2010 Crafts Competition Award Winners

2010 Crafts Competition Winners: Class 1 Single-Train Clock Movements - Metal
First Place - Nathan Bower (MI)		This is a ten day, weight driven skeleton regulator. This unique design uses features like high tooth and pinion counts, maintaining power wheel and an Invar 36 alloy pendulum rod for superb accuracy. This clock's spoke patterns, hands, plates, pendulum leader and dial were cut on a 19th century treadle scroll saw. The weight and pendulum bob were turned free-hand on a lathe.
2nd Place Tie - Nathan Bower (MI)		This is a ten day, weight driven skeleton regulator. This original design incorporates a dead beat escapement, high tooth count on the gears and pinions, a maintaining power wheel and an Invar 36 pendulum rod for increased accuracy. The spoke patterns were cut by hand with the use of a jeweler's saw.
2nd Place Tie - Bill Curley		This clock has stainless steel main plates, an Invar pendulum rod, a unique two tube weight of my own design. There is a 60 tooth time setting wheel and key and two interchangeable dials, one silvered and engraved and one painted. The open dial design and upper movement plate are of my own design. The uprights are stainless steel also. The following work was completed by the entrant: Design, all the train wheels and teeth cutting, all shafts and bushings, blued slotted screws and washers, cable drum and ratchet wheel, all prep pieces and fixtures for EDM, all heat treating of the flat springs and bluing, form tools to make the brass crutch, wood key handle and long key bolt, all finishes on surfaces, all programming for CNC and EDM. The following work was completed by others: CNC milled plates, wheels were crossed out by EDM, Dial blanks were CNC milled, many shaped parts were a combination of jog boring and turning or milling by maker and EDM, flat springs were EDM, escape wheel anchor and pinions were EDM, prep blocks were milled by maker than EDM, Fly cutters for the wheel teeth were EDM, bevel gears were purchased, movement supports were CNC, wood base board purchased, cable was purchased, lead weight fillers were purchased.
Honorable Mention - Greg Hutchinson (VA)		Passing strike. I made all parts with the exception of the pendulum bob, fusee chain, dial and brass bell.
Honorable Mention - Robert Allen (PA)		Stabile Foliot. Single train foliot with single strike. Fabricated and cast aluminum with cherry wood. Pins, wedges and rivets hold entire clock together.
Honorable Mention - Robert Allen (PA)		Structural Rhythm. Single train, pin pallet escape. One second pendulum. Miniature ball bearings on all friction parts. Fabricated in the blacksmith tradition within a circular framework. Tiger stripe maple wood.

Class 2 Two/Three Train Movements - Metal.
1st Place Tie - Richard Cox (TX)		Clock is fly-back time is shown on edge of urn. Ladybug shows hours, butterfly shows minutes. Clock strikes quarter on bim-bam. 8 day time and strike
1st Place Tie - Robert Allen (PA)		Isochronous. Two train design influenced by and referencing foliots circa 1400. Made in the blacksmith tradition. The strike train is regulated with traditional rear fan. The hoop has been placed on the single gear. Every part has been fabricated by the entrant.
3rd Place - William McCoy (SC)		Eight day tall case clock movement which bell strikes the full hours. Unique to this design is the incorporation of a center / sweep seconds hand function as well as a calendar / date indicating hand. The calendar mechanism directly advances the indicating hand once a day for dial display rather than the more conventional method of rotating a dial calendar ring. As is common with center / sweep second hand designs, the motion work is driven by a series of wheels originating at the Time #2 arbor, which protrudes through the front plate. The motion works tension spring is also mounted to this arbor. Rather than compressing the tension spring by hand and securing it with a taper pin through the arbor, I chose to thread the arbor and compress the spring with a knurled nut. This nut is held in position by a drill rod pin that is inserted through the nut and arbor. The arbor is slotted so that the spring's tension can be adjusted by turning the nut by half-turns and reinserting the pin. A bushing plate is screwed to the rear of the front plate for the escape wheel arbor and provides the close tolerance end and side-shake required of the extended arbor for the seconds hand, which must turn through the center of the minute wheel pipe without touching it. The bushing plate also limits the rear end shake of the hollow minute wheel pipe, which in turn has it's rear pivot side shake controlled by it's close tolerance hole in the front plate. All components of this clock were made by the entrant with the exception of the bell, Pendulum bob, suspension spring, weights and weight pulleys and weight cord. and no CNC or laser cutting was used.
Honorable Mention - Frederick Robjent (NY)		This clock is my own original design. It is a striking shelf clock on a walnut base and with a glass dust cover, (9" wide x 11" high x 6.5" deep). It has the following features: A nine day pendulum movement, 134.4 beats per minute. Strikes the hour on the hour and once on the half hour. It has a rack and snail mechanism. Jeweled Brocot escapement. Geneva over / under wind protection. Maintaining power on the time train. The most unusual feature is both gear trains are powered by two, (total four) constant force (neg'ator) springs. All parts were made by me from sheet or bar stock except the following: the Brocot jewels, suspension spring, gong rod, butterfly vane, and various standard nuts and screws.

