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CD Clock
Project:
Custom CD Clock
Time: 10
minutes
Equipment:
An old clock, glue or blu-tack, a CD coaster
Cost: $2
If you
browse around many gadget shops, you will have invariably seen CD clocks for
sale, usually in the $20 range, and thought, “nice, but too much money.” Or, if
you frequent memorabilia stores you’ll see Elvis CD wall clocks. These use the
same mechanism, but have a picture CD of Elvis on them instead, retailing in the
$40 range. If either sound appealing, but both sound overpriced, here’s a quick
makers guide to creating your own.
First, buy
a cheap clock mechanism. These are easier to find than you think. Visit any
thrift or pound store and you’ll probably find some garish clocks for sale with
perfectly good mechanisms, but flimsy and unappealing surrounds. I live in the
UK, and bought one going cheap for a pound just after England had been knocked
out of the World Cup. Again. Hobby stores and electronics shops will probably
sell you the exact same mechanism for $5-8. Get one with the longest hands you
can find.
Second,
dismantle the whole unit. Removing the hands first will allow you to slide the
surround off easily, as it is often glued to the mechanism itself. The surround
often has the screw hole for mounting, which the mechanism lacks. But don’t
worry about lose such vital functionality because, without this hulking piece
of plastic, it can be secured very effectively with just blu-tack. One of the
clocks in my house is still going strong since the last World Cup!
Lastly,
re-assemble the clock by placing the last CD you coaster’d (or one of the free
online trial discs) over the mechanism spindle and fixing with a couple of dabs
of glue or blu-tack. Be sure to place the glue away from the inner clear
circle, to avoid spilling into this window, and becoming visible from the other
side. Then replace the hands, painting them first with model paint if you
prefer. Fit the battery, and stick it to your wall.
Voila. It’s
done! For a custom version, you can buy a cheap music CD with a picture on it
from the same pound shop to create something more personal. If you already have
a colour printer and CD printer labels, this is obviously unnecessary.
To make the
“Elvis version”, buy a simple A4 picture frame (costs around $5-8) and create a
picture of your favourite star in the GIMP and stick this printout into the
frame, and glue the clock in the centre. Instant personal idol worship.
Blimey, is
that the time? I’d better go…
