Among small articles for household use the clock case is a popular
model, and the designs range from the mission style, characterized
by straight lines and plain surfaces, up to elaborate attempts at
imitating in miniature the old-fashioned tall "grandfather's clock."
While an ordinary alarm clock may be used for the clock proper, the
small size nickeled clock, 2-1/4 inches outside diameter, is more
satisfactory and very reliable. It costs about seventy-five cents.
In designing the frame, or case, structural items must be considered
first. The clock needs a platform to stand on, there must be a circular
opening just large enough for the face to fit, and the structure
requires an opening in the back, so that the clock may be wound or
removed.
With these facts as a basis, the form can be sketched out.
Fig. 168 shows, perhaps, the simplest style, on the mission order. The
design of the front becomes a matter of proportion, and the dimensions
given are only suggestions which the young designer can modify to meet
his own ideas, keeping in mind that on horizontal members, if there is
any difference in size, the upper ones should be the smaller.
Simple as this design appears, if put together by mortise and tenon,
with provision made for the panelled front and sides, it will call
for fine work. As there is no great question of strength involved,
the following method will do for making this case. It will be called
heretical by expert woodworkers, but is practicable and easy from the
boy's point of view.
Square up a piece of 1/4-inch stock 4 inches wide and 13 inches long.
Saw out two pieces for the panels 2-1/2 inches long.
Clamp the front piece to a strip of scrap wood as a backing, and bore
a hole for the clock face with an expansive bit. Fasten the front to
the end pieces by 3/4-inch brads, as shown in _a_. In the same manner
nail the top and bottom pieces to the front and ends, making a box of
1/4-inch wood, with the back open.
The legs, made 3/4 inch square with a 1/4-inch rabbet cut out as shown
at _a_, may now be glued on and fastened with two 1-inch brads driven
in from the ends. The horizontal rails are cut and fitted to the front
and ends and glued in position.
[Illustration: Fig. 168. Mission style clock case]
If brads are used, they must be set, and the holes filled with putty,
coloured to correspond with the wood used. If the legs of the clock are
too short to rest on the bottom, add a shelf, or glue on a block of
pine thick enough to bring the clock to the proper level.
If the case is made of hard wood, polish it to a dead flat finish. This
design, however, gives a splendid opportunity to ornament ends and
front with chip carving, for which gum wood will be suitable.
A clock case which can be easily upset is to be avoided, and therefore
these long low designs are to be recommended, when the clock is to
stand on a mantel, shelf, or bureau. If the clock is to hang on the
wall the designs immediately change. The cuckoo clock is a familiar
example.
Our boys wrestled with the problem of a wall clock, and their efforts
to create something new brought forth considerable mental perspiration.
It is always an easy matter to copy something one has seen, but that is
not designing.
The result of Harry's efforts is shown in Fig. 169. After drawing the
circles with a pair of compasses, the rest of the figure was sketched
out free-hand about a centre line.
When it was fairly satisfactory, the two sides of the lower half were
equalized and traced for the upper half. It was then measured, and the
main dimensions added to the drawing.
This drawing represented only the front. The back, or wall piece, had
to be a duplicate of it as far as outline was concerned, and a plain
box of 1/4-inch wood, to hold the clock, joined these two parts, as in
previous models.
This is the order of construction:
Saw out stock for front and back pieces 15 × 4-3/4 × 1/4 inches. Draw
two centre lines, one the 4-inch way, the other the 15-inch way. At the
point where they cross, bore the hole for the clock face, after drawing
all the circles with the compasses.
[Illustration: Fig. 169. The boys' first design for a clock case]
Draw outline, or trace it from original drawing, upon the surface of
the wood. Saw out close to outside lines, and finish to lines with
spokeshave, chisel and sand-paper block.
Bevel the clock opening 1/8 inch with knife, and smooth with
sand-paper. The curved lines inside of the outer edge are worked out
with a veining tool.
The back piece is made in the same way, but the central opening is
bored larger than the front one, to allow the clock to be withdrawn
or wound. The square box, joined to these two main pieces by means of
cleats, completes the structure. On account of the long overhang of
the front beyond the box, two cylindrical supports of the same material
as the case can be glued between front and back, to add strength.
[Illustration: Fig. 170. Pendulum form of clock case]
Owing to the symmetry of the design, this case can be hung horizontally
or vertically according to the wall space it is to occupy. The method
of fastening should be a screw eye at the top of the case and screw
hook or nail in the wall, as it will be necessary to remove the clock
each time it is wound. If placed horizontally two hooks and eyes will
be needed, one at each end. Fig. 170 shows another wall design in
which the clock forms the centre of the pendulum and rests in a box of
hexagon shape. This is made from a strip two inches wide, the pieces
cut on a 60-degree mitre box with back saw, each piece 1-1/4 inches
long on the short side.
It will just hold a clock 2-1/8 inches in its largest diameter. When
the face of this clock frame is bored, and the outline finished in the
usual way, it is fastened to the hexagonal box by cleats.
In order to do this accurately, turn the face upside down on the
bench, place the box in position, and mark with a pencil all around
the hexagon. The cleats must be fastened on the back, close up to the
pencil line, with glue and brads, so carefully that the brads shall
not be long enough to come through to the surface in front. When dry,
insert the box between the cleats, and make fast with glue and brads.
The long part of the pendulum can be either carved or polished plain.
The 3/8-inch hole bored in the upper part fits over a screw hook, which
should project at least an inch from the wall. To have the clock hang
perfectly plumb, this hook should project 2-3/8 inches.
Another form of mantel clock is suggested in Fig. 171. It is radically
different from the others, and is characterized by a long, low, and
massive base cut from a solid piece of wood 1-3/4 inches thick or
built up of two 7/8-inch pieces of red gum, black walnut, or mahogany.
The outline having been drawn on the planed surface, one must saw as
close to the line as possible, and finish the line with chisel, gouge,
file, and sand-paper. The circular piece, which is to enclose the
clock, is cut from a block of the same material, two inches thick. Draw
the two circles, and bore the inner one with an extension bit, unless
a turning lathe is available. In that case the circular block can be
turned with great accuracy. The outline can be cut with the chisel
after being sawed close to the line, and finished in the same way as
the base.
[Illustration: Fig. 171. Mantel clock]
Glue this block in position, resting it in the semicircular opening
provided in the base, and making it project 1/8 or 1/4 of an inch
beyond the front surface of the base. Polish to a dead, flat finish.
As the clock is to fit snugly into the opening, the legs, and the
handle at the top, must be removed.