Class 3 Clock Movements - Wood
1st Place - Frank DelGreco (OH)		Tower clock that is similar to one on exhibit at the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol, CT. It is not an authentic replica. The maker of the original clock ca. 1836, is unknown. The original clock came from the Congregational Church in South Glastonbury, CT and was replaced with a Seth Thomas ca. 1913. The clock is time and strike with count wheel strike control. It is 41" long by 36" tall by 32" deep. The clock frame, wheels and drums are made of cherry. The arbors, pinions and pillow blocks are of hard maple. I made everything except the pendulum bob which I took from an antique tower clock.
2nd Place - Jacob Petersen (NY)		Time only movement powered by two 4-1/2 pound weights. Runs nine days with a 38 inch drop. Primary wood is cherry. Lignum vitae was used for all bushings, escape teeth and pallet. The wheels, except for the escape wheel, are segmented with the grain running radically. The escape teeth are set individually into the wheel. The body of the wheel is made of sapele plywood for stability. Three gear passes between center and escape provides compact, symmetrical envelope. The center wheel has internal teeth so that center wheel and mating third wheel pinion rotate in the same direction, thus resulting in a clockwise direction for the escape arbor and attached second hand. All fabrication carried out in a low-tech woodshop. The teeth were cut by a router following a template shaped for one intertooth space. Template was in a fixed position, mounted immediately above a homemade index plate with an attached wheel blank. The index plate is rotated in steps, beneath the template after each tooth is formed. All design and fabrication was performed by entrant.
3rd Place - Craig Hicks (PA)		This is a one train time only wood skeleton tall clock. I used all different species and exotic woods such as Brazilian cherry, coco bolo, maple, ebony and domestic cherry. The movement plates and base are made of Brazilian cherry which is a very dense hardwood. The gears, pinions, pillars, and arbor stops were cut from maple. Gears only were laser cut. Pillars, arbors and stops were machined on a lathe. I hand carved the minute and hour hand from coco bolo. Arbors are cherry dowels and so is the pendulum which is a cherry dowel threaded on a lathe. The bob is an old crochet ball. I made the verge out of domestic cherry with adjustable cherry pallets.

Class 5 Experimental Timepiece Designs.
1st Place - Edmund Zygowski (OT, CAN)		Large contemporary colored glass and metal clockwork sculpture. Straight line 1/2 second train pendulum, Cast glass centered wheel work. Weight driven, sand cast glass body, brass / steel mechanical work.
2nd Place Tie - Edmund Zygowski (OT, CAN)		Large contemporary glass and metal clockwork sculpture. Weight driven, glass centered wheels and pulleys. Sandcast glass base / body supporting the mechanical work. 1/2 second pendulum. Double weight drive, anchor escapement.
2nd Place Tie - Pierre Lesage (QB, CAN)		Mini tower clock. Flat bed movement with "remontoir". Escapement is pin wheel type with 15 pins and pallets on one side. Gravity power with main gear train at 2.90 pounds and remontoir at .16 pounds. Pendulum is fiberglass with thermic expansion compensator. The frequency is 0.5 Hertz. Rewinding is 110 V AC motor at 4 RPM. The strike is bell type striking on three cycles of 1, 2, 3, 4 strikes, starting at 1 o'clock, 5 o'clock and 9 o'clock and is powered by an electric motor. Remontoir is Henry Wagner style, 30 second. Frequency, linear differential gears. All bearings are sealed ball. Automatic rewinding about every two minutes and takes about half a minute. Endless chain maintaining power system. Impulse given to the pendulum at its center percussion. Striking movement and motor, bell and main dial located in the tower.

