Dome Clock - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

Neal Moore · 10-15-2007, 05:05 PM

Just curious if anyone here has built the Dome Clock from Wildwood Designs? I ordered the pattern, movement and other required hardware and everything arrived in two days. I'm really not "in" to building construction type projects but this beast has had my interest for a couple years and I just had to try it. If anyone has attempted this project I would appreciate any tips, based on your experience, you have to offer before I get started. I plan to cut everything except the base floor and contrasting trim from 1/4 inch oak. The base floor will be 3/4 inch BB ply as it won't be visible in the completed clock. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!

3_M · 10-15-2007, 06:26 PM

Neal, here is the Dome clock I made. I used 3/4" plywood on the back, so it would hold up good, the same for the bottom. I cut it mainly from 1/4" oak and stained it with Watco. The lamp post are made from Walnut.
Mike

Pajaro · 10-15-2007, 06:31 PM

Have fun Neal. See you in a couple of years when you finish

3_M · 10-15-2007, 07:57 PM

Pajaro,
There is a lot of stack cutting you can do, what shortens the time a lot.
Mike

Steviegwood · 10-15-2007, 09:47 PM

Hi Neal, I believe that Bill Young has done a couple of those dome clocks if memory serves me right. I have admired those clocks along with that grandfather clock that stands about six feet high. I have never gotten the nerve to try a project of that size yet. I wish you the best of luck on that project and hope that you keep us posted as you progress on it. Steve

3_M · 10-15-2007, 10:40 PM

Steve,

That Grand Father clock is on my web site 6'2" tall with over 4000 inside cuts. Did it in 96 hours and was burned out for two weeks.
I Know that there are quite a few who made the Dom Clock.

Mike

popsshop · 10-16-2007, 12:40 AM

Neal
Fred, here

I built the Dome Clock AND the extra base. Sucker turned out huge. Also put colored gells in the "room windows", covered the back like Mike did, put in a mechanical chime clock movement, and added over 100 lights to it (on a dimmer). Customer was extra pleased with the way it turned out.

Somewhere I have a picture of it if you would like to see it.

The absolute only problem I had with the instructions was where the made an error in the angle of cut for the dome sections. (the angle they gave was a "total" angle - not one for each side).

Let your imagination run wild in picking the wood, adding bells and whistles, and such. This is YOUR clock. Enjoy.

fred

JamesHuntsville · 10-16-2007, 02:00 AM

Hi Neal,
This Dome clock is made from 100% North Carolina Cherry. There is no plywood in the construction and there was no stack cutting. Every piece was cut individually. All the cherry was resawn and dimensioned from 4/4 rough sawmill stock. You will enjoy making this clock. The only suggestion I can make is double check all your pattern measurements before cutting. The pattern I found to be very good overall but did find a couple of minor mistakes. These were easy to compensate for and adjust. It took a lot of blades and about 200 hours of cutting and assembly. I used the FD-2/0 blade, probably one of the best blades for this type of fret cutting. Enjoy and take your time. I finished this clock with BLO and gloss laquer. It will be well worth your time.

James Huntsville, TX.

This is without the additional base,

This is with added base,

north wood clocks · 10-16-2007, 02:48 AM

Hi Neal
I enjoyed making that pattern, it was the first big clock I made. The bottom is quite straightforward. The second layer of the dome has some compound cutting, make some practice fits and get the geometry right before you do all the scrollwork.
Good luck and have fun. Look forward to seeing your finished work.
North Wood clocks

Neal Moore · 10-16-2007, 03:07 PM

Thanx to everyone!! Really enjoyed seeing the photos of the ones you have completed. I suppose I'd better contact Mike and restock some blades soon. There is a Moulding mill about a mile down the road from me that stocks 1/4" x 5 1/2" x 12' oak mullion strips that are finished sanded on both sides. Guess I'll use that and edge glue to get the widths I need. Probably use walnut for contrasting trim. Thanks again and I really appreciate the input. Now to go clean the shop and make some room on my bench so I can asemble this thing as I go!!!

10-15-2007, 05:05 PM	#1
Neal Moore Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cottageville, West Virginia Posts: 1,077	Dome Clock Just curious if anyone here has built the Dome Clock from Wildwood Designs? I ordered the pattern, movement and other required hardware and everything arrived in two days. I'm really not "in" to building construction type projects but this beast has had my interest for a couple years and I just had to try it. If anyone has attempted this project I would appreciate any tips, based on your experience, you have to offer before I get started. I plan to cut everything except the base floor and contrasting trim from 1/4 inch oak. The base floor will be 3/4 inch BB ply as it won't be visible in the completed clock. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!! __________________ If it don't fit, don't force it....get a bigger hammer!!

