George Harbison. He spent fifty years working on the Great Northern Railway, the Northern Pacific, and ultimately the Burlington Northern (presently the BN Santa Fe). He began as a laborer whose job was to clean the fireboxes of steam locomotives at the Livingston, MT repair facility and worked his way up to being a "Hog-Head" (locomotive engineer). He was also a fifty-year (Past Master) Mason and Shriner, a US Navy veteran of WWII, and a volunteer Deputy Sheriff. If ever a man needed a place to display some pins and badges, I thought at the time, it's George. So this became Memory Clock Number 1 (MC-001) or the "Hog-Head". Since discretion is the better part of valor I felt it wise to make a Memory Clock for his wife of 60 years,and my own, dear Mother-in-Law, as well. And this became Memory Clock Number 2 (MC-002) or the "Carousel" Since then I have built Memory Clocks for my three children, and one for my Son-in-Law. If you would like to see some more, please visit the photo pages on my Facebook page, Memory Clocks by Stan In building these clocks I often came upon situations where a scrollsaw would have been quite handy, but somehow I just cut or carved my way through and vowed to buy myself one, "someday". "Someday" arrived last week and I bought my first scrollsaw. I may soon be making a total pest of myself asking about the best blades, saw speeds, woods, patterns, etc. But for the moment I am excited to join the Village and look forward to a long, enjoyable learning curve. Best Regards to Everyone, Stan
- 13 replies
-
Here's a really cool project from Steve Ramsey of Woodworking For Mere Mortals. If you haven't checked out his videos, you really should. They're a lot of fun and he makes woodworking fun and accessible, the way it should be. Anyway, this clock can easily be made with a scroll saw. You can find the plans for this clock on his website here.