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Peter Wagner's Crazy Clock
The Dove
High above the "carousel" on the original clock, on the end of a long pole, sat an orangy-yellow orb, similar to a Belisha beacon by a zebra crossing. According to Google's artificial intelligence, the Belisha beacon featured in a John Gilroy advertising poster for Guinness, although I have failed to find any other reference to this. However, I have always had it in mind that my Crazy Clock would have a dove hovering above the whole contraption instead. To me, as a Christian, the dove represents the Holy Spirit, and is another important aspect of my life.
5=Foram 3 Basler Ace acA1440-220uc
To make the body, I used the same Basswood I used for the birds, which I cut with a band saw and shaped with a power file. I used some images from the internet as guides for the shape. The three images here show the general construction. The wings and tail feathers were made from thin sheet steel cut using the band saw. The wings were screwed to the top and the tail inserted into a slot cut into the body.
Three images of dove body before adding the modelling clay
I used modelling clay to bulk up the top and bottom of the leading edges of the wings and tail. I also used this under the wings to blend the underside into the body where the muscles would be. To help the clay to adhere to the wings and body, I drilled holes in the leading edges of the wings, the front of the tail feathers and into the body under the wings so the clay would penetrate through to the clay on the other side of the wings and tail, and into the body.
To make the feet, I used a pipe cleaner and twisted it to form feet which were then inserted into two holes in the body.
Once painted with acrylic paints, I stuck a nail up its backside and glued the large head of the nail into the coupler on the end of the extension steel conduit. This pipe screws on to the top of the pipe emerging from the top of the carousel. Of course, I had to make sure that when the conduit was fully tightened the dove was facing the front!
The finished dove attached to the top pole
For a while a china model of a toucan took the place of the dove. As this was a present to me from my son Alex, specifically for the clock, this has now been relocated to the side of the pulpit.
Well, apart from remaking Bob Moog's head, that's the clock complete !. Summer 2026.
The dove in situ
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