Category: Clock Kits

What can you make into a clock? The real question is what can’t you make a clock out of? Almost nothing. I have even tried turning my Yellow Lab into a functional timepiece, but it did not work out to well. She thought that the clock movement around her neck was going to be a tasty treat, so I had to take it away before we could start filming. Otherwise, if you can hold something still for a moment while you drill a 3/8 inch diameter hole in it, you can probably make a clock out of it. You can start with easy things like, CD’s, old vinyl records, even the nicely printed album covers (boy am I showing my age) or photos. All you have to do is cut a 3/8 inch hole in the object of your choice and you can easily install a modern, accurate Quartz Clock Motor. The most important thing for you to do is just measure how thick the material is at the 3/8 of an inch hole you cut or drilled. This will determine exactly which movement to buy. It’s all about having a hand shaft length long enough to go through whatever material you are making your clock out of, and being able to hold it in place with the washer and hex nut. If you are making a clock out of a vinyl record or record cover, then because the material is thin (About 1/8 inch), a short shaft movement kit would be best. Our short shaft MMKIT14B or MMKIT14G would work fine, depending on if either black hands or gold clock hands would look best. It’s your choice. Here we […]

If you own a small or medium size clock or gift business, you know all too well the problems shipping clocks with the hands exposed can be. Especially, when you cannot afford custom packaging. Here are some idea’s we have picked up over the years. Protect Exposed Clock Hands: I like to use small Styrofoam blocks that are cut to ½” to 1” square, especially with hands that are 5” or longer. 1” Styrofoam sheets are a common Home Depot item. The trays bulk clock movements are shipped in also provide another source of Styrofoam. Set the clock hands at 6:00. Very carefully slide these little Styrofoam blocks along the face of the clock and onto the ends of the clock hands. Sometimes tape or rubber bands can be used for added stability. This should help to protect the hands in most applications. We also sell plastic hand protectors: These are protective covers that are specifically designed to cover and protect the clock hands that are 5” overall or less. They are normally held in place with rubber bands, but in some cases tape can be used. Protect The Exposed Hand Shaft: Every clock motor has a shaft sticking out of it where the clock hands are installed. If the end of this hand shaft is too close to the inner wall of your packaging, then it is very easy to damage during shipping. All you have to do is use about 4”- 6” sections of cardboard tubes, rolled up double walled corrugated or about 3”-4” strips of Styrofoam blocks. Hold them in place with a rubber band around the clock. Just make sure that the cardboard tubes, or Styrofoam […]

Clock making changed dramatically with the invention of the quartz movement over 4 decades ago. Before that, battery operated movements were not as reliable, and some models actually had to be properly balanced just to operate. Now, quartz movements use a slice of a cultured quartz crystal bar, which is very accurately angle cut, and when electrified, resonates, causing the electrical circuit around it to produce a specific frequency output. Imagine a tuning fork that can run essentially forever (or at least until you need to change the batteries). , The accuracy and stability of quartz crystals is nothing short of amazing. This makes it easy to have clock movements that are accurate to within a couple of minutes a year. Another advantage to the new quartz movements is that they do not have to be leveled, and can operate in almost any position. The only exception is quartz movements with a pendulum function. By the way, pendulums on quartz movements have nothing to do with time-keeping, they are just there to add an authentic touch. Since you can make a clock out of virtually anything-Why not give it a try! You can use: CD’s Tennis Rackets Old Vinyl Records Metal Boxes Plates Wood Slabs Cast Iron Pans Computer Circuit Boards Marquetry Signs Decorated Foam Core Boards Books Paintings & Drawings Photos Needlepoint & Quilts Nautical Steering Wheels Propellers Hub Caps Slate Tiles Stained Glass Mirrors The list is almost endless. All you have to do is pick something that is 3/4″ thick or less and you are ready to make your own custom clock design. The material thickness will determine the hand shaft length you will need, and we […]