tambour mantel clock

[bill godber]

I'm looking for some plans for a smaller tambour style mantel clock and after many many searches of the web I've come up with nothing.Really all I need is a sense of the proportions of the thing.It should be about ten inches wide with the proper looking height proportion. Something like this one

mason-key-wound-mantel-clock-by-howard-miller-1.png

Can anyone point me to something like this?

[justin sherriff]

if that is 10 inch wide I came up with 5 inch tall and 3 1/3 clock face.
I i just zoomed in and measured the screen.

[John K Jordan]

What makes a clock a "tambour" clock - is it just the shape at the top?

I have this clock, I know my grandmother had it so it may be close to 100 years old.

There is a partial label on the bottom, from what is left:

T......bour No. 17
.......Haven Clock Co
.......aven Conn
.......U.S.A.

mantle_clock.jpg

The base is 15-3/4" by 4-1/2"
Height is about 10-1/2"
Diameter of circle is 7-3/8"

Looks like the body is sawn from one block of wood, no veneer.
There is a 1/4" thick piece cut to the same shape and glued to the front.
On top of that is glued a 1/4" thick ring to hold the clock face frame which is about 5-1/2" diameter
Looks like the molding on the sides and front are cut from 1-1/4" square stock and inset into the body
The feet are 1-1/4x1".
The back is two 1/4" flat panels cut to fit inside the body with a vertical door in the center.

JKJ

[William Fretwell]

My grandparents had such a clock with a lovely smooth sweep, from the era of handlebar moustaches. It could survive the German blitz without jumping off the mantelpiece as the bombs fell. Must have been bought before 1920. There was a recess in the back to keep the key, I got to wind it under close supervision lest I over wind it!
Hard to remember but there may have been a small sweep up at the ends.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm looking for some plans for a smaller tambour style mantel clock and after many many searches of the web I've come up with nothing.Really all I need is a sense of the proportions of the thing.It should be about ten inches wide with the proper looking height proportion.
[edited]

This is a request which seems to appear once in a while about many different kinds of projects.

Bill, the first thing to come to my mind is for what purpose this clock is being considered?

Throughout the ages many have used what is often called the Golden Ratio. If the item is 10" wide, then the height should be 6.18"

My first project with this method of dimensioning was a tea cabinet. It used a recently made gauge:

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?223546

One doesn't have to make the gauge to come up with the dimensions.

Another way my work progresses toward finalizing dimensions is to make a dummy model. In other words, use a piece of 10" long 2X material and cut out a circle from another piece of wood and see how it looks. Shims from other pieces of scrap can be used to elevate the circle (clock face) to see how it appears. Resize and repeat as needed until something satisfies your senses.

jtk

[Tom Bender]

Hi Bill
Here you have the opportunity to express your own creativity.

The starting point is to get the clockworks and face. That scales the whole thing.

Then work out the amount of wood you want to show above the face. Your picture shows a fairly refined look where John's is more substantial. Your planned type of wood, finish and edge treatment should guide you here.

The depth of the clock must be enough to contain the works of course, but may be more to give the clock stability and gravitas. It can be more decorative than just the plain bandsaw look of these two, but this look is traditional and pleasing.

The wings can be any shape you choose from the wide swings in your picture to straight down.

The base trim and feet will give the clock the look of well crafted furniture.