Class 6 Wood Clock Cases - Solid or Veneered
1st Place - Patrick Hagans (MI)		Design is very similar to that found for New Hampshire mirror clocks except for the wood and inlays not typically found on clocks of this style. Light wood on door is Movingui veneer, (African satinwood - Congo). Top and bottom scroll work is solid walnut veneered with Imbuya burl, (Brazilian walnut). Finials turned from Ziricote, (Brazil). Inside backboard is wall papered like found in some Asa Munger clocks. Contains original movement with off-center pendulum.
1st Place Tie - Don Irving (MA)		I designed this case to incorporate many typical cases built in the late eighteenth century in both the U.S. and Great Britain. The break-arch hood with swan neck pediments, fluted corner and hood columns, Ogee bracket feet and full cove moldings were all very prevalent in that era. Primary wood is mahogany with secondary woods of cherry and walnut. The door stringing is boxwood surrounded with mahogany cross banding. The base is hammer veneered crotch mahogany with inlay and cross banding. All the hardware is hand cast reproduction pieces from England. The clock was built with predominantly hand tools and entirely with hide glue and finished in unbleached shellac.
3rd Place - Patrick Hagans (MI)		Similar in design to transition style wooden movement, (short drop), cases made ca.1830. Dark wood is all solid Goncalo Alves, (Brazil). Corner blocks on door are solid Black Ebony, (Africa), Columns are turned from curly, (Tiger), Maple, (USA). Top panel is Birds Eye Maple. Assorted inlays of various woods. Contains original short drop wooden movement and wooden hand painted dial.
Honorable Mention - Don Irving (MA)		The inverted bell top was built based on a clock built c. 1720 by Jacob Malsey of London, England. It is solid African mahogany with turned bunn feet and period glass. Built predominantly with hand tools, it was assembled entirely with animal hide glue. The brass hardware came as rough castings and I chased and finished.

Class 8
Watch Movements.

1st Place - George Thomas (MD)

The entire watch movement is hand made including all screws. The only exceptions are the escape wheel pallet and balance, these were finished from old stock which was never used. The movement is jeweled up to the barrel. Banking pins are also ruby. The case is an original Brequet case, about 1805. The movement was made to fit the case.

Class 11
Authentic Replica Cases.

1st Place - Don Irving (MA)

This is a replica of a Midlands clock circa 1840. The carcass is of oak, cherry and pine. The primary wood is African mahogany with the front veneers being crotch mahogany. The veneers on the hood and sides of the case are "pudding" mahogany. The door is quarter sawn oak veneered with crotch mahogany and cross banding. Quarter columns are turned mahogany veneered with peripheral crotch mahogany. The clock was built with hide glue and all veneers were hand "hammered". The pearl molding was hand made with each bead being individually turned on a lathe then glued in place. The hardware is period brass.

2nd Place - Patrick Hagans (MI)

Same designs as those made by Aaron Willard and others. I gave the case a different appearance by using different contrasting woods / veneers and inlays. The case is made from solid Red Palm. Red colored wood is Amboynd Burl, (Borneo, Laos). Bottom panel contains banding made from Thuya Burl, (Morocco), and Curly Koa, (Hawaii). Inlays are in the style observed on other Massachusetts shelf clock cases. Finial turned from Thuya Burl.

Class 13
Clock Restoration.

1st Place - Russ Oechsle (NY)

Tower clock made by Austin Van Riper in Cazenovia, NY Ca. 1854. This clock was originally placed in a VT church then sold in the 1960's to a church in Randolf Center, VT. That church sold it to me in 2001. Restored to original colors and specifications.

Class 14
Painted Dials.

1st Place - Chad Mitchell (SC)

This 4-1/2" simulated porcelain dial is entirely hand painted. The interior of bird and florals are painted in high quality oil paints. The numerals and surrounds are drawn in ink with dots and repeated design in gold.

2nd Place - Chad Mitchell (SC)

This tall clock dial was taken from an old English design. Entire dial is hand painted.

Class 15 Reverse Painting on Glass.
1st Place - Anne Dimock (NY)		Banjo clock tablet and throat. Battle scene is Constitution and Guerierre. Gold leaf surrounding battle scene and throat design.
2nd Place - Karen Summerville (TX)		Geometric stroke work glass. 5-1/16" H x 8-1/2" W.
3rd Place - Anne Dimock (NY)		Pillar and Scroll clock tablet. 7-1/4" x 11" glass size. Oval gold leaf border featuring cornucopias in the corners and the center with two buildings.
Honorable Mention - Karen Summerville (TX)		Set of two glasses for candlestick case on case clock. Frosted glass with stroke work geometric designs. Top glass is 6-1/2" W x 4-1/2" H. Bottom glass is 11" W x 5-7/8" H.

