Finished cuckoo but needs new hands

[avittek]

This was my first restoration of a cuckoo clock. It literally fell apart in my hands when I started disassembly. It has a tin cuckoo bird which I understand is somewhat of a rarity. I had to fabricate one of the bellows tops and the advice I got about using wood from an old vegetable crate worked perfectly for that. The one thing I am not satisfied with are the hands. The celluloid hands that were on it were so brittle they also fell to pieces. The ones I have on it are inexpensive reproduction hands. Has anyone tried their “hand” 😆 at carving bone hands? Could use advice.
Here are before and after pics.

• This topic was modified 2 years ago by Tamas Richard.

[Bob Tascione]

I would be very interested to know of a supplier for these hands.
I have watched some bone carving videos up on ebay this past year and found them interesting. There’s gotta be someone making these hands somewhere??
If not it might be a cool project to tackle.
Bob

[avittek]

Well, Bob, I’ve decided to tackle this project. Just ordered some bone blanks. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Andrea

[willofiam]

Hey Andrea, looks like your doing an excellent job. Fantastic old cuckoo movement and I love that kind of carving on the cuckoo clocks. Would like to see a close-up of the tin bird.
I have not made any bone hands but I have made some bone inlays and other parts for a guitar I built years ago. I used whitetail deer antler. I used a combination of tools…..files, drills, dremel , sandpaper ect… If I remember correctly it really stinks when you grind on it.
I just found a thin piece and tried to snap it in half, seems to be rather fibrous and a lot tougher than plastic or old celluloid, may be different than other types of bone.
I would have had a large T-bone and wrestled the bone away from the dogs (maybe)
Cant wait to see what you come up with. Have fun, William

[Bob Tascione]

Geeze sorry Andrea,
In my haste this morning I zeroed in on the “bone hands” part of your post and blasted right past the pics of the clock never realizing you had a beauty there and did such a good restoration job. Exceptional work!
Leave it to William to read the entire post and respond to it the correct way. I could blame William for making me look like a “bone head” but I’m pretty sure Phyllis would just correct me saying that I take care of that dept. just fine without any help. I need to read before I speak!
Look forward to seeing those hands Andrea!
Bob

[avittek]

Thanks, guys! I’ve been watching bone carving videos and I am going to give it a try. I’ll keep you posted.
William, here is a pic of my tin bird right after I removed him from the case:

I’ve linked a short video of my tin cuckoo bird doing his thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWv7D2gyCyY&feature=youtu.be

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by Tamas Richard.

[willofiam]

Andrea, Thanks for the bird photo and video, fantastic…..if you are willing, please document your hand making process and post it in the new forum, The clockmakers forum “Designing, building and parts fabrication” I have already started a thread about making hands, you can add to that with either photos or a video. I think it would be a great way to get some ideas and have as a record for the future.
Bob, you cannot take my “bone head” title away from me, my grandfather used to call me that way back in the olden days. 🙄 William

[avittek]

I’ll document my process, William. But, I’m only posting if it is a success.

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