Mission Arts And Crafts Door Bell Cover.

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This door bell cover is made from Quarter Sawn White Oak with Greene and Green Ebony screw covers.

Because the cover with the square holes is thin it acts like a sound board.

I made this a little while ago and I think it was the 3rd project I ever built.

The old cover was made of plastic in the 1970’s style.


To make the square sound holes I used a 1/2”
square mortise bit from one of those sets that attach to your drill press and enlarged the holes to 1” by moving it around until it was 1”.  I tried using a chisel. Because the wood is 3/16”thick, after a few hits with the chisel it cracked.
 
The old door bell mechanism worked so I installed it in the case. 

Here’s some rough plans I drew. If your interested in building one and can’t read them I can help you with that. 

Thanks for visiting this project. 

James McIntyre

31 Comments

Another home run James!  Very nice.

David

Great door bell cover.

Dr. Quackner

I remember that build, looks lonely up on the wall like that, need some grand A&C mirror or other masterpiece.😄

Will LBD be asking "why four finger holes to press the button"??
I think your door bell is in the true spirit of the A&C style.  Thanks for posting those planes. 

Dr. Quackner

Sometimes the simple forms, and uncomplicated builds make for the absolute coolest projects. That is a huge improvement over a plastiky box any day, no matter the decor. Nice build James.
Looks real nice! Mine has never had a cover in the 21+ years I've lived here. 🤷‍♂️

Steven- Random Orbital Nailer

Thats a great idea! I have a plastic one hanging in our house that should be changed to wood. You did a wonderful job on this. It may be a small thing, but I like that you left that little knot on the front of this, sometimes wood comes with those little things, and they can be celebrated instead of hiding them.

-- Paul--- Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. — Scott Adams

Cool JEMI...

Was that "grain"

planned to resemble the door knob? 

 Here’s some rough plans I drew. If your interested in building one and can’t read them I can help you with that.  

Missing from the plans, however, I can't read imperial...  you gotta get into SketchUp (or one of the other drawing packages)... they have a built in imperial/metric translator

If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD

 they have a built in imperial/metric translator
We have a fellow who posts regularly here and seems happy to convert! 😀
sure beats most doorbell covers ive seen.

working with my hands is a joy,it gives me a sense of fulfillment,somthing so many seek and so few find.-SAM MALOOF.


 SplinterGroup
 commented about 1 hour ago
new
 they have a built in imperial/metric translator
We have a fellow who posts regularly here and seems happy to convert! 😀

Us Philistines (especially the sons of Hungarian Fern cutters) refuse to convert!

If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD

Great project!

Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".

Mighty fine Job, James. Looks Great.

-- Soli Deo gloria! ( To God alone be the Glory)

Thanks DrQuackner

James McIntyre

Thanks Splinter. LDD thinks it’s a house with a cool door and a door knob. 

James McIntyre

George West thank you. Simplicity is one of reasons I’m attracted to the A&C mission style. 

James McIntyre

Thanks Dark_Lightings. 21 years is a long time to live with a naked door bell. At least it works and I’ll bet it’s loud. 

James McIntyre

Tinnman. In the story of this door bell cover I mentioned I was attempting to cut the the face plate with a chisel and it cracked. It was a perfect piece w/great rays. The one with the knot was a left over when I resawed the original piece. If you think the knot is visible you should see it on the reverse side of the piece. 

I ordered one of those square mortise kits from Grizzly that attach to your drill press. Because I’d be cutting a lot of square holes I bought a Powermatic machine. 

This was the last piece of QSWO I had left over from a medicine cabinet I build. 

You right sometimes the little imperfections add to the project’s unique appeal. 

Thanks Tin 

James McIntyre

Thanks Ducky. It’s really the Keebler Elf House. I can’t see that small knot from where it’s hanging in the stair well.  It’s all about the knot I guess.  😊 stop looking at it. And yes it’s grain. 

James McIntyre