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From Woodsmith Magazine page 1 of 6 ©2003 August Home Publishing
All rights reserved One copy for personal use. Other copies prohibited.
Plans NOW
®
www. pl ansnow. com
MANTEL CLOCK
Classic design. Easy to build. And it s sized small enough to fit just about anywhere.
here s no doubt about it  what CLOCK BODY
Tgrabs your attention right away is The body of this clock is quite simple.
the wood. It s curly maple. This fig- It starts out as an H-shaped frame
ured wood is so dramatic that you that s sandwiched between a layer of
might be inclined to think  the wood molding and a top and bottom.
makes the clock. But while I appre- SIDES. I began work on the body by
ciate the beauty of the curly maple, cutting the two sides (A) to size from
1
there are a couple other reasons why /"-thick stock, see drawing below.
2
I like this clock as much as I do. With the sides cut, next I cut a 3/"-
8
DESIGN. First of all, there s the wide groove 1/" deep in each side.
4
design. This mantel clock has a tra- Then I glued two 1/" x 3/" stops (B)
2 8
ditional look to it. Its clean lines and in each groove, see drawing and detail
simple molding would look great no  a below. The lower stop is for a
matter what wood you used. drawer. The upper stop will position
CONSTRUCTION. The other reason I both the clock face and a face frame.
like this clock isn t easy to see. In fact, Note that there s a 1/ "-wide gap
2
you might miss it altogether, if you between the upper and lower stops,
weren t looking for it. In spite of its ele- see detail  b . This is for a divider that s
gance, there s nothing very diffi- added later, refer to drawing on page
cult about building this clock. 2. (One easy way to create this gap is
Everything is held together to use a 1/"-thick scrap piece as a tem-
2
with simple joinery, and it porary spacer between the stops.)
houses a quartz move- To complete the sides, the last step
ment, which is readily avail- is to glue a drawer guide (C) behind
able and easy to install. each lower stop, see detail  b on page 1.
END VIEW
STOP a.
#/8"
B
!/2"
!/4"
!/2"
SIDE
A
A B
SIDE
STOP
#/8"
7!/2"
b.
!/4"
!/4"
SIDE
9#/4"
A
NOTE:
Side and DRAWER
stop pieces B GUIDE
1#/4"
made from
STOP C
!/2" -thick stock
2!/4" NOTE:
C
Size drawer guide
DRAWER
to allow !/4"- wide
GUIDE
gap for back
3!/4"
From Woodsmith Magazine page 2 of 6 ©2003 August Home Publishing
All rights reserved One copy for personal use. Other copies prohibited.
4"
10"
a.
F
!/2"
E
These guides fit flush with the out-
3&/8"
TOP
side face of the lower stop and should
9#/4"
F
stop 1/" short of the back edges of
4
#/4"
the sides to allow for a plywood back.
CROSS
DIVIDERS. Next, to create the H- SECTION
shaped frame, I connected the two
E
sides with a divider (D), see drawing
COVE
NOTE:
MOLDING
at right. This piece is sized so it s flush
Divider is flush
(#/4"- thick)
with front of sides
with the sides in front and the drawer
and back of
drawer guides
guides in back, see detail  a at right.
The trick to gluing the divider and DIVIDER
(!/2"-thick)
sides is to keep the assembly square.
D
7!/2"
So I used a spacer that matched the
DIVIDER
!/4"
length of the divider, see Fig. 1.
D
SIDE
TOP & BOTTOM. With these pieces A
assembled, I added a layer of molding
3"
COVE
to each end, see drawing above. And
MOLDING
C
E
then added the top and bottom pieces.
DRAWER
GUIDE
BOTTOM
First, I cut two cove molding (E)
F
pieces to size from 3/ "-thick stock,
4
COVE
E
see drawing. These pieces are cut to
MOLDING
create a 1/" lip at the sides and front.
8
(Mine were 37/" x 93/".)
8 4
F
BOTTOM
To shape the molding, I routed the
ends and front with a 1/" cove bit, see bottom (F) pieces, see drawing. showing, they re simply glued in
2
Fig. 2. Then I screwed them to the These overhang the cove molding 1/" place.
8
sides flush with the back, see Fig. 3. on the front and sides, see Fig. 4a.
Now with the cove molding in But there is no profile routed on their
1
place, I added / "-thick top and edges. And since I didn t want screws
2
NOTE: Rout ends first
1 2
using backing board
a. NOTE: Rout
DIVIDER
front and side
D
Backing
edges only
board
E
!/2"
cove bit
Use !/2"
spacer cove bit
E
to keep
COVE MOLDING
assembly square
TOP
4"
4
3
10"
F
COVE
MOLDING
E
a.
Use
brads
E
a.
to align
top and
!/8"
CROSS bottom
SECTION
F
E
#/4"
!/8"
#6 x 1!/4" Fh
&/8"
shoulder
woodscrew
From Woodsmith Magazine page 3 of 6 ©2003 August Home Publishing
All rights reserved One copy for personal use. Other copies prohibited.
