Shaker_Wall_Clock-zegar.pdf

Shaker Wall Clock

Version 1

The construction of both the original and this

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. Accurate dimensions for the

original clocks (the glass door, not the panel-

door version) can be found in John Kassay's The

Book of Shaker Furniture (University of

Massachusetts Press, 1980) or (for the clock

with glass panels in the sides) in Enjer

Handberg's Shaker Furniture and Woodenware

(Berkshire Traveller Press, 1991).

Make the case to fit the clock parts

I never start construction on a clock until I have

the movement, dial and hands. Having these at

the ready makes it much easier to fit the dial

and allow proper clearance between the shaft,

the hands and the glass, as well as the clock

movement and the case back. I hate surprises.

Once you have the clock parts, you can cut the sides of the case to

size. Then cut 3/8-in. by 1/2-in. rabbets to accept the back. The front

of each side receives a stopped rabbet to accept the face. You could

simply make the clock an inch wider and avoid cutting rabbets in the

front, but -- for reasons more aesthetic than historical -- I prefer to

keep proportions closer to the original.

Next, cut the top and bottom pieces and mold

them with a quarter-round router bit. The

back of the top is notched out 1/2 in. by 4-1/2

in. to allow for the hanger on the back of the

case.

On the original, the top and bottom were

merely nailed onto the sides. I use long, thin

screws and plugs. Another alternative is

dowels. I once had a student who attempted

to use sliding dovetails, only to discover that

they lasted from 12 until noon. With only 9/16

in. of overhang on the sides and part of that

cut away by the rabbet, the remaining end

grain is extremely fragile.

The false top and false

bottom are simply butt-

joined and glued to the

sides. The actual top

and bottom will

reinforce this joint.

Before the glue sets,

check to make sure the

case is level and

square.

I prefer to use a false bottom and top, which

not only make glue-up easier but also act as a

doorstop in front and create rabbets to house

the back. Glue the false top and bottom to the

sides using butt joints. Once the glue dries,

center the actual top and bottom on the case

and screw them into the sides.

The top is screwed

straight into the sides,

then plugged and

trimmed flush.

The back is screwed

only near the center.

The edges are then

nailed into place,

allowing for seasonal

movement.

The clock back simply butts up against the false top and bottom and is

screwed into place from behind. However, this is where wood

movement comes into play. The back is about 9-1/2 in. wide, which

means that a piece of flatsawn cherry will move about 5/32 in. (from

6% moisture content in winter to 13% moisture content in summer).

If you can locate or glue up a quartersawn back, the amount of

movement is cut in half, to 5/64 in. So, if you're building in the

summer, when the back has reached a moisture content of near 12%

or 13%, the back can be fitted tightly. In the winter, when the

moisture content of the back is closer to 6%, a gap of just under 3/64

in. is required on each side. Also, leave a small gap where the half-

round hanger protrudes through the top.

Another change I make is to increase the size of the hanger hole, from

1/2 in. to 1-1/8 in., to allow the clock to be hung on a Shaker peg. The

back is merely nailed into place, with a dab of glue in the center to

ensure that wood movement is equal in both directions.

The horizontal divider is sized to act as a doorstop

for both doors. It is set into the stopped rabbet

that holds the clock face.

Next, let in the two-piece molded divider

between the top and bottom doors. A

horizontal divider, which also acts as a

doorstop, is set into the rabbet flush with the

face, and then a bullnose molding is glued

over it.

At this point it pays to plan ahead. Measure

the depth of the movement to check that you

have proper clearance for both the shaft and

the glass of the door. Mechanical movements

are either attached directly to the back -- as

I've done -- or sit on a shelf. Quartz

movements, being much shallower, are

usually attached to the dial. If you use a

spacer, the movement can also be attached to

the case back. Planning ahead allows you to

position the dial so that the hand shaft is

Bullnose molding

separates top and

bottom doors. Shape

the profile using a

roundover bit, then cut

it to fit flush with the

sides.

close to the glass but does not touch it. Once you've established the

location of the dial, glue two vertical filler strips to the inside of the

case. Thick metal dials like the one I used can be screwed to these

strips directly, while thin metal or paper dials should be adhered to

1/4-in.-thick plywood backings.

Simple joinery for the doors

The doors are relatively straightforward,

mortised and tenoned at each corner. Cut

haunched mortise-and-tenon joints on center,

and make sure to offset the glass and panel

grooves to allow room for the thumbnail

profile along the fronts. The frames are 1/2

in. thick, and the bottom panel is only 3/16 in.

thick. The 3/16-in. quarter-round moldings

are added after the panel is in place. On the

top door, add the quarter-round moldings to

hold the glass on the outside, and add 3/16-

in. glass supports, nailed from the inside, to

hold the back of the glass.

Before applying glue,

carefully dry-fit the

doors and see that they

fit the case.

The quarter-round

molding is shaped on

the router, then

mitered to fit the door.

Becksvoort simply

glues the molding to

the rails and the stiles.

After the glass is set

into the rabbet, small

glass supports are

nailed into place.

As far as a finish goes, I am partial to Tried & True Varnish Oil. It

leaves a silky, penetrating finish that I prefer. More accurate for this

clock would be a shellac finish, which was used on the original.

When hanging the clock from a peg board, carve a 1/2-in. flat spot at

the top of the peg where it meets the hanger, leaving a slight ridge, to

keep the clock from sliding forward on the peg. If the peg board is 3/4

in. thick, use a 3/4-in. spacer behind and near the bottom of the clock.

A toggle bolt or similar anchor will attach the spacer to drywall or

plaster if there is no stud nearby. Once the clock is perfectly plumb

and running smoothly, drill a hole through the back into the spacer

and anchor the clock with a screw. This keeps it from shifting during

winding or an accidental bump.

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