Lunar themes are lighting up home décor lately, and this moon-clock project is an original spin for lovers of astronomy and style. The silver paint that accents the clock face adds to its sky-high appeal.
This clock would be equally at home in a serene bedroom of cool blues or as a unique gallery wall component. Wherever it’s put to use, the moon clock transcends merely telling the time; it elevates any space stylistically, while its status as the ultimate timekeeper never wanes.
Advertisement
Materials
- Plywood disk in preferred size (6 ½-inch or 10-inch diameter sizes work well)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- 1 2-inch thick oblong wooden block, about 3 by 6 inches
- Two wood clamps
- Cordless drill
- Painter’s blue masking tape
- Sanding sponge
- Circular plastic paint palette with 10 smaller recessed circles for holding paint; the palette should be about 2/3 the size of the disk
- Bottle of acrylic metallic paint
- Small fine art paintbrush
- Image of the moon, sized to occupy about half of the clock face's central inner diameter
- Cutting mat
- X-Acto knife
- Scissors
- Elmer’s clear glue
- Clock movement kit
- Plywood disk in preferred size (6 ½-inch or 10-inch diameter sizes work well)
- Ruler
- Pencil
- 1 2-inch thick oblong wooden block, about 3 by 6 inches
- Two wood clamps
- Cordless drill
- Painter’s blue masking tape
- Sanding sponge
- Circular plastic paint palette with 10 smaller recessed circles for holding paint; the palette should be about 2/3 the size of the disk
- Bottle of acrylic metallic paint
- Small fine art paintbrush
- Image of the moon, sized to occupy about half of the clock face's central inner diameter
- Cutting mat
- X-Acto knife
- Scissors
- Elmer’s clear glue
- Clock movement kit
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Lay the wooden disk on the work table.
1. Lay the wooden disk on the work table.
2. Locate the disk’s center point using the ruler. Mark it with a small “+” in pencil. Take two small pieces of blue painter’s tape, and mark an “X” on the center point of the back of the disk, where a hole will be drilled. Remove any stray pencil marks with the pencil eraser.
3. Place the wooden block on one of the corners of the table so it fits within the corner and does not overlap.
4. Place the wooden disk on top of the block, ensuring that the wooden block is below the disk’s center point.
5. Secure the disk in its place using the wood clamps; one clamp should align with the table edge horizontally, the other vertically.
6. Drill a small hole in the center of the disk with the cordless drill.
7. Blow away any excess sawdust. Smooth the surface around the drilled hole by rubbing it a few times with a sanding sponge. Remove the painter’s tape “X” from behind the drilled hole on the backside of the disk; smooth that area with the sanding sponge as well.
8. Take the plastic paint palette and center it on top of the disk.
9. Trace its outline with the pencil.
10. Squirt metallic paint into one of the palette’s recesses for holding paint.
11. Dip the brush in the paint, and paint the outer edge of the clock, stopping at the circular traced marked area.
12. Choose a photographic image of the moon (a page from a book or magazine, or a photocopy) that’s about 6 inches in diameter. Place on top of the cutting mat.
13. Find the center point of the moon with the ruler. Mark it lightly with the pencil.
14. Cut a small hole with the X-Acto knife that will accommodate the pin of the clock movement.
15. Using the scissors, trim the paper that surrounds the moon image.
16. Glue the moon, image side up, to the clock face with the clear glue. Take care that the hole cut in its center aligns with the hole that was drilled through the clock face.
17. Allow the glue to dry.
18. Take the square clock movement hardware piece (make sure it has an AA battery in it), and place it behind the clock. Thread its metal pin through the hole in the clock’s center.
19. Spin the small, circular hardware pieces on the pin so the movement hardware piece is secure.
20. Wind the minute hand onto the pin.
21. Wind the hour hand onto the pin.
22. Wind the second hand onto the pin.
23. Secure the small, circular hardware piece on top of the clock hands to hold them in place.
24. Set the correct time and hang the clock.
Pick the perfect place to display this otherworldly accent. It's sure to get noticed! Share on Facebook, too.
Advertisement