NOTE: Glass and
stops are added
after staining
Frame
GLASS STOP
is complete
(see box below)
Now that the basic body of the clock
H
is complete, I turned my attention to
!/8" x 6!/8" x6!/8"
the frame that holds the glass, see glass
drawing at right. This is a simple
mitered frame that fits the opening
above the divider and stands a little
&/8"
proud of the sides (1/").
8
7!/2"
FRAME PIECES. To begin, I ripped the
frame pieces (G) to width (7/") from
8
G
1
/"-thick stock, see drawing at right.
2
FRAME PIECES
But before mitering these pieces to
(!/2"-thick)
final length, there s a little shaping
that needs to be done on the router.
1
First, I routed a / " roundover
8
along both outside edges of each
frame piece, see detail  a at right.
Next, to hold the 1/ "-thick glass
8
7!/2"
NOTE:
and the 1/"-thick glass stops, I routed Miter frame
4
pieces from
a rabbet along the inside edge of each
extra-long
!/2"
!/2"- thick blanks
piece, see detail  b at right. Note:
Because this rabbet is 3/"-deep, I d
8
recommend routing it in two passes. a. b.
FRAME PIECE
When the rabbet is routed, the G
Router
!/2"
&/8"
!/4"
fence
frame pieces can be mitered to size,
Router
fence
see drawing. Here, you want a snug
G
#/8"
fit, so after mitering one end of each,
I cut each piece to length so it fit the
!/8" round-
opening exactly.
over bit !/2" straight bit
ASSEMBLY. Now the frame can be
glued together. But don t glue it into
the body at this point. It will be easier these strips can be dangerous. insert in the table saw, see box below.
to make and fit the glass stops before Because they re so small, they can With the stops routed, they can be
the frame is in place. get hung up in the insert plate on the mitered to fit the rabbet in the frame.
GLASS STOPS. The glass stops (H) table saw, and there s potential for But I didn t glue the frame or tack in
are simply 1/ "-thick quarter round kickback. So I started with oversize the stops quite yet. Instead, I waited
4
strips, see drawing above. But making blanks and used a zero clearance until after the clock had been stained.
QUARTER ROUND MOLDING
NOTE: Use
zero-clearance
Blank for
insert plate
Rip
glass stops
!/4"
fence
Router !/4"
fence
GLASS
STOP
H
#/4"
#/8"
!/4" round-
over bit
To hold a piece of glass in a frame, I often use small strips of quar- the blank is a simple, two-step procedure. First, 3/"-deep kerfs
8
ter round, see photo above. But routing and ripping thin strips are cut 1/" from the rounded edges, see center drawing. (To be
4
can be dangerous, so I use oversize blanks. safe, be sure to use a zero-clearance insert plate in your table saw.)
First, I cut a 3/"-thick blank roughly 2" wide. Then to create Next, the blank can be stood on edge, and the molding strips
4
the 1/" round profile, I rout two edges with a 1/" round-over bit, can be cut away, see right drawing. Just make sure they fall to
4 4
see left drawing above. Now, cutting the quarter round strips from the waste side of the blade.
From Woodsmith Magazine page 4 of 6 ©2003 August Home Publishing
All rights reserved One copy for personal use. Other copies prohibited.
Movement BACK
support K
Movement Support
At this point, the body of the clock is
almost complete. All that s left is to
mount the movement and add a back.
MOVEMENT SUPPORT. To mount the
movement, I took a slightly unusual
approach. The clock face and quartz
movement are attached to a move-
ment support that simply slides in the
opening in the back, see drawing. Quartz
movement
This way, if you ever need to get at
Clock
the hands in front, all you have to do hands
is slide the movement support out
through the back of the clock body.
a.
FRONT. To make the movement sup- Clock
Quartz
face
movement
port, I cut a support front (I) from
1
/"-thick plywood, see Fig. 5. The size
4
Clock
of this piece depends on the opening hands
inside the clock. I cut my front to fit
the opening exactly (71/" x 71/"), and
2 2
then trimmed it slightly so it would
slide in without too much trouble.
The only thing that needs to be
done to this front piece is to drill a
When the sides are glued to the (K), see drawing below. This 1/"-thick
4
5
/ "-dia. hole in the center. This is for
16
front, the movement support is com- plywood piece is cut to fit the opening
mounting the quartz movement, refer
plete. But I waited to add the quartz in back. And to make it easy to
to detail  a above right.
movement until after the clock had remove, I drilled a small finger hole.
SIDES. Next, I cut two support
been finished. At that point, adding Then to hold the back in place, I
sides (J), see Fig. 5. These match
the movement is just a matter of used brass turn buttons that are
the height of the front. But more
feeding its post through the front and screwed to the back of the sides.
importantly, their widths put them
the clock face and securing them with To complete the body of the clock,
flush with the back of the divider
a nut, see detail  a above. Then the all that s left to add are four 3/"-dia. felt
4
when the support is slid inside the
hands can be attached to the post. pads, see drawing below. But again,
clock. (Mine were 2" wide. But this
BACK. The last piece that needs to be I waited to do this until after building
may vary depending on the thickness
added to the clock body is a back the drawer and finishing the clock.
of your clock face.)
