Woodworker's Journal 1982-6-6, страница 28

If you veneer the door as I did, you must do both sides to equalize the absorption of moisture from the air. Veneering one side will cause the board to warp. I used mahogany crotch veneer at least 7" wide by at least 12" long. Crotch veneers tend to be thicker and stiffer than other veneers, so once the door was veneered, I clamped it between plywood boards.

Cutting the ellipse in the door is next. A 1" diameter sanding drum will effectively smooth the walls of the cutout. A Vt" rabbet bit will make the Vi" deep rabbet on the back for the glass and its retainer, part Q. I first tried plywood for the retainer but found it kept breaking. I finally settled on Vi" thick masonite that I veneered. Two brass escutcheon nails will hold it and the glass in the door.

Before fitting the door with hinges, the molding, part P, will have to be made. This is much like a picture frame molding on a small scale. It should be made from a mahogany board ³/i " thick by at least 48" long and several inches wide. I made the door slightly bigger than the dimensions shown so the door plus the molding would be bigger than the pendulum cabinet front. 1 was then able to run the door and molding over a jointer until it fit perfectly. The four-foot long board has to be stood on one edge and passed over a table saw blade set at 25 degrees. It may take some trial passes to get the same profile I got, but the results will be worth it. I then clamped the board down flat and took out a groove Vi" deep with a Vs" rabbet bit. Instead of nailing the mitered molding to the veneered door, I glued and clamped the pieces to part K. The hinges that hold the door are IVi" long and made of brass. The flat hook that holds the door to

the cabinet is also brass.

Now comes what may be the most difficult task for you, the carving of part F. If carving is not within your realm, Craftsman Wood Service (see page 12 for address) offers embossed carvings that can be applied. I'd recommend H2528 and H2514. If you are willing to carve the front, the best advice I can give is use a router with a Vs inch carbide straight bit and remove as much of the background, Vi" deep, as you can. I would also glue part F to a slightly larger piece of V* inch plywood, newspaper between, that can be clamped to a bench. The margins, about 1 inch wide, that run along the sides are slightly hollowed, and these can be made with a veiner. Much of the rest of the detail can be put in with a parting tool. To get as smooth a background as possible, I raised the grain with a paint remover and went over it with a well-sharpened cabinet scraper.

For the finial base, part R, I again used my 7Vi" diameter sanding drum and held a long piece of 8/4 mahogany to it to get a concave underside. It would help, however, to band-saw the outline first. Notice that the sides are slightly flared outward. This can be done on a bandsaw before crosscut-ting to separate part R from the longer piece. Once sanded smooth, this part was attached to the top of C with contact cement.

To make the molding, part S, as shown in photo below, clamp a ³/i" thick piece of mahogany to your workbench. The board should be a little over 8" long and at least 2" wide. Draw parallel lines 1³/i" apart along the length of the board. On both ends within these lines draw the molding profile. Next draw parallel lines Vt inches in from the first lines to represent the beads. Along these lines I took a dovetail saw and cut a kerf about Vi" deep. Then taking a wide no. 5 gouge, I scooped out the cove. After sanding the cove smooth, I ripped the outer edges of the molding profile at a 45 degree angle. This I clamped in a wood vise, shaping the back with the same no. 5 gouge. A sanding disc helped round the beads. 1-inch wire brads will hold the molding to the clock sides.

The last pieces to be fitted are the wedges, parts T. These can be ripped from a 5/4 or 8/4 board of any wood since they will be veneered with the same striped mahogany used for the rest of the clock. The flares at the bottom of part G may have to be filed a bit so they flow flush with the wedges. Contact cement will hold these pieces to the top of the pendulum case.

To finish the case, I used a mahogany paste filler mixed with a dark walnut stain. Where contact cement had gotten on the veneer, I was able to remove it with a paint thinner and steel wool. Over the stain 1 applied several coats of satin polyurethane.

As if this project wasn't challenging enough, I made the clock case before I purchased the pendulum movement, one I had never used before. Happily, I found everything fit according to plan.

Mason & Sullivan Co., 39 Blossom Ave., Osterville, MA 02655, has a good selection of clock movements and hardware. I purchased an eight-day spring-driven movement, No. 3340X, the bezel and dial combination, No. 3403X, and the brass urn finial, No. 3901B, for about $70. Even if you have to purchase some lumber for your clock, I'm sure this heirloom piece can be built for less than 100 dollars.

UNE. t*RTA