# Weatherwatch



## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Weather Watch.


A column similar to a bracket clock design, with instruments, Barometer, Hygrometer and Thermometer all behind a glass door, on oval base, head and crowning piece, fluted columns to the sides of protruding door and frame.

•	I made this out of some Far Eastern pseudo Mahogany, retrieved from a door.
Overall size, Height 360mm. Depth 120mm. Width 250mm.

•	3 pieces, 280mm. X 130mm. For the three ovals.
2 pieces finished 700mm. X 20mm. X 50mm.For the sides and the fluted columns.
1 piece finished 600mm.X 25mm. x 12mm. For the protruding door frame.
1 piece 900mm. X 15mm. X 10mm. For the door.
1 piece of 9mm. Mahogany veneered ply or m.d.f. for the back and front panels to be at least 300mm. x 300mm.
3 instruments from Axminster Power Tools, 80mm. dia.

•	First of all, make a dummy template of the oval that you will use for base and top, set aside for later.
•	With a small 12mm. Bull nosed cutter in the router table, set the fence 10mm. from centre and cutter to a depth of about 4mm. Run the timber for the fluted columns through, then set again at 25mm. for the second flute. Fit a rebate cutter and rebate the edge left, 6mm. Deep x 12mm. wide (this will take the door frame) when done fit a small round over cutter and finish along the edge away from the rebate, pics 1 to 5. 
•	Whilst you have the rebate cutter fitted, cut a rebate 6mm. deep and 9mm. wide at the back of the sides, to take the rear access panel.
•	Fit a grooving or slotting cutter in the router, mine cuts 4mm. (this will be to groove for loose tongues to aid assembly) and groove inside the rebate on the fluted timber on the widest face, groove the timber for the protruding frame on the narrowest face, groove the fluted timber on the face behind the first cut flute, then groove the timber for the sides, into the end face. Cut some tongues to a size to suit your grooves glue-up and assemble the fluted column to the doorframe and to the side. Pics 6 to 12
•	When this assembly is dry, cut yet another groove into the edge of what was the fluted timber but is now at the back of the doorframe cut a display panel from the veneered m.d.f. to size 90 mm. X 300 mm. And put a groove into each long edge, cut the previously assembled flute side and frame to the same length as the display panel i.e. 30 mm. Fit loose tongues and glue up and cramp the assembly. Pic 13 
•	Save an off cut of about 6mm. thick of the side flute and frame timber, for use as a template, set aside for later. 
•	Now would be a good time to cut the base and the top, with four spots of hot-melt glue, stick the m.d.f. oval template to the base timber, trim off the surplus, to with a mm. or two, and with a heavy duty trimming cutter fitted to the table router, trim the base to size, do the same with the top. 
•	To make the crowning piece, glue with four spots again, the template, to another piece of 12mm. m.d.f. trim off as before, and then fit a 12mm. rebate cutter, rebate the second piece of m.d.f. 12mm. smaller all round, this will give a template to make the crowning piece in the same manner as for the top and bottom. 
•	Fit a large rounding over cutter to the table router and mould the edge of all three pieces, pics 14 and 15.

•	Assembly. Set your assembled frames and fascia first onto the base and then onto the underside of the top, in a position to allow for the door to be fitted. Draw around the inside, then with the small offcut you saved for a template, of the assembled columns, drill right through in two suitable places with a 1.5 mm. or 2 mm. drill onto the base and under the top. Do the same, using the template again, with the top and bottom of the columns. 

•	Put a thin line of P.V.A.adhesive on the surface of the frame where it is to meet the base, invert the base, stand on top of the assembled frame, line up the holes in the base with the column and engage with a panel pin each side. Now you have accurately located the frame with the base. I have used Miller dowels to join together, drill into the holes that do not contain the panel pins, coat a Miller dowel with p.v.a. drive in flush, do the same with the other holes after removing the pins. Do exactly the same with the top, cramp up. Pics. 17 to 20.

•	You will have dimensioned the timber for the door to 900.x 15 x10, now, as the 10mm. is the width, rebate for the glass 4mm. wide and 3mm. deep, round over the two face edges, and then cut with a mitre saw, to size, glue and cramp up. Pics 21 and 22.

