Literary Clock
I love this idea and how it can be done in so many different ways to make the perfect gift for so many different people! I think it might be a little bit involved for your basic crafter, but for someone with a little time and determination, I see this gift being a big hit!
You'll Need:
-a thin hardback book (relatively simple cover with not a lot of text, it must be big enough for the clock hands)
-clock set (you can get them at places like Michael's or Walmart, pay attention to the length of the "stem" of the clock in relation to the thickness of your book)
-a drill
-spray paint (optional)
Directions:
1. Remove the pages! (Note: It may be cute to save some of the pages with artwork to frame as a compliment to your clock!)
2. Mark the center of your book by going corner to corner with a straight edge. If you'd rather your clock be off-center, mark where you'd like the hands of the clock to originate from.
3. Optional: You can spray paint the hands and numbers of your clock set a different color if you can't find anything you like.
4. While your paint is drying, drill a hole in the spot you marked. I used a 5/16 bit but you'll want to follow the instructions that came with your clock pieces. A drill press is great. A cordless drill will be fine
5. Assemble the clock, follow the instructions that came with your clock parts.
Note:
The only tricky part is the thickness of the book. I kept finding my book too thick for the post on the clock. In this case your options are:
1. Buy a clock with a longer post (they vary in size)
2. Make a table top clock by opening the book and inserting the clock back between the last page and the back cover.
3. Cutting a large, square hole in the back cover to inset the clock mechanism (or maybe removing the back cover? That might look weird from the side.
6. Stick on the numbers using the longest hand as a guide for where the numbers should be. The clock sets usually come with materials to stick them on but you may need to use glue.
Original source can be found here.
You'll Need:
-a thin hardback book (relatively simple cover with not a lot of text, it must be big enough for the clock hands)
-clock set (you can get them at places like Michael's or Walmart, pay attention to the length of the "stem" of the clock in relation to the thickness of your book)
-a drill
-spray paint (optional)
Directions:
1. Remove the pages! (Note: It may be cute to save some of the pages with artwork to frame as a compliment to your clock!)
2. Mark the center of your book by going corner to corner with a straight edge. If you'd rather your clock be off-center, mark where you'd like the hands of the clock to originate from.
3. Optional: You can spray paint the hands and numbers of your clock set a different color if you can't find anything you like.
4. While your paint is drying, drill a hole in the spot you marked. I used a 5/16 bit but you'll want to follow the instructions that came with your clock pieces. A drill press is great. A cordless drill will be fine
5. Assemble the clock, follow the instructions that came with your clock parts.
Note:
The only tricky part is the thickness of the book. I kept finding my book too thick for the post on the clock. In this case your options are:
1. Buy a clock with a longer post (they vary in size)
2. Make a table top clock by opening the book and inserting the clock back between the last page and the back cover.
3. Cutting a large, square hole in the back cover to inset the clock mechanism (or maybe removing the back cover? That might look weird from the side.
6. Stick on the numbers using the longest hand as a guide for where the numbers should be. The clock sets usually come with materials to stick them on but you may need to use glue.
Original source can be found here.