DVD — “Build an Arts & Crafts Mantle Clock” is no longer available.

Click Here for Photos of the Finished Clock

The project I recently completed, a reproduction of a C.F.A. Voysey mantel clock in alternate materials was one of the best times I’ve had in the shop in recent memory. For some twisted reason, I’m fond of making things on a small scale, and some of the details in the piece are a wee bit below the norm.

Click on the pictures to see large versions

In the picture above I’m cutting out the hour hand. The finished hands are about 1/16″ thick, I had to temporarily glue a stack of three together to keep the tiger maple from cracking as I worked on them.

The tapered legs are tiger maple too, with 1/8″ thick ebony stripes about 3/4 of the way up.

Around the back is an access door to the clock movement. The screws are #1 or #2 and the screw driver is one you use to tighten the screws on your glasses.

The cornice molding steps in and out on the underside of the top. After a bit of head-scratching I came up with a way to shoot the miters on the return pieces.

This is near the end of the line, the legs and panels tuck in behind the molding. One down, three to go.

Here it is put together, ready to come apart again for finishing. The inlay on the face is mother-of-pearl and the dome and spire on top are more tiger maple. Tiger maple is very cool.

Here is the assembled clock, after ebonizing the walnut panels, top and feet. One coat of clear shellac has been sprayed on. The clock is the cover project for the August 2013 issue of Popular Woodworking Magazine. I left Popular Woodworking in 2014 and this video is no longer available from my website.

You can build one of these and find out how much fun small details can be. It’s easier than you think.

–Bob Lang