Yes. Fully configurable if you want it to or not. There is a PDF file there, somewhere, with the configuration steps and options. That is one of those options.

All of the clocks that he produces are based on the same software / configuration set. I really hope he is able to produce those wrist watches again...

Ahhh... that's what it was. I knew i'd seen those before somewhere. Me wanty!

- me drooling-

Don't forget you still have a piano-black one coming! It's tough putting down 10+ coats of finish when you don't have a spray booth, but it's coming. The bottom now has four coats of primer and eight coats of black nitrocellulose lacquer. The other sides have four coats of primer and four of black nitrocellulose lacquer. After 10 coats of black, we stop, let it harden for one month and then FINALLY polish.

Stu

OOOH...

Stu, got any pictures of how the piano black is looking?

That walnut looks great! Congrats Paul, you deserve the dock. And Mark did a great job on it!

It inspires me to make another dock for my own.

Congrats Paul. You do so much for everyone on this board, you surely deserved it. Looks beautiful!

Yeah, congratulations, Paul!

And a very merry Christmas to you, as well.

It was a very easy choice on who to send that dock to after remembering all of the nice stuff people had to say whenever your name came up (lots!) at the Ohio meet this year.

Truly, one of the stars of this BBS!

Cheers!!

-ml & SWMBO

Here's the bottom of it unpolished with its 9th coat of black.

Stu

Wow Stu that's looking good. Although I'd be worried, as that plane in the reflection looks to close for comfort :-)

OOOOOOH.... That looks good...

Exotic docking stations. The walnut matches the wood in the bedroom perfectly. This will go very nicely in the living room once it is finished! Wow!!!

how do you go about polishing?

Water, and a very very fine abrasive, followed by an even finer abrasive..

A much quicker way to get 90% of the effect is to paint the dock a nice flat black, and then apply 5-10 coats of shellac (hardens MUCH faster than lacquer), scrape it flat, one more coat, scrape it flat again, and wax it.

Voila.. instant glassy finish, without the dangerous fumes or several months of application time. But it's not quite the same as a true black piano finish.. Pretty Darned Close, though, especially for something as small as a dock.

Cheers

when you say 'scrape it flat' what are you meaning?
and what sort of wax?
im planning on painting mine this next week, and a shiny glossy scratch resistant black is what i had in mind. piano black would be awesome, but im impatient.

I mean, use a sharp edged wood (cabinet) scraper to shave off the high points (and dust) from the hardened clear coat.

One of these: cabinet scrapers

As for wax, it would have to be a very hard wax, like this stuff.

Cheers

Paul, so happy YOU got it! Very well deserved! Mark, excellent choice!

Mark,

That wood dock is beautiful and got me thinking:

Now that you're out of the dock building business, what would you think about posting (or selling) the plans and building instructions for the dock? That way people could make their own docks out of whatever materials they want (black walnut, maybe?) and could benefit from the excellent design of yours.

Just a thought.

Jim

If you have a dock, it's rather trivial to open it up and measure it and mimic the construction. If you don't have one, that makes things a bit more difficult.

Although I've never tried it, I've always heard that clear wood finishes over a solid color result in a murky, dull appearance due to the lack of pigments in the top coat. Yes, lacquer is harder to work with and is a bit excessive for this application, but that's part of the point .

You might have luck with some of the new water-based finishes, many of which can have pigment added to them to make them opaque, and are less dangerous to work with than lacquer.

For me polishing starts with wet sanding at 600 grit, then 1000 grit, followed by three grades of car polishing compounds applied either by hand or machine, then a good furniture wax.

Stu

Now that you're out of the dock building business, what would you think about posting (or selling) the plans and building instructions for the dock?

Step 1: Fill your garage with millions of dollars worth of woodworking equipment like on "New Yankee Workshop"...

Hi,

I am not sure if I'm entirely out of the dock building business yet.

I have a somewhat fancier version on the drawing board to replace my own personal dock -- with integrated amplifier, power supply, and room for a PCATS (or original) tuner module, antenna jack, AUX-IN, and power switch.

Given the effort it takes to come up with a workable design, I might just make a few extras as I build my own. And probably use cherry or black walnut for much of the exteriors.

cheers

In reply to:

---

And probably use cherry or black walnut for much of the exteriors.

---

Any other possible woods; Honduran rosewood, cocobolo, kingwood, tulipwood etc.?

Stu

If you have a dock, it's rather trivial to open it up

bear in mind that doing so will immediately void your warranty

I guess.

I opened mine and I didn't find any warranty. Not a valid nor void one. Mark must have forgotten to include it. Damn.

Now to figure out how I'm going to finish it... Which also includes putting a docking connector in it. Hehehe.

Bruno

PS. Thanks again Mark! empeg fit like a glove (after turning the ethernet connector around )

> after turning the ethernet around

(blush) I think I did the same for the one I sent to Bitt, as well..

Cheers

Whay wunt theese durn gadget fut?

I'll have to keep an eye out.

I have a somewhat fancier version on the drawing board to replace my own personal dock -- with integrated amplifier, power supply, and room for a PCATS (or original) tuner module, antenna jack, AUX-IN, and power switch.

Daaaang. It wouldn't take much arm-twisting for me to want one of those.

Wow, that looks slick. Nice work Mark!
-Mike