Time Marches On

Prior to mounting the TV to the fireplace, there was a large clock, that was a gift from my dear, departed brother, Jeff LaFong, 30 years ago. Now, with it being taken down, we always have to check our phones or computer to see what time it is. I saw something that another woodworker had done and I thought that I could improve upon his idea. Down to the shop I goes. It only took about three or four hours to whip up this little clock that we can put on the end table. The bezel and buckle are maple, the straps are walnut and the base is red oak, all from the scrap bin. A few coats of semi gloss and pop in a little quartz clock works and it's done. Wifey thinks it's cute. I have to agree, though Boy Geniuses™ and manly men, such as I, don't generally do "Cute". Still, It came out pretty cool.

One Thing Always Leads To Another

The mantle and TV mount are, essentially, done. I still have to clean up the wiring a bit and make the top, which will be a simple flat board, maybe with an edge detail to dress it up. Now, I have to consider where to put the components and our DVD collection. I am leaning towards a cabinet, to the left of the fireplace that mirrors the book shelf on the right. The lower 24 inches, or so, will have the DVD storage and a cubby above that for the components. The rest will be a curio cabinet with glass on three sides and a mirror on the fireplace side. It should balance out the whole area and allow us to drag out a lot of the knick knacks that are stuck away in the attic and closets and display them. Until then, I have a bedroom that I have to patch and paint so Wifey can take it over as her chick cave

At Second Glance............

After I assembled the mantle, I began to take a critical look at it. There were some gaps where the vertical and horizontal members joined. The more I looked, the more it bugged me. Since all of it was assembled with pocket screws, except the crown molding, which I fastened with micropins, I decided to take it apart. It only took an hour to disassemble it, re cut the horizontal portion and put it all back together again. Everything flushes up much better now. I think it all began with me watching Japanese woodworking videos. Those guys are so meticulous and patient. It makes my stuff  look like it was made with a chain saw and a sledge hammer. I stained it and brought it up to the house for a trial fit. It's crooked because the left side is resting on the old TV stand/DVD storage cabinet. That will go away once the mantle is ready to install. I'm pretty pleased with the way it looks. There was a fireplace door that I built when we moved in. It never fit quite like I had wanted, but I never got around to fixing it. Now I will have to make a new pair. This time it will be a better fit