How to Make a Driftwood Clock

How to Make a Driftwood Clock by DIYDriftwood.

I’ve had this particular piece of driftwood for a while and I knew right away that I wanted to make a driftwood clock from this piece.  It had many possibilities but my instinct was for a driftwood clock.

Required for this Project:

• Driftwood
• Clock mechanism
• Clock hands
• Clock hour indicators
• Extra piece of driftwood to serve as a third foot
• Drill
• Drill bit the size of your clock mechanism
• Glue
• Hinge
• Screws
• Screw driver
• Chain
• 2 eye hooks

For my clock hands and hour indicators, I took apart an existing clock I had.  I thought the hands and indicators were the perfect complement of smooth modern metallic to juxtapose against the natural ruggedness of the driftwood clock.

But this piece was rather thick where I needed the mechanism to be centered so I had to order a unit online that had a stem of  1 3/4″ long.  You will need to figure out how long the stem of your mechanism needs to be and most of the time you can find the mechanisms along with the hands and hour indicators at your local craft stores.  If you need something longer, then search online.  I believe I used Klockit.com.  Be aware that not all hands will fit on all mechanisms.

Another idea is to get creative with the hour indicators.  You don’t need to use numbers – you can use anything you might fancy.  Shells, beads, nuts, bolts – the possibilities are endless.  The craft stores have a mind-numbing selection of beautiful beads that can be used.

1.   I started by finding a piece of driftwood to use as the third foot.  I will attach this to the back using a hinge and screws and then attach a chain that will span from the back of the clock to the third foot so that the foot will only extend so far.  This will keep my clock upright.

2.   I attach a hinge to the driftwood foot and then attach the piece to the back of the clock. 

3.   I then insert two eye hooks – one into the back of the clock and the other into the third foot and attach my chain.  Check the length of the chain and make sure that it extends far enough to hold up the clock without tipping over.

 

4.   Next I marked the center of the clock face where I need to drill the hole of the mechanism.  Drill the hole.  Insert the mechanism and make sure that the hands will move without any problems before permanently attaching the mechanism to the back of the driftwood piece.  I used a hot glue gun to set it in place.

5.   Now mark where you want your hour indicators to be on the face of the clock and glue them on.

6.   Add the clock hands.

7.   Add the battery and you’re done.