Build a Popsicle Stick Clock (Page 4 of 9)

The Bell Top: Bottom Half


After previous step, I lost interest in the project and placed everything in storage until the following spring (2015).  When it came out of hibernation, I got ahead of myself and started to work on the decorative bell top.  This was one of the hardest steps.

So, off to the dollar store I went and picked up several packs of craft spoons.  As I got home, I began gluing their surfaces together forming what would be the sides of the lower portion of the bell top (figures 47 to 52).

More craft sticks
Figure 47: More craft sticks!  Color sticks not used.
Craft sticks glued together
Figure 48: Craft sticks glued together.
Building the top
Figure 49: Building the top
Sanding one side
Figure 50: Sanding one side to get it flat.
One side sanded
Figure 51: One side sanded
Back sick glued
Figure 52: Back side flattened and glued to a base.

To form the curve, the width was marked off (fig. 53) and the channel was first carved out (fig. 54 to 55), then smoothed with a P36 (or P20) piece of sandpaper wrapped around a glass jar (fig. 56 to 59).

Marking the edges
Figure 53: Marking the edges
Carving a curve
Figure 54: Carving a curve
Carving a curve
Figure 55: Carving a curve
Sanding the curve
Figure 56: Sanding the curve
Sanding the curve
Figure 57: Sanding the curve
Smooth curve channel
Figure 58: Smoothed curve channel
Back layer glued to back
Figure 59: Back layer glued to back

One edge along the channel was removed (fig. 60 and 61), cut to size and shape (fig. 62).  Supports were then added (fig. 63) and glued together to form an open box (fig. 64).  Top and bottom were then marked and sanded for eveness (fig. 65-66).

figure 60
Figure 60: Shaping
figure 61
Figure 61: Flattened along one side.
figure 62
Figure 62: 45 deg. angle cuts at the ends.
figure 63
Figure 63: Back supports.
figure 64
Figure 64: Gluing the top together.
figure 65
Figure 65: Uneven height.
figure 66
Figure 66: Marked for even height (I HATE ECZEMA ON THE HAND).

The Bell Top: Top Half


The top of the top was relatively easy to construct.  I made the upper section from pieces of scrap birch glued together as shown in the following series of photos.  Make sure the length and width are the same as that of the top edge of the bottom piece made in the previous step; the edges should be almost flush when upper part is placed on top of the lower portion: (fig. 67 to 72)

fig67
Figure 67: Building to top of the top from pieces of scrap wood.
fig68
Figure 68:  Top layer made of strips of wood glued together side-by-side.
fig69
Figure 69:  The bottom piece is a rectangular frame with the same dimension as the top.
fig70
Figure 70: Top piece and bottom piece glued together.
fig 71
Figure 71: Bottom and top glued together.
Fig 72
Figure 72: Rounding the edges.

A frame slightly longer and wider than the top piece (by a few millimeters or so) was built up from layers of wide/thin crafts sticks (tongue depressors, about 4 or 5 layers) and was then sanded to squareness and even-thickness (fig. 73).  Four thin wooden dowel (also available from the craft section of dollar stores) were planned so that their cross sections were semicircular (fig. 74 and 75).  The planed dowels were then cut to length with 45 degree ends and glued along the edge of this frame (fig. 76).  This frame forms a decorative edge that will be sandwiched between the upper and lower parts of the bell top.

The bell top will be revisited in a later step.

fig 73
Figure 73: A frame built from craft sticks (tongue depressors) – about 4 to 5 sticks thick.
fig. 74
Figure 74: Thin wooden dowels.
fig. 75
Figure 75: Dowels planed for semicircular cross section.
fig. 76
Figure 76: Planed dowels glued to edge of frame.
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