My first project with an actual purpose

I've decided to make a few wooden clocks for Christmas gifts on my CNC router, it's been a good opportunity to get familiar with my machine a Hermes Vanguard engraving machine I converted into a gantry router with LinuxCNC controls. The parts look fairly complex but in reality could have been made on a scroll saw, after taking into account the time spent programming, setting up the machine and making a few mistakes a scroll saw would have been significantly faster. I used 1/4 and 1/8 end mills mostly and an engraving tool for the numbers I'm still gaining confidence in my machine and learning how hard I can push the tools without undesired consequences. I did use a drill press for some of the holes. I turned the few metal parts on a manual tool room lathe at work, the rest was all done on my converted engraving machine.

Looking good!
Thanks for sharing.

The parts look fairly complex but in reality could have been made on a scroll saw, after taking into account the time spent programming, setting up the machine and making a few mistakes a scroll saw would have been significantly faster.

Perhaps the first time. A friend of mine is a very talented woodworker who decided to build a cnc router table. He was new to CAD, CNC, etc. and this was his reaction on his first projects. However now that he has mastered the design end he can tackle even complicated projects with confidence and speed.

Rick G

I might just have to make myself one of those some time. (Now where did I put that box of round-tuits.)

very nice , no doubt a few lessons learnt .
thanks for sharing

Rick wrote:

Looking good!
Thanks for sharing.

Perhaps the first time. A friend of mine is a very talented woodworker who decided to build a cnc router table. He was new to CAD, CNC, etc. and this was his reaction on his first projects. However now that he has mastered the design end he can tackle even complicated projects with confidence and speed.

Rick G

If I make more clocks the CNC will be faster for subsequent builds and yield less scrap for sure, now that the programming and fixturing is done. I only mentioned the scroll saw to point out that for this project CNC accuracy isn't necessary, but where a scroll saw might be quicker for one off projects that don't demand accuracy in the thousandths, surely if I'd started cutting parts on a scroll saw I'd have one incomplete clock instead of two finished clocks. Patience favors an automated machine.

Concerning the plans, if there is genuine interest I can direct others to the designer's website where you may purchase a set of plans of your own, I'd be willing to share some of the discoveries I made in building the clocks where the plans are inadequate or incorrect. I respect the designer's intellectual property, although I have begun thinking about how I could use the same concept to develop a clock of my own design, if I ever get to the point of a finished design I may choose to share those plans.