Shaker Wall Clock a Project Plan for Crafting an Enduring Classic That Stands the Test of Time
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WTAUNTON’S Shaker Wall Clock A project plan for crafting an enduring classic that stands the test of time For more FREE project plans from Build an Oak Bookcase Fine WoodworkingS m i pS eu lt, dr yW o kr b e n c h From Getting Started in Woodworking, Season 2 Simple,From Sturdy Getting Started inWorkbench Woodworking, Season 2 o u c a n t h a n k M i k e P e k o v i c hBY , AS Fine Woodworking’s art direc A CHRISTI Ytor, for designing this simple but From Getting Startedstylish bookcase. in Woodworking, He took a straightfor Season 2 A ward form--an oak bookcase with dado N A BYA CHRISTI-AS and rabbet joints--and added nice pro- A N A BYportions ASA and CHRISTI elegant curves. A N A - We agreed that screws would reinforce his workbench is easy and the joints nicely, and that gave us a de- inexpensive to build, yet is sturdy and sign option on the sides. Choose oak T LUMBER, HAR versatileplugs, and align the grain carefully, andDWARE D ANSUPP enough for any woodworker. 4 LIESLIS T his workbench is easy and inexpensiveThe basethe plugs isLU disappear.MBER, HAR MakeDWARE 8-ft.-longthem from AN Da2x4s, SUPP kiln-driedLIES LIST construction lumber (4x contrasting wood, like walnut,2 and the Tto build, yet is sturdy and versatile4s and 2x4s), joined4 8-ft.-long 2x4s,8-ft.-long kiln-dried 4x4s, kiln-dried rows of plugs add a nice design feature simply with long bolts and s 1 4x8 sheet of MDF enough for any woodworker. The base ishort dowels.to the broad The2 sides,8-ft.-long hinting 4x4s, at ki theln-dried con top is two layers of MDF (m 2 Hardwood pieces for vise jaws, 7 construction lumber (4x4s and 2x4s), edium-densityjoinedstruction in a1 subtle4x8 sheetway. of MDF fiberboard), cut from a single between 1 in. and 1 1/2 in. long by 3 in. wide. Front jaw can CLICK HERE NOW! simply with long bolts and short dowels. TheBy design2 theHardwood bookcase pieces for contains vise jaws, 7a1/2 in.in. long thick by 3and in. w theide. Frontrear jawjaw ca isn be be sheet, with 1 enough left over to make a hn u m b e r o f betweenf u n d a 1 m in. eFiller nand t a 1 lblock1/2 l in.- es thick sfor o n andmounting s f the o r r ear vise,jaw is 3/4 in. thick. 3/4 in. thick. 3/4-in.-thick plywood, 4 in. wide top is two layers of MDF (medium-densityandywould-be shelf. furniture-makers, 1 and like the 1 Filler block forbottle mounting of yellow vise, 3/4 -in.-thickglue plywood, 4 in. wide by 6 in. long by 6 in. long The only tools needed to makeother projects in this video series, the fiberboard), cut from a single sheet, with 1 this bench1 bottle of yellow7-in. glue Groz Rapid-Action Woodw are a drill/driver, a circular whole thing can be built with just a few orking Vise (www.woodcraft.com) enough left over to make a handy shelf.saw, and a hand 4 6-ft. lengths of held router or a router table portable power -tools:1 7-in. a circular Groz Rapid-Ac saw, a tion Woodworkin⁄ -in.-dia.g Vise threaded (www.woodcr rod aft.com) The only tools needed to make this benchdrill, and a router 16 ⁄ -in. washers See how our magazine . 4 6-ft. lengths of ⁄ -in.-dia. threaded rod There is room at one end for a are a drill/driver, a circular saw, and a handThe- shelves attach to the sides16 with⁄ -in. nuts simple small dadoes, cast- and16 the⁄ -in.back washers and back- iron woodworking vise, whic 2 held router or a router table. hsplash is an essentialdrop into16 rabbets.⁄ -in. nuts Screws2-in.-long rein1/4 -20 bolts, nuts, washers for atta tool in any woodworking sh 2 1 ching front jaw of vise There is room at one end for a smallop.force cast-The the vise dado is joints 2 and2-in.-long also attach 1/4-201/2 the-in.-long, bolts, nuts,1/4 -20 washers flathead for attachin screwsg frontfor attacjaw of vise fitted with non-marring woo lower stretcher, and wood plugs1 cover hing rear jaw iron woodworking vise, which is an essential 2 11/2-in.-long,Box 1/4-20 of flathead1/41-in.-long scre wsdrywall for attaching screws rear for jaw lami denthe screw jaws, holes.and the Smaller wood screws- jaws and benchtop receive 4 ⁄ -in.