Spring 2015 Clock Contest Winners

THANK YOU to all who participated in our Spring 2015 clock contest! So many great stories – we truly appreciate the opportunity to hear about all of the great projects our customers have accomplished.

Congratulations to the grand prize winners: Erin Keck (most creative), Roger Carson (gift of time), and David Schermock (best use of parts). See each of their photos below and read their stories behind the clocks. Also, please join us in congratulating the finalists!

Most Creative Clock – WINNER: Erin Keck

“I am an Art Teacher and Gallery Artist residing in Mechanicsburg, PA. I teach at Art Retreats and Schools throughout the U.S. using Klockit parts. My Original Steampunk Style Clocks are recognized and known Internationally.

I came up with the idea of creating these clocks after seeing an antique mechanical clock where all of the gears revolved. I wanted to create clocks that gave the illusion of movement by remaining stationary and running on a Quartz battery movement.

I design and cut each gear in my clocks from wood. The gears are then painted to look metallic. I give the illusion of movement through balance, dimension, and adding found objects.”

Congratulations to Erin Keck!

Gift Of Time – WINNER: Roger Carson

“My wife Tiffany and I have lived at our current home for 7 years and previous to this lived one street over for 4 years. We became well acquainted with the area residents over this time. We didn’t meet Joella until we moved to our current home in 2007. Jo, as she prefers to go by, is a self sufficient, caring elderly widowed lady from Texas that wouldn’t take anything from folks willingly. The kind of elderly neighbor my wife and I grew up around that we don’t find too much of these days. Over the last three years Jo started to have some health issues. This was about the only thing I saw that slowed down Jo. Her son and daughter traveled from the west coast and decided it was time to move her into an assisted living home where she could live free but still have caretakers on site when needed. Her children discussed with us the decision as we were close to Jo and wanted us to be part of helping Jo transition.

When it came time to help the family clear out Jo’s home her son asked my wife to help him in the basement. There, on a bench under some old pictures was a wall clock kit that was about 1/2 completed. He told my wife we could have it, that he would love to keep it and finish it but wood work wasn’t his thing. He said his dad, Al, loved wood working and his dad started the clock for Jo shortly before his death- in 1994.

As soon as my wife told me the story we both knew that clock was getting finished somehow. I retrieved the clock and all the pieces of trim, etc… I could find and started the ‘puzzle’ of completing the assembly. Jo’s son said his dad couldn’t decide on a mechanical or “new-fangled” electronic movement. We wanted to make this stand out but Jo has hearing issues so I decided to go with the rotating crystal movement without sound. I was able to figure out where most of the trim pieces went (I hope) and purchased some hinges that I managed to fit to Al’s pre cut hinge mortices. I knew from all the fine hand crafted furniture Jo’s husband had made over the years that a darker stain was in order so I used a red Mahogany with 3 coats of gloss lacquer.

We stopped at Jo’s assisted living home just before Christmas to offer her the clock that she had completely forgotten about. She was so surprised she had to sit down for a few minutes to take it all in. I hung the clock for her, listened to several more stories of her husbands love of wood working and got several hugs. The feeling my wife and I had from the smiles and joy we brought to Jo are like nothing we have ever experienced. Jo has called us several times and comments each time of the clock giving her a feeling of “home”, something she felt was missing in her assisted living apartment.

I have always wanted to make a clock and it was just amazing that this came into us at this time in our lives. It gave me some connection to Jo’s late husband as well as pushing me to finally wade into clock work.”

Congratulations to Roger Carson!

Best Use Of Parts – WINNER: David Schermock

“This clock is a “quartz movement version of the beautiful Jewelers Wall Clock” originally designed for a mechanical movement and found in all of the current Klockit catalogues. I have admired the Jewelers Wall Clock for quite some time but I typically don’t build clocks with mechanical movements so I passed over my mild obsession with this design and continued to build numerous other clocks.

As always the arrival of the latest Klockit catalogue caused me to sit down and browse through it looking for items I could use and gathering ideas for my next clock projects. The upcoming wedding of my granddaughter had me searching for something elegant enough for a wedding gift that would be appreciated and hopefully treasured as a family heirloom. I kept coming back to the Jewelers Wall Clock as the ideal candidate.

Sitting down with my latest Klockit catalogue I began going through it page by page identifying the various pieces I would need to build what I felt would be an outstanding example of a clock for the new generation newlyweds. As always, I found everything I would need to get started. In all, twelve part numbers and a lot of work would be necessary to build the clock.