Class 20
Metal Engraving and Decorative Metal Parts

1st Place - Greg Hutchinson (VA)

Hand cut blued steel clock hands.

2nd Place - Roland Murphy (PA)

Engine turning "Guilloche" on a silver watch dial using a vintage Rose engine.

Class 21
Horological Tools - New or Reproductions

1st Place - Kim St. Dennis Sr (CA)

Horological Tools - New or Reproductions. This is an 8mm steel collet with interchangeable 3/8" brass collets to speed up the process of polishing pivots. The brass collets are sized and numbered to match the late Bernie McCabe's pivot polishing set. Blank brass collets can be easily drilled and used with a steady rest to match any size pivot you want to polish. The knurled brass collets are threaded and can be easily inserted and removed in the 8mm collet quickly by hand. The 8mm collet face plate is drilled in a double spiral pattern to off set the 1/8" driver pen in 1/16" steps to accommodate different sizes of gear wheels. A driver dog can be used with the driver pens to rotate the arbor when the drive gear is on the polishing side of the lathe.

Class 22
Horological Novelties

1st Place - Robert Allen (PA)

Wall Crawler. Single train, cast pewter with wood and resin dial. Dial rotates and single hand stays stable.

2nd Place - Roland Murphy (PA)

Engine turning "Guilloche" on mother of pearl using a vintage Rose engine. The engraving is on a watch dial.

Class 23
Exhibition Only

Lee Davis (PA)

Set of fancy banjo tablets in frames. Gold leaf, green and gold.

Lee Davis (PA)

Gold leaf on glass, 23K and 10K advertising clock repair.

Lee Davis (PA)

Stenciled border and gold leaf band. Painting of Neptune.

Patrick Hagans (MI)

This is a replica of a Pennsylvania pillar and scroll clock made by Jacob Custer of Norristown, PA. Dimensions, turnings, moldings, etc are copies of the original from which I judged everything from a picture. Instead of mahogany I used figured maple and bocote. Dial was gold leafed and inked by me as were the lead weights. Reverse painting is by Tom Moberg. Contains a short drop wooden movement.

Patrick Hagans (MI)

This is a replica of a transition clock by Herman Clark. Instead of mahogany I used Macassar ebony, (both solid and veneer), and satinwood in the arch. Has cast brass feet made by Ball & Ball. Keyhole escutcheons are ivory cut from piano keys. Reverse painting is a copy of the one shown in the book Horology Americana.

David Lima(OH)
Gilded and burnished columns for an Ingraham Venetian sub-miniature shelf clock.

Class 24 Chapter Clock Restoration.
1st Place - Ralph Pokluda (TX)		L.F. & W.W. Carter round drop wall calendar. This clocks belongs to the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol, CT and was in storage until the chapter offered their services. The clock had received a coat of pink paint sometime in the past. The clock was dry scraped to keep the paint out of the grain of the wood, sanded, finished, movement cleaned, re-bushed and the dials repainted. The restoration team for this project was Mike Stich, Darrah Artzner, Martha Smallwood and Ralph Pokluda.
2nd Place - Wayne Herrmann (KS)		Birge Mallory and Co. 8-day weight driven, brass strap movement circa 1840. The clock as received was suffering from years of neglect and abuse. The top scroll had been replaced and was totally inappropriate for this clock. New corner blocks and returns were fabricated and attached. A new plaster splat was obtained, gilded and attached with new back board and splines. Veneer at various locations was loose or missing. New veneer was installed where needed and loose veneer was re-glued with hide glue. Gilding on the column capitols and feet had been over painted with clear coat or shellac which had darkened and had to be removed. After cleaning with denatured alcohol the existing gilding was retouched where needed and new tortoise shell finish was applied to upper and lower columns. All glass was missing and had to be replaced. The lower glass was furnished and painted by Lee Davis. The case finish was replaced with new shellac finish. The brass strap movement was cleaned, oiled and repaired as needed. The restoration team for this project was Mark Bradfield, Steve Waitzman, Bill Dugan and Wayne Herrmann.