-dia., 2 nating benchtop tool in any woodworking shop. The visearedog used isholes, to attach sized the 1plywoodBox of back.11/4-in.-long drywal1/2-in.-longlL screws U M forlag B lamina Escrews Rting Aandbenchtop N washers, D H A f R D W A R E 16 or attaching vise to fit a variety of handy be Curves add life to rectangular4 ⁄ -in.-dia., pieces S-clip-type21/2-in.-long lag tabletop screws and fasteners washers, for attaching vise fitted with non-marring wooden jaws,nch and accessories. the PART of furniture, and Pekovich worked16 in ⁄ -in.-dia. dowels, roughly 3 in. jaws and benchtop receive dog holes, sized 16 S-clip-type tabletop fasteners LIST three types, each irregular and organic longQTY to fit a variety of handy bench accessories.(as opposed to radius curves16 ⁄that-in.-dia. can dowels, roughly SI3 in.DES long seem mechanical). At the top are gen SIZE makes you a better 11/2 in. 24 in. tle curves that speed up as they move SHELV MATERIA forward, each taken from a section of ES L a French11/2 in. curve. At the bottom are two - 62 in. 24 in. long curves formed with a flexible wood BACK62 in. S batten, one extending end to end on the PLASH lower stretcher, and the other a short ARCHED 1 ⁄ in.graceful arch2 at⁄ in.the bottom of the sides, STRETCHER ending at a straight step at each end to 4 in. 4 in. suggest legs. Side 2 ⁄ in. 10 in. 3 ⁄ in.3 ⁄ in. BACK 1 stretchers⁄ in. --Asa Christiana, editor, Fine Woodworking L o n g s t r e t c h e r s 1 ⁄ in. 1 ⁄ 10 in. SCREWS in. Side Long stretchers SHEFOR stretchers LVES woodworker SCREWS VIDE OS FO 33 ⁄ in.33⁄ in. BACKR 1 ⁄ in.1 ⁄ in. 1 ⁄ in. 9 ⁄ in. 9 in. 17 in. 1 ⁄ in. 9 ⁄ in. 9 in. 9 ⁄ in.9 ⁄ in. 41 in. 31/2 in.17 in. 41 in. 48 in. VID EOS V i s i t u s o n l i n e a t 48 in. FineWoodworking.com/ S 31/2 in. tartt o w a t c h a t w o - p a r t v i d e o d e t a i l i n g h o w t o b u i l d t h i s w o r k b e n c h f r o m s t a r t t o f i n i s h . VIDEOS Visit us online at FineWoodworking.com/Start to watch a two-part video detailing how to build this workbench from start to finish. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! Building a Shaker Wall Clock Choose your movement first, then build the clock around it BY CHRIS BECKSVOORT saac Newton Youngs, a Shaker brother who lived in the Mount Lebanon, New York community, built only 14 Iof these clocks, yet they still stand out as a hallmark of Shaker style. Some clocks were built with a glass door below, and a few were made with glass set into the side panels. My favorite is housed in the Hancock, Mass. dwelling house and looks closer to the one I build. But you couldn’t say that mine is an exact reproduction of the 1840 versions. Furniture reproduction is a slippery phrase. Though I’m known as a Shaker furniture maker, only twice in my career have I been asked to build historically accurate Shaker reproductions, meaning that all wood, hardware, dimensions, joinery techniques, tooling and finishes must match the original. I have no qualms with historical accuracy, except when it comes to techniques that may have worked in the past but are not suit- able today. Wood movement is one of those areas. The Shakers did not have to deal with forced hot-air heat. We do. Shaker clock makers built their cases to fit their mechanisms. We must build our cases to fit mechanisms that are commercially available today. To me, that seems perfectly aligned with Shaker ideals. For starters, the original clock was constructed predominantly of white pine. I chose cherry for its color, hardness and grain. Be- cause cherry moves more than white pine does, I had to make a few dimensional adjustments to allow for wood movement of the JULY/AUGUST 2002 53 Build the case back panel. Second, I decided to use a top-of-the-line mechanical movement, which required a small amount of additional interior space. Consequently, my overall case is a little deeper, and the back is a bit thinner. So much for historical accuracy. The construction of both the original and my version is as simple as the spare design. I will offer several options—in construction techniques, dimensional changes and types of mechanisms—to suit the type of clock you want to build.