This clock makes an outstanding project and the sound from the Quartz movement (12003) is incredible. With the choice of melodies, volume control and night shut off this movement can be tuned to any environment and room size. With the speaker mounted in the top of the case and tone quality of this movement, the chime fills the room(s) with full rich sound. I prefer the Westminster.

I built the prototype in red oak and it hangs proudly in the living room of my home. I built a second Jewelers type clock in rustic oak to blend with my
Granddaughter’s furniture style. I presented this second and most important clock to my Granddaughter and her new husband at their recent wedding. With their names and wedding date on a brass plaque attached to the lower rail of the door and my “Hand Crafted by” plaque inside, it commemorated the occasion perfectly. No other gift compared (my opinion).”

Congratulations to David Schermock!

Spring 2015 Contest Finalists

With over 175 impressive submissions, it was hard to choose 3 winners!

View ‘Best Use of Parts’ finalists and stories – click here
View ‘Most Creative Clock’ finalists and stories: – click here
View ‘Gift of Time’ finalists and stories: – click here

Please help us congratulate these finalists!

Robert Colvin, Best Use of Parts
Bob Brox, Best Use of Parts
Roger Landry, Best Use of Parts
Jan & Eileen, Best Use of Parts
Kirk Eidman, Best Use of Parts
Steven Bailey, Best Use of Parts
Tom Kanhofer, Best Use of Parts
Tom Palecki, Best Use of Parts
Robert Greenwald, Best Use of Parts
Brian Grayek, Best Use of Parts
Brad Smith, Best Use of Parts
Steve Whipple, Best Use of Parts
Ray Lattman, Best Use of Parts
Stanley Richardson, Most Creative Clock
Stephen Wade, Most Creative Clock
John Daws, Most Creative Clock
Debbie Harary, Most Creative Clock
Maggie Pitt, Most Creative Clock
Miguel Pujol, Most Creative Clock
Dennis McKeown, Most Creative Clock
Laurence Daniels, Most Creative Clock
Richard Crnkovich, Most Creative Clock
RJ Way, Most Creative Clock
Dave Medore, Most Creative Clock
Bud Harrington, Most Creative Clock
Thomas Sheppard, Most Creative Clock
Marty Welch, Most Creative Clock
David Genest, Most Creative Clock
Mark Swanberry, Most Creative Clock
Lou Nelsen, Most Creative Clock
Adolph C. Werner, Most Creative Clock
Mark Royall, Most Creative Clock
Mark Reschke, Most Creative Clock
Nathanael Hasbrouck, Most Creative Clock
Chance Gray, Most Creative Clock
Joseph Trafficante, Most Creative Clock
OBX Metalworks, Most Creative Clock
Dave Greway Designs, Most Creative Clock
Naomi Kocean, Most Creative Clock
Taylor Smith, Most Creative Clock
Debbie Stroud, Most Creative Clock
Daniel Sturman, Most Creative Clock
Jason La Benz, Most Creative Clock
Larilyn Swanson, Most Creative Clock
Randy Sharp, Gift of Time
Troy Koehler, Gift of Time
Ray Everett, Gift of Time
Rich Albright, Gift of Time
Frederick W. Mikkelsen, Gift of Time
Bruce Barnes, Gift of Time
Thomas Fillipovich, Gift of Time
CJ Maust, Gift of Time
Priscilla Marden, Gift of Time
Doug Schieszer, Gift of Time
Karl Taylor, Gift of Time
Richard Varga, Gift of Time
Mary Supina, Gift of Time
Scott Harken, Gift of Time
James Lown, Gift of Time
Allen Randecker, Gift of Time
Jack Hendrickson, Gift of Time
Thomas Lepicke, Gift of Time
Lawrence Schatz, Gift of Time
Scott Martin, Gift of Time
Sue and Walter Godbold, Gift of Time
Bob Karle, Gift of Time
Bill Boudreau, Gift of Time
Ray Holland, Gift of Time
Newton H. Williams, Gift of Time
Dennis Eugene Vanderburg, Gift of Time
Tim Pelletier, Gift of Time
Robert D. Rose Jr., Gift of Time
Nathan Kelly, Gift of Time
Les Mueller, Gift of Time
Steve Nicholson, Gift of Time
Kathy Pegel, Gift of Time
Gina Graham Atkins, Gift of Time
Tony Parker, Gift of Time
Aaron White, Gift of Time