DIY clock
About fifty years ago, such an element of the interior as a grandfather clock could be seen in every second Soviet apartment. They were the pride of any host. But over time, interior fashion replaced such an exclusive, and the area of Soviet Khrushchev did not always allow luxury, which will occupy a lot of space. But, as you know, fashion is cyclical. And all the well-forgotten old again becomes relevant. Devices with a fight or a cuckoo in a wooden case are once again in favor. Masters who specialize in exclusive products are increasingly receiving orders for such watches. True, they do not take a penny for their work. But a do-it-yourself grandfather clock is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. To do this, you need to know only a few nuances and carefully read our article.
to contents ↑Ageless Classics
The term “Floor Clock”, that is, “floor clock”, came to us from the English language. In the same country, varieties of mechanisms were invented:
- Grandfather clock - Grandfather Clock, reach a height of 195-200 cm;
- Grandmother's watches - Grandmother Clock, reach a height of 150-190 cm;
- Granddaughter watches - Granddaughter Clock, reach a height of 150 cm.
The world first saw such a watch in the 17th century. This detail traditionally carried a certain symbolism of that period, and also testified to the viability and aristocratic origin of their owners:
- At first, the watch was a tall narrow cabinet, the entire clockwork was hidden behind the walls, only the dial was presented to the eye.
- After about a century, the production of watches with a glass front of the cabinet wall began, beyond which was visible not only the dial, but also an exquisite pendulum.
to contents ↑Important! Now, in addition to height, the floor clock with its own hands differs in the material of the case - there are wooden, glass, plastic and metal cases. But products from various types of wood with the addition of high-quality finishing materials remain classics that will never go out of style.
DIY clock
Before you learn how to make a grandfather clock with your own hands, you should decide on the design.
Important! If necessary, you can also find step-by-step instructions on our portal of useful tips, how to make a watch on a wall with your own hands.
Choosing the right model
Masters divide finished products into three types:
- Vintage. Such products are very similar in shape to a tower. The top has a rounded shape. Most often, they have a case made of dark wood and are a construction of a base, a display case, which is equipped with a door and a dial located in the upper part.
- Interior. Here, the design entirely depends on the style of the interior. Classic rectangular shapes do not matter. Both wood and plywood are used as the main material. Most often, the color for them is chosen neutral or light.
- Modern. These include devices that transform the classic view. Vivid examples are a floor clock made in the form of a street lamp or tall models that are equipped with a metal support.
If you decide to make a grandfather clock with your own hands, then it is better to opt for a classic, antique design.The most important thing in it is the base, the box, consisting of frames and facades fastened together.
Important! For such a case, wood and hardwood veneer such as maple and oak are best suited.
Operating procedure
The main work on creating a grandfather clock with your own hands is done manually:
- First of all, prepare frames for the future frame. These should be thin, but durable wooden blanks, because they will underlie the entire structure.
- Fasten the frames together with pre-prepared spikes. Insert them into the holes of the structure at the corner joints and be sure to process with glue. Wait until it is completely dry.
Important! Also, to assemble the base, you can use metal corners, placing them on the inside of the structure.
- Then, using ordinary hinges, attach to the base of the door.
- Now prepare the facades. To begin with, sand them to get a perfectly even surface.
- Then immediately attach them to the base. It is recommended to assemble the case together with the help of pins, glue and screws. After assembly, it is also necessary to wait until the glue has completely dried.
- Facades can be decorated with a variety of elements. To do this, use staples, rails or platbands, creating any patterns on your future grandfather clock with your own hands. First, they are glued from the outside, and then from the inside they are additionally fixed with screws.
- After all the parts are in place, sand the surface again. After this treatment, the paint will be absorbed evenly.
Important! It is not necessary to finish the varnish. You can emphasize the beauty of a tree with an ordinary stain. It can both lighten the tree and darken it. This can be skillfully used on various parts of the box.
- Then, when the coating is completely dry, insert the glass into the door frame, fixing it on the back side. At this stage, maximum caution is needed, if you drag the fasteners, the glass can simply burst.
- After the door is in place, install the clockwork. It can include long sound metal rods and parts that count down time and set in motion hammers that strike the rod every hour, every half hour and every 15 minutes, depending on the settings.
- Having connected the clockwork with the dial, insert the last decorative element - a wooden panel framing the dial.
- Then set the arrows in black or gold. Fix them with a decorative nut.
- And now the turn comes to such important details as weights and a pendulum. Weights are copper cylinders filled with lead. Each weighs about 4 kg. The pendulum swings evenly from side to side, thanks to which the watch always accurately shows the time and gives a fight.
Sample instructions on how to make a grandfather clock with your own hands may vary, depending on what end result you want to see.
