The CarveWright Mantle Clock - January 2013 Project of the Month

[Bigtyme]

Finally got around to finishing the Mantle Clock. The clock will be donated to the local Family Literacy Auction in April. I have built them something every year for the last 15 years or so and the clock will be paired with a serving tray this year (I have it designed, but yet to be carved). I hope it raises a few dollars for them. It is an extremely worthy cause and they serve a lot of people every year....

[mtylerfl]

Wow, John! The Oak looks great and really steps it up a few notches!

Thank you for your thoughtfulness and dedication to donate items for auction to such a worthy cause. Very commendable, indeed!

[Bigtyme]

Thanks Michael,
The clock is actually made of ash, but it sure does look like a tighter grained oak. I usually build furniture of some type for this auction, but since I bought my CW, I really like to come up with something that may fit the pocketbooks of most of the attendees a little better. This organization is one of my favorite charities as they serve several thousand folks a year helping them learn how to read or deal with a reading impediment. I have always felt if you can't read, you will have a tough road ahead, no matter what else you have going for you.

Thank you for the kind words....You just keep doing the super job you do with the POMs and I will always haver something to put in the auction

[dltccf]

Finished the mantle clock, I used select pine from the big box store and the label said it came from Sweden. It was really stringy and made for a carve that was terrible to sand and make look decent. If I do another I will try something that doesn't need stained. I actually tossed it aside months ago because of the sanding. I have no idea what kind of wood that 'pine' was but I want to use no more of it... Ever.

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[SharonB]

It might have taken some sanding but your clock looks very nice. I especially like the clock face you used. I don't know why the US can't produce enough pine instead of all those imports. Some of the last pine I purchased came from New Zealand and it seemed softer than pine from the US or Canada.

[Smoken D]

It does look like all the work came out great. Here in Missouri where I live pine cost me more than Oak, Walnut, Maple, or Cherry, go figure

[Dan-Woodman]

Just call it a "protoype". The important thing is you still have the file , so maybe you can find a piece of walnut oneday and make another.

[mtylerfl]

Finished the mantle clock, I used select pine from the big box store and the label said it came from Sweden. It was really stringy and made for a carve that was terrible to sand and make look decent. If I do another I will try something that doesn't need stained. I actually tossed it aside months ago because of the sanding. I have no idea what kind of wood that 'pine' was but I want to use no more of it... Ever.

The clock turned out great! Can't tell from the photo that you had "sanding issues".

Yeah - wood! Big Box stores never know what wood they'll get next. I have the same issues you describe, but with Poplar. I have friends who "swear" by Poplar, but the stuff we get here yields bad fuzzies when machined. Someone told me there are 30-something wood species that come under the generic title of "Poplar" (I don't know if that's true or not). I suppose different parts of the country get "good" or "bad" Poplar, depending on location and source.

I still have exceedingly good experiences with the Select Pine from my local Lowes store. Carves very well and not much prep/sanding required. Hit it with the yellow 3M wheels and I'm good to go.

SmokenD...
My source for Maple was a local cabinet shop...went to get re-supplied awhile back and found they had gone out of business. Too bad...Maple was cheaper than the Select Pine I buy at Lowes. I think I may have found another hardwood source, but an hour's drive away (Savannah). A local CW user clued me in on it about a week ago and he says I'm going to love the place!