DIY Large Vintage Style Clock Hand Painted

Vicky Kloppenborg
by Vicky Kloppenborg
$100
2 Weeks
Medium
Still looking for that one unique large clock to add character, and make a big statement in your home? Why not design and paint your own with this full diy tutorial, from start to finish!

It isn't hard to find large decorative clocks nowadays, they're everywhere, but, 15 years ago the pickings were mighty thin.
I was wanting something of good size for a long open stairway wall in our kitchen/dining area, and I thought a huge clock would be perfect. After several unsuccessful months of shopping, I sit staring at the wall, pondering my dilemma, when one of my then teen daughters jokingly asked why I didn't paint a mural, and be done with it. Yeah, like I could paint a mural?! The idea was enough to kick my mind into gear though, why couldn't I try to paint my own clock? And,I did! You can too!






To get started, let's build a clock.
A 1/2" BC grade plywood will be used for the circle.  One side is nicer than the other, and will be the front of the clock.  
Lay the plywood face up on a work surface you can easily walk around.  Determine the best place to draw the circle.  Knot holes are not usually a problem, they can lend a lot of character, but you don't want to cut through one on the rim of the clock.  Hammer a 1 1/2" finishing nail where the center of the clock will be. 
Drill a small hole on the 1" mark of a thin wooden yard stick, just large enough to fit over the head of the nail, no bigger.  With the yardstick on the nail, hold a pencil firmly on the edge of the yardstick at the 16" mark.  Walk slowly backward around the work surface, marking the plywood, until you complete the circle.  
Remove the nail, but keep it, and the yardstick handy, they'll be used again.  Cut on the outside edge of the drawn line.  Use a hand sander and medium grit sandpaper to sand the clock and edges smooth, using the drawn line as a guide.  Do not round the edges.
Cut two lengths of pine stripping.


Lay the circle face up, making sure the wood grain is running level horizontally.  Using the yardstick and the nail hole as a reference point, mark the top center of the clock with a line on a piece of tape.  Wrap the tape over the edge of the clock so you can mark the back too, in the same place.


Stand the circle up as straight as possible against a wall, with the back side facing you.  Use the yardstick and a level to draw a centered line down from the mark on the tape and over the nail hole.   Lay the clock down.  Go out 8" on each side of this centered line and draw two more lines.  


Draw centered lines down the length of each pine stripping piece.  Match and center them up with the outside lines on the back of the circle, minding that the angles are facing toward the outside edges.  Drill, and countersink, four evenly spaced pilot holes on each stripping piece.  Cut, or grind, the tips from 1 1/4" wood screws so they do not protrude through the front of the clock, and screw the stripping into place.  Fill holes with lightweight spackling, let dry, and sand smooth.  Except for two 1/2" D-ring hangers, which we'll get to later, the building is done.  


Time to paint!
An old sewing machine cabinet, 30" high, is my "go to" work table for this project.  It's a comfortable height and easily walked around for drawing and painting.  
I find it helpful from this point on, to always lay the clock down in the same position, with the top away from me, and, except for the paper layer, always paint and sand layers horizontally across the front following the wood grain.  


Lots More! Click on the blog link below to read the full tutorial and see how layering crackle and paint can help create something gorgeous for your home.


Vicky Kloppenborg
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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