•	Rear access panel. You will have already rebated the sides to take the panel, cut a piece of veneered m.d.f. to fit, and sand the edges. Cut a rebate at the top and bottom of the back of the panel, to take a metal strip of your choice, (I cut an old flap strap down) and fit the strip with super glue. Prepare two pieces of timber about 12mm. x 12mm. cut to fit the width of the unit top and bottom, drill two 3.5 mm. holes in two places in each (not wider apart than the metal bar you have fitted), and drive in the Pin-it rare earth magnets, glue into place with p.v.a. in line with the back of the rebate, when set, this will hold the rear access panel in place. Pics. 23 and 24.

•	Fitting the instruments. With a hole saw cutter of 60 mm. dia. cut the holes for the instruments, try them for size by removing the retaining collar. To set out the holes use the following calculations. As the panel is 300 mm. mark 20 mm. from the top and also from the bottom, to allow for the door, this will leave 260 mm. so 3 dials @ 80 mm. gives 10 mm. between, so mark one central, then the other two centres 90 mm. either side, this should give, as the panel is 90 mm. wide 5 mm. clearance all round each one even after the door is fitted. Pics. 25 and 26.

•	Pic. 27 shows unit and door with crowning piece attached with p.v.a. adhesive.

•	Pic. 28 shows brass feet screwed into place, (I had some brass fittings reclaimed together with the small knob used, these fittings had to be cut in half and countersunk before fixing). I fitted plastic cushions to the feet afterwards, those used as buffers on cabinet doors.

•	Hanging the door. Before hanging the door I glazed it by bedding in clear silicone mastic, this gave the door some strength, hung on 25 mm. brass butts with no. 3 x 3/8 brass countersunk screws. (on reflection if I came to do it again I would use panel pins top and bottom and pivot the door instead, it is much easier, still we are not here to have it easy are we). I used a Pin-it rare earth magnet drilled into the frame with a small headed nail cut off and fitted into the door to use as a catch, before fitting the magnets, cut the head off a short pin, drill into the frame, push the pin in and close the door onto it, this will give location for both magnet and nail head, fit the cut off nail by drilling into the door stile, push the nail in by hand and then with a pair of pliers, cushioned at the timber side, just squeeze and fix. Finally fit the small doorknob. Pics. 29and 30.

•	Pic. 31. Shows unit after having had one coat of Mahogany wood dye, (to try to even out the different shades of timber and to put in some colour) and after three coats of shellac with more to go.

•	Pic. 32 shows the retaining collar removed when fitting the dials.

•	Pic. 33 shows items used. The three instrument dials, hole cutter, two oval cutting jigs, block of plastic buffer cushions, Miller dowels and their special drill, Pin-it rare earth magnets, 25 mm. brass butts, door knob and cutters used, i.e. heavy duty trim off cutter, slotting cutter, rebate cutter and large round-over bit.

•	Pic. 34 shows finished item.

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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

*Weatherwatch 2nd. stage.*

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## Mark (Aug 4, 2004)

This is a great post Derek, I really like the final result and enjoyed the steps you took to get it. Very informative!


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Great presentation, Derek and very nice result.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Great looking project, and great re-use of lumber.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Excellent work Derek and it's good to see a photo-shoot from you but in my usual humble opinion, explanatory text on each shot would be far easier to follow the procedure.
I just love the look of the well used bench, that's how a bench top should look!
By the way, a dicky bird told me that you had this project published and it didn't surprise me one little bit, a perfect project for a magazine article.


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Thanks to you all, makes all the work worth while.
Derek.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

dated 02-10-2009

http://www.routerforums.com/table-mounted-routing/12223-weatherwatch.html

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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Bob,
After your last comment I went through all my previous posts so that I will not repeat any more.
Derek


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

Derek, I for one am happy for you to repeat, because I, along with many other members, never saw the original post, and are unlikely to ever come across it.
It maybe easier for you to just add a reply to your older posts to bump it back up into view though.


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

Gavin,
Everthing I have posted can be seen in my uploads.
derek.


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