Mini clocks: Craftsman and Mantel

We have this really gorgeous Craftsman style clock on our fireplace mantel, an anniversary gift from quite a few years ago. It’s a Schlabaugh & Sons clock with Motawi handcrafted tile, and it looks like they are still making them. I thought it would be fun to try making a mini version. The original is 14' high, but my mini clock is just under 6' high. I sized it to fit a watch face from a cheap watch I bought on Amazon–the face is 35mm in diameter. Then I made a tile for the lower section using the colored pencil on copper method that I used for this item.

I used Proofgrade cherry plywood and veneer for the project. I think if I make another clock I will choose wood with a finer grain so it will look more in scale. It was pretty challenging to come up with a method for removing the clock face for setting the time and changing the battery. I ended up embedding the tile and the clock on a Canson watercolor artboard, with Sewell Airstick microsuction tape behind the watch face to create temporary hold (works great!). Then the whole assembly snaps in place inside the open-bottomed clock with magnets in each corner.

I then got another idea for a clock, and got a little smarter this time. I found a mini clock face that is also 35mm in diameter but much better suited for making clocks. Decided to make a classic mantel clock with the curvy top. At first I thought I’d use a living hinge for the curve, but decided instead to construct the clock from layers of PG plywood (walnut in this case) and walnut veneer on a curve. I made the little decorative strip along the front and sides by 3D engraving a file that featured a row of spheres.

Photos below show the original clock as well as the two new ones with banana for scale.