| Table-Top Clock -- Stock for the Top and Face |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-307 |
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In this episode of DIY Wood Works, host David Marks builds an elegant table-top clock with a face made from wengae and quilted-maple veneer. The design of this contemporary clock provides some opportunities for working with advanced woodworking techniques -- including creation of wood veneering, use of a vacuum press, and shaping a solid wood block into a faceted top-piece. The straight lines of the finished case, and the symmetry of the sculpted top, are characteristic of the enduring arts-and-crafts style of furniture design. The alternating wedges of quilted maple and wengae create a striking look for the clock face. The project consists of three main elements: the top, the face and the case. The top is sculpted from a block of solid cherry. The face is made from veneered wedges of maple and wengae. The case is made of cherry, and joined with biscuits.
Materials:
Cherry, maple and wengae stock
MDF for templates
Band saw
Table saw
Drum sander
Band saw
Block plane
Carpenter's square
Straight-edge
Carpenter's pencil
Double-stick tape
Blue carpenter's tape
Safety glasses or goggles
Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.
Fashioning the Top
The top, which rises to a center apex, is made from a block cherry stock milled to 1-3/4 inches thick, 6-1/2 inches wide and 12 inches long. The top tapers to a 5/8-inch edge to match the thickness of the case pieces.
- Select the side that of the stock that will face down, and begin by making the layout marks for the cuts by drawing a line 5/8-inch from the bottom edge (figure A), all the way around the board.
- Lay out center lines on the long and short sides, and connect the lines to make triangular marks (figure B) on all four sides.
- To cut the top at the band saw, stand the block up on one end so that the 12 inch side is running vertically. To keep it square on the table, and to make a safe cut, double-stick tape the block to a jig so that it runs perpendicular to the table and parallel to the saw blade (figure C).
- Make the diagonal cut just shy of the line, cutting from the outside line to the center point (figure D). Then, continue cutting from the apex, down to the opposite edge.
- So that you can see the pencil marks opposite side, double-stick tape the fall-off back onto the block after making the first two cuts. Then, flip the stock so that the 6-1/2 inch side runs vertically (figure E), and make the last two cuts in the same way. For safety and support, double-stick tape the stock onto the jig as before.
- With the block secured, make the final two cuts on the short side (figure F).
- With all of the cuts made, remove the pieces of fall-off (figure G).
- Use a block plane to clean up the surface of the wood (figure H), and remove any marks left by the band-saw blade. Sculpt the top-piece so that the apex comes to a sharp point. Use caution not to plane below the 5/8-inch reveal along the edge.
- Finish the top by running the bottom surface over the jointer (figure I) to create a perfectly flat surface.
Stock for the Clock-Face
With the top complete, work can begin creating the wedge-shaped veneer pieces that will make up the clock face. There are 12 pieces of maple and wengae veneer -- with each wedge representing an hour on the clock. - The size of the face is determined by the overall dimensions. The top is 12 inches long, with a 1/2-inch reveal on either side of the case. The side-stock is 5/8-inch thick. Twelve inches, minus 1 inch for the reveal, minus 1-1/4 inches for each side, leaves a clock-face dimension of 9-3/4 inches square (figure J). With these dimensions in mind, a template for the clock face is made from MDF.
- Draw lines on the template from corner to corner, dividing the template into quarters with the lines intersecting at 90 degrees. To find the angle of the individual pieces, divide each quadrant into three equal pieces, so that edge wedge of the clock face will be 30 degrees (figure K). Using this information, create a cutting template from MDF for the wedges (figure L).
- Mill up the wengae and quilted-maple veneer at the band saw. Cut the stock pieces into thin slices -- each 3/32-inch thick (figure M).
- Run each of the veneers through the drum sander (figure N) to get rid of any saw marks and make them a uniform thickness.
- Once all of the veneers have been milled, stack and tape them together so that the show side on each is facing upward.
- Transfer the lines from the wedge template onto each stack (figure O).
- Cut out the wedges at the table saw using a fine-finish blade to prevent chip-out. Adding blue tape on the top and bottom cut lines adds more protection. Make the cut in two passes -- one to get close, and the final pass exactly on the line. Place the stock against a miter gauge set to 15 degrees to make the cuts for the first angle on each stack (figure P).
- For safety and stability, use a simple jig made of MDF (figure Q) for holding the stock when cutting the second angle. To make the jig, cut a 15-degree angle on a scrap piece of MDF. Use a piece of the fall-off from the pie template to create the top piece of the template. Attach the fall to the MDF using pin nails.
- Place the stock into the jig to finish cutting the veneers. The jig holds the stock at the precise angle, and keeps it secure for the first pass (figure R). The second pass -- the finer cut -- has less material for the blade to chip off. The result is a cut that's so smooth that it can be glued without further preparation.
In the segment that follows, the veneers for the clock face are laid out and glued up.
Sponsored Resource
> Click here to order your tools and materials for this project from Woodcraft!
RESOURCES :
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456
Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985
David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com
Popular Woodworking
F & W Publications, Inc.
Website: www.popularwoodworking.com
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