10-15-2007, 06:26 PM	#2
3_M Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Brandon, SD Posts: 673	Neal, here is the Dome clock I made. I used 3/4" plywood on the back, so it would hold up good, the same for the bottom. I cut it mainly from 1/4" oak and stained it with Watco. The lamp post are made from Walnut. Mike __________________ Home of the FD Blades

10-15-2007, 06:31 PM	#3
Pajaro Going back to who I am. Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: How can you have fun in a place where dogs aren't allowed. Posts: 2,124 Blog Entries: 1	dome clock. Have fun Neal. See you in a couple of years when you finish __________________ Pájaro Pete Hombre del pájaro www.pajarostudiowns.com Member " Scrollsaw Association of the world " Excalibur EX-21 fanatic One of the Chosen few "If you play with things that can eat you, you're going to get eaten" (Tarzan) . "

10-15-2007, 07:57 PM	#4
3_M Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Brandon, SD Posts: 673	Pajaro, There is a lot of stack cutting you can do, what shortens the time a lot. Mike __________________ Home of the FD Blades

10-15-2007, 09:47 PM	#5
Steviegwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Arthur, WV Posts: 2,179	Hi Neal, I believe that Bill Young has done a couple of those dome clocks if memory serves me right. I have admired those clocks along with that grandfather clock that stands about six feet high. I have never gotten the nerve to try a project of that size yet. I wish you the best of luck on that project and hope that you keep us posted as you progress on it. Steve __________________ If This HillBilly Can't Fix it Then it Ain't Broke!!! My Gallery steve03@frontiernet.net

10-15-2007, 10:40 PM	#6
3_M Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Brandon, SD Posts: 673	Steve, That Grand Father clock is on my web site 6'2" tall with over 4000 inside cuts. Did it in 96 hours and was burned out for two weeks. I Know that there are quite a few who made the Dom Clock. Mike __________________ Home of the FD Blades

10-16-2007, 12:40 AM	#7
popsshop Scroller Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Duluth, GA Posts: 127	Neal Fred, here I built the Dome Clock AND the extra base. Sucker turned out huge. Also put colored gells in the "room windows", covered the back like Mike did, put in a mechanical chime clock movement, and added over 100 lights to it (on a dimmer). Customer was extra pleased with the way it turned out. Somewhere I have a picture of it if you would like to see it. The absolute only problem I had with the instructions was where the made an error in the angle of cut for the dome sections. (the angle they gave was a "total" angle - not one for each side). Let your imagination run wild in picking the wood, adding bells and whistles, and such. This is YOUR clock. Enjoy. fred __________________ Fred aka Pop's Shop Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain!.

10-16-2007, 02:00 AM	#8
JamesHuntsville Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 58	Hi Neal, This Dome clock is made from 100% North Carolina Cherry. There is no plywood in the construction and there was no stack cutting. Every piece was cut individually. All the cherry was resawn and dimensioned from 4/4 rough sawmill stock. You will enjoy making this clock. The only suggestion I can make is double check all your pattern measurements before cutting. The pattern I found to be very good overall but did find a couple of minor mistakes. These were easy to compensate for and adjust. It took a lot of blades and about 200 hours of cutting and assembly. I used the FD-2/0 blade, probably one of the best blades for this type of fret cutting. Enjoy and take your time. I finished this clock with BLO and gloss laquer. It will be well worth your time. James Huntsville, TX. This is without the additional base, This is with added base, Last edited by JamesHuntsville; 10-16-2007 at 02:02 AM.

10-16-2007, 02:48 AM	#9
north wood clocks Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Saskatchewan Canada Posts: 122	Hi Neal I enjoyed making that pattern, it was the first big clock I made. The bottom is quite straightforward. The second layer of the dome has some compound cutting, make some practice fits and get the geometry right before you do all the scrollwork. Good luck and have fun. Look forward to seeing your finished work. North Wood clocks

10-16-2007, 03:07 PM	#10
Neal Moore Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cottageville, West Virginia Posts: 1,077	Thanx to everyone!! Really enjoyed seeing the photos of the ones you have completed. I suppose I'd better contact Mike and restock some blades soon. There is a Moulding mill about a mile down the road from me that stocks 1/4" x 5 1/2" x 12' oak mullion strips that are finished sanded on both sides. Guess I'll use that and edge glue to get the widths I need. Probably use walnut for contrasting trim. Thanks again and I really appreciate the input. Now to go clean the shop and make some room on my bench so I can asemble this thing as I go!!! __________________ If it don't fit, don't force it....get a bigger hammer!!

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