Arts & Crafts WALL CLOCK

My mission to create a Craftsman clock on the table saw

- Derek Richmond

The Arts & Crafts (or Mission) style has always appealed to me. I find myself drawn to its typically simple, clean lines and unobscured wood grain. So, when my wife requested a striking clock for our living room, I had a good idea of where to start my design. I also had just acquired a new table saw and wanted to take advantage of all that tool has to offer. Several sketches and a mock-up later, I had developed the clock shown here. True to the Arts & Crafts style, it’s made from quartersawn white oak and, while not a reproduction, incorporates a lot of key A&C elements.

What’s more, it can be built entirely on the table saw, from its beveled crown and base to the case and door joinery. Perhaps the most challenging part of the build is creating the coved panels that make up the case sides. See p. 26 for more information on cutting coves. The through-slots in the sides reflect the style and provide sound holes for the chimes. They also allow light to reach the mechanism’s day/night sensor, which prevents chiming at night. The electronic mechanism (see Buyer’s Guide, p. 62) also features a pendulum and several chime options.

Functional, elegant, evocative

The coved and slotted side panels are joined to the case top and bottom with rabbet-and-dado joints. The glass-paneled door is assembled with half-lap joints and is flanked by two face stiles adorned with saw-kerf shadow lines. The partial back panel allows easy access to the interior for battery changes, while the French cleat under the crown makes for secure hanging.

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