Some recent clocks from my shop

[Brian Decker]

Not sure how intereste d anyone will be but it never hurts to share what projects we have going   These clocks have brass movements built from kits - my focus now is on developin g a tradition al wood gear movement to go into a long case style clock.  There was a gentleman named Luman Watson who was among the first clockmake rs here in Cincinnat i in the early 1800's and I am inspired by his work.  He was the first to show that even with a wood gear movement it was possible to build an accurate, beautiful and reliable clock.

Carved "coffin" clock:
 

 

Skeleton table clock:
 

Wall clocks:
 

 

[ArtF]

You sir, are a craftsman ...


Art

[Mooselake]

Amazing!  The celtic art is impressiv e.

Did you do all this by hand?

Kirk

[Brian Decker]

Did you do all this by hand?

This is one of those sticky questions that often devolve into flame wars on the woodworki ng forums
Most of the woodworke rs I know have some subjectiv e level of tools that qualify as "ok" or "not ok" to use - I think they are all arbitrary .  I've a great friend who makes amazing furniture in a shop that could be right out of the 1800's - other than some seriously large planers and tablesaws he uses to rough out his own lumber.  Everythin g else is literally "done by hand".  My shop is on the other end of the spectrum - I think the lights in the neighborh ood probably flicker when I'm in my shop   Other than finish sanding and measuring I can't say I do much with hand tools.  I'm not sure if either of us is any less a woodworke r - we just use different tools and technique s to get there. 

The carvings are initially cut with my shopbot - but that is only the first step.  There is a great deal of finishing work and sanding required to actually finish the carvings after they come off the bot.  The inside cuts of the Triqueta cutouts are especiall y time consuming as the best method I've come up with is to "shoeshine" the inner faces with strips of sandpaper .  For my shop it just comes down to time and efficienc y - if I were to carve everythin g by hand I'd lose so much money to time I'd never make any money. 

[dansfoundry]

Brian very nice work. I think you are preaching to the choir so to speak. I use to make things by hand because it was the only thing available . Nobody can afford what I did by hand even when I only charged two dollars an hour I have welcomed technolog y with open arms. Even if you have all the gadgets in the world you still need a sense of design and you have that. Dan

[BobL]

Brian;

 I'd say your technique is working out just fine, keep paying the electric bill, it is obvious you'll be fine.

 Nice work.

Cheers
Bob

[Ken_Shea]

That's some seriously nice work, Brian.
Love the little skeleton table clock.

Ken