5
NOTE: Back
SUPPORT SIDE
is cut from
(!/2" thick)
!/4"- thick plywood
J
Brass
turn-
button
2"
7!/2"
7!/2"
7!/2"
9#/4"
BACK
#4 x !/2"
K
Fh woodscrew
%/16"-dia.
hole
I
SUPPORT FRONT
(!/4"- thick plywood)
NOTE: Movement,
7!/2"
NOTE:
turnbuttons, and felt
#/4"-dia.
Center hole for
pads are added after
felt pad
clock movement
finishing is complete
From Woodsmith Magazine page 5 of 6 ©2003 August Home Publishing
All rights reserved One copy for personal use. Other copies prohibited.
Drawer
NOTE: Drawer
At this point, the only thing left to
front is !/2" thick,
all other parts
add is a drawer, see drawing. Like
are !/4" thick
BACK
the frame on the clock, this drawer
N
SIDE
stands slightly proud (1/"), see detail
8
M
 b .
BOTTOM
Another thing to note is that this
6!/2"
(!/4"-thick plywood)
drawer is shallow, so there won t be O
much binding as it s slid in and out.
1#/4"
Because of this, I built the drawer to
fit the opening exactly. Then I sanded
7!/2"
it until it slid smoothly.
6#/4"
1
1#/4"
FRONT. I started by cutting the /"-
2
2!/2"
thick front (L) to fit the opening, see
drawing.
2#/4"
1#/4"
Next, to hold the 1/"-thick sides, I
4
M
!/2"-dia.
SIDE
cut two 1/"-deep dadoes on the back FRONT
4
studded
L
face of the front, see detail  a . (These
brass knob
are inset so the sides fit inside the
a. b.
clock.) Then after the dadoes were
cut, I routed a 1/" roundover on the !/8"
8 M Drawer
TOP
N
bottom
VIEW
front s outside edges.
!/4"
1
SIDES & BACK. Now, the / "-thick !/8"- deep
4
!/4"
groove
!/4"
sides (M) and back (N) can be cut !/4"
!/4"
to size, see drawing.
!/8"
1
To hold a / "-thick plywood
4
!/2"
L
bottom, I added a 1/"-deep groove in
8
DRAWER
all the pieces, see detail  b . But you
FRONT CROSS SECTION
don t want this groove visible on the
ends of the drawer front, so to pre- FINISH. Then to finish the clock, I
c.
Dado
vent this, rout a stopped groove highlighted the curly maple with a
BACK VIEW
for side
between the dadoes, see detail  c . water-base aniline dye and applied a
!/4"- wide
Now the bottom (O) can be cut to wipe-on finish.
stopped groove
size, and the drawer can be glued Now, all that s left to complete the
together. (The back simply butts drawer is to add a 1/"-dia. brass knob !/4"
L
2 DRAWER FRONT
W
between the sides, see detail  a .) to the front.
MATERIALS
CUTTING DIAGRAM
CLOCK BODY
!/2" x 4!/2" - 48" Maple (1.5 Sq. Ft.)
A Sides (2) !/2 x 3!/4 - 9#/4
GG
A
B Stops (2) !/2 x #/8 - 10 rgh. F F
J J
C Drawer Guides (2) !/4 x 2!/4 -1#/4
D Divider (1) !/2 x 3 - 7!/2
!/2" x 4!/2" - 48" Maple (1.5 Sq. Ft.)
E Cove Molding (2) #/4 x 3&/8 - 9#/4
L M M N
D
A
C C B
F Top/Bottom (2) !/2 x 4 - 10
G Frame Pieces (4) !/2 x &/8 - 8 rgh.
H Glass Stops (2) !/2 x 2 - 7 rgh.
#/4" x 4!/2" - 30" Maple (.94 Bd. Ft.)
MOVEMENT SUPPORT
H
Also needed:
EE
12" x 16" piece of
I Support Front (1) !/4 ply. - 7!/2 x 7!/2 H
!/4"-thick plywood
J Support Sides (2) !/2 x 2 - 7!/2
K Back (1) !/4 ply. - 7!/2 x 9#/4
SUPPLIES
DRAWER
L Front (1) !/2 x 1#/4 - 7!/2
" (8) #6 x 1!/4" Fh Woodscrews
" (1 pr.) 2#/4"-Long  Terry Clock Hands
M Sides (2) !/4 x 1#/4 - 2#/4
" (1) !/8" Glass (6!/8" x 6!/8")
" (4) Brass Turnbuckles with Screws
N Back (1) !/4 x 1#/4 - 6!/2
" (1) Quartz Clock Movement
" (1) !/2"-dia. Studded Brass Knob
O Bottom (1) !/4 ply. - 2!/2 x 6#/4
" (1) 7!/2" x 7!/2" Clock Face
" (4) #/4"-dia. Felt Pads
From Woodsmith Magazine page 6 of 6 ©2003 August Home Publishing
All rights reserved One copy for personal use. Other copies prohibited.