Important! When planning the interior of the living room, it will be useful for you to familiarize yourself with the advice of designers that we have collected in the publication "How to make a wall in the living room above the sofa?".
DIY watch
It often happens that there are no problems with buying wood and veneer; now these materials can be found in many construction stores. But the watch that will give battle is not so easy to get. And the cost of such a design is not always affordable. Therefore, we propose to consider another option, how to make a grandfather clock with your own hands in battle:
- At your local hardware store, purchase an ordinary doorbell on a wired button.
Important! You can choose the option of self-powered, battery powered and with a standard set of tunes that even include a “cuckoo”.
- Upgrading the device will consist in the fact that you install the magnet on the minute hand and the reed switch under the dial, in the place where the number 12 is located.
Important! The magnet, which will play a decisive role, can be taken from a computer hard drive.
- Reed switch is located in any computer keyboard. Before work, be sure to conduct a test for the sensitivity of the reed switch to the magnetic field of the magnet. The minimum distance should equal the radius of your watch face. Solder wires to the reed switch, which will replace the contact of the micro-button of the bell.
- Then disassemble the watch case, without this step it will be impossible to remove the minute and second hands.
- After - wrap the magnet in a rubber shell, preferably very thin, and glue it to the end of the minute hand on the back.
- After the glue has dried, return the hands to the mechanism, reassemble the watch case.
- Set the minute hand at 12 o’clock and select the position of the reed switch at which it will work. This process is controlled by connecting the tester's tweeter to the reed switch. We fix the reed switch in the position found, for example, with hot-melt adhesive.
Important! The call case can be placed entirely behind the watch or next to it. And you can slightly reduce it and stick it to the back wall. It is better to take out the electronics and leave the access to the button for selecting melodies free.
- The placement of the battery may shift the center of gravity of your structure, so on the other side, adjust the counterweight from the old stationery knife.
Important! As a possible modernization of a grandfather clock, you can modify the ice backlight design yourself, so that you can find out the time, not including the general light. To do this, lay the backlight cord around the perimeter of the door, or in the part where the dial itself is located.
Floor clock in the interior
While the do-it-yourself floor clock dries out after finishing, think about where to place the new interior detail:
- The most suitable place is the living room. The larger its area, the more appropriate the structure will look there. Baroque style is perfectly complemented by watches with intricate carved patterns on wood and a pendulum. The cuckoo floor element will be very appropriate in the colonial style. A watch with a glass stand or an aquarium stand will ideally fit into a modern interior, but models of watches on a forged footboard are best installed in the interiors of Provence, Vintage or Shabby Chic.
- The dining room is another ideal option for placing a floor clock with your own hands. Usually this room is not cluttered with an abundance of furniture, but there is always a place for a highlight of your interior in it. The clock can be positioned against any wall.
- If you decide to decorate the bedroom for hours, then stop at the option with a silent move. Otherwise, insomnia is provided to you, since ticking will constantly strain your hearing and disturb peace. It is better to arrange the floor clock with your own hands in the sleeping room so that they are in the zone of visibility of the bed. Otherwise, you have to constantly get up to see what time it is.
- For the kitchen, a compact device is suitable, in which shelves are built in for various trifles. You can always find out the time and actively operate shelves for storing dishes, spices or even compact household appliances.
- Often, a do-it-yourself clock is installed on the site of the stairs leading to the second floor, and also near the wall at the foot of the stairs or even under the stairs.
- You can also specifically for this decoration of the interior at the stage of repair to make a niche in the false wall. Then the watch really becomes a full welcome element of the decor.
- It is very appropriate that a floor clock with your own hands will look in an empty corner of any room. In the house, for sure, there is such a place as in a large apartment.
- If the room has two windows located on one wall, then in the interval between them you can set your favorite clock in the floor.
- An empty wall near the door can also be occupied with such a watch.
- Such an element of the interior will look good next to the sofa in the living room.
- Also, the clock can be put in the corridor between two doors located on the same wall.
- Closed watches can serve as a miniature bar, so they can be put near the bar or in the relaxation area with sofas.
to contents ↑Important! If you decide to decorate the wall with paintings, do not rush to go shopping at the store. You can make a picture yourself, our special reviews will help you with this:
Stock footage
Such a solution as a floor clock with your own hands, will emphasize the features of any room, make it more refined and sophisticated. Such options were in most castles around the world, which made them so popular. It is a tribute to history, classics, taste and aesthetics that do not age over time. Therefore, even in the 21st century, such products do not lose their relevance. And thanks to modern processing technologies and high-quality materials, you can easily pick up a model even for the most sophisticated tastes.
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