By Joshua Farnsworth
I’m excited to announce the release of our newest video class, “Building the Isaac Youngs Shaker Wall Clock with Will Myers“. This 7.5 hour woodworking video class is a great way to learn many valuable hand tool woodworking skills while creating a charming historical clock to hang on your wall.
You can buy the digital streaming / download version here. Will Myers and I visited the Hancock Shaker Village a few years ago to measure and photograph some historical Shaker Furniture.
One of the gems that Will measured was an 1840’s wall clock made by Isaac Newton Youngs.
The special thing about the clocks made by Isaac Youngs was that his name is inscribed inside the clocks, which was a rare practice among Shakers. And Isaac Young’s mechanical skills and furniture making skills were beyond belief.
The Hancock Shaker Village (in Pittsfield, Massachusetts) should be a pilgrimage for anyone interested in woodworking, farming, or even just simple country living.
It’s also a place to go to experience an unusual amount of peace. You can watch some of my videos where I shared tours of different workshops at the Hancock Shaker Village.
Will carefully measured, studied, and built several of these clocks to figure out how Isaac Youngs did it. And once he figured out the process, we filmed a video class in my traditional woodworking school.
Will used power tools to square up the lumber, but he used only woodworking hand tools to build his clocks, including the clock seen in the video.
In the video class, Will starts out making the mortise and tenon doors for the clock (which is a useful skill for many other projects) and then he makes the case of the clock to fit the doors.
In this woodworking class Will teaches many valuable hand tool woodworking skills, including:
- How to cut dovetails with hand tools
- How to make mortise and tenon joints
- How to make frame and panel doors
- How to cut and glaze glass
- How to make a dado joint with a router plane
- How to use hand planes
- How to cut a rabbet joint with a moving fillister plane
- How to turn a simple door knob on a lathe
- How to install door hinges
- How to use a spokeshave
- How to finish with Shellac
- How to paint with milk paint
- And much more!
The video purchase includes PDF plans, cut list, and a printable clock face.
Here are a few photos of the lovely finished clocks:
I purchased the download video but could you send me the info on what movement is used?
Please email us through the website, and we’ll put you in contact with Will Myers.