M4 "Post-n-Beam" Clock

amazing.
great idea to match the home.
And the home owner loves it, I’m sure!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Wow great construction. The layout of the inlay stripes into the gears show great planning. Your own design or was it a plans for the clock motor.

I realize the case was your design.

The use of Rocks for the weights is also very unique.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Max
that is beautiful, tell us more. (if you have time of course)

-- Jiri

Karson,
Thanks for your kind words. The design/plan is entirely my own. This one was difficult because of its size. The clock frame must be disassembled many times in order to fit the gears properly. That’s tedious work! Re: the rocks…I searched for a weight system that would integrate with the owner’s home i.e., the stone fireplace. I walked the shores of Lake Ontario (at Sodus Point) for hours to fine these two gems. The owner’s lady friend calls them “Elephanttitus.” As it turns out, the owner prefers a more traditional weight system so, we’re redesigning that aspect of this project. I plan to take this design into production and sell in the timber frame home industry.

-- Max the "night janitor" at www.hardwoodclocks.com

Amazing and great to look at. How well does it keep time? :) Not that I would care (if I where the owner)

-- "so much to learn and so little time"..

That’s an impressive piece!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

You write about using jigs. Is that for drawing the outline on the wood or are you using a router system to cut the wheels.

Show us a few pictures of the jigs that you use. Or post a project on just the jigs.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Snowdog,
It’s been running for two days now and already the new owner tells me that he has it accurate to the minute per day. Max

-- Max the "night janitor" at www.hardwoodclocks.com

Karson,
I have created a mountain of jigs to assist in the clock build. Took about 6 months to design and build the jigs alone. The router is the main staple in cutting the gears accurately. I’m in the process of putting a book together (How to!) which will discuss the entire process for those willing to take on the project. Too much to post here.

-- Max the "night janitor" at www.hardwoodclocks.com

I would love to get a copy of that book when you’re done. Your work is stellar. Just seeing some of the jigs would be quite the education.

-- Working at Woodworking www.VillageLaneFurniture.com

An absolutely awesome display of craftsmanship. I’m completely impressed and like Russel I’d like to see the book just education on the jigs…always looking to learn new things.

-- Jim Hallada, Chesterfield, VA

This is a really amazing piece of work. Congratulations!

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Great timepiece! I don’t suppose you have a wrist version? ha. I like the rocks, too bad the owner wants to redesign that.. Incredible work.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

Keep us all posted on your book. If you want someone to proof read it, I’m willing to give it a try. I’m not the english grammer person but I do know a bit about working with some wood and if I can understand it. Then most people could also.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Wow, that’s great. I had a wooden clock kit as a young lad and loved it. Top notch.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

Very impressive, great detail and plenty to keep you looking at the time. This is a great piece.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3 http://www.portablesawmill.biz/concrete/

Excellent work.

-- Chelle http://artsgranddaughter.blogspot.com

Yes, your work is awesome to say the least. I have also seen your web site in the past. Great stuff. Your idea’s on jigging up the grain of the gears to run in the right direction is taking it to the limit. Way ahead of some of the other clock guys I have seen. I have a copy of the Burgess Wooden Clock plan, by B.R. Law (1981) It has always intimidated me. So I guess I am another candidate for your book when completed. Thanks for sharing..

-- Brian's Table Top Toys http://home.mountaincable.net/~bgraham/

Excellent work! An eye for detail. Hope you kept more than a picture.

-- Marty Ohio

Awesome! I love this kind of stuff…I don’t know what the attraction is for me with wooden wheels, gears, weights, and so on, but this is the type of project that demonstrates so well the precision that can be achieved in wooden machinery. WELL DONE!

-- Jon

Yes, I agree with JonJ here as well. Anything that is rustic and uses natural items in the construction is great in my view. As for your book…If you’ll sign the copy then put me down for one!

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

Now that’s what I call a clock! Great work.

-- John

Great stuff Max. Really, really fine.

-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.

Great clock Max! I have just recieved some clock plans from Clayton Boyer and and trying to learn all I can before I begin construction. Your workmanship is topnotch and the design is great. Keep up the good work and I too would be interested in your forthcoming book.
Bruce

-- Bruce Ebling

This is the kind of work i like to see . Thats a lot of great imagination. beautiful work .

-- John in Belgrave ,(Slideshow http://cid-69bce320c6d8b119.spaces.live.com/ (Website) http://www.extremebirdhouse.com

Fantastic Work!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Charlie I would love to have one of these clocks. It is extremely beautiful, but was this made entirely out of one 2×4?

-- Jamie, Kentucky

Stunning. And it keeps accurate time, what a bonus. Great job.

Jamie,
I posted the M4 clock to the “2×4 winter contest” before I read through all the rules. I’m retracting the entry with some embarrassment! The clock is certainly made with some cedar 2×4 but, plenty of other woods are also included which excludes me! I’m sorry for the mistaken entry and I apologize. Max

-- Max the "night janitor" at www.hardwoodclocks.com

No problem Charles, I would still vote for your clock. I really like it.

-- Jamie, Kentucky

Great clock. I wish I had that kind of skill on gears!

-- He said wood...http://hickbyassociation.blogspot.com/

Charles, you aren’t alone. I started my entry, and upon a re-reading of the rules had to drop, too.

Beautiful work Max!

-- Krisztian VA My website: www.vacarpentry.com

Wow, what a great piece of work, I am humbled by your skill, knowledge, patience and attention to detail that was required to makes this a working clock. Fantastic!

-- Colin, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. "Every craftsman was once an amateur"

do you have enough time to make another version out of a 2×4?
Great clock, contest notwithstanding.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

This one is great but it’s not made from a 2×4 is it?

I see other kinds of wood in there.

-- It's better to have people think you're stupid rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Every now and then it’s nice to be backed down a few notches of ego as you work to perfect your skills and master your chosen art form with a critique, observation, technical note, etc. I’m so sorry, but I can’t provide you with this service today … This piece is just too outstanding!

If we ever end up in our log cabin, timber frame home, or there’s a possibility of an underground structure with a variety of facades on the face to create a unique rustic style we’ll have a place for a piece like this.

I could see myself just sitting in front of one of these and watching the mechanisms operate for hours. These seem capable of hypnotizing someone, repeated ticking of wood would probably put me right to sleep, which right now at 4am is something I could really use.

Great piece!

-- Eric M. Saperstein, Master Craftsman www.artisansofthevalley.com

A real beauty well done

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

This is total cool. My parents bought me a wooden clock kit when I was around 6yrs old. It was quite a lot of fun putting it together and getting the wooden pens and pedglum and weights just right. They also bought me tinker toys and erector sets. I guess that is why I study architectual design and engineering in high school and college. Thanks for the memories….

-- Feel the wood and let it tell you what to make of it.