Introduction: DIY Death Star Clock
Some backstory: I recently got a 2.5' millenium falcon gift that I subsequently hung in my office...
Well, I got a small wall decal of the death star to put on my wall, but that was sort of... lacking... in some ways.
I decided, why not make a 3D-ish Death Star myself instead?
While I was thinking about it, I also figured, why not make it somewhat functional if I can?
Materials (all available through Amazon and/or your local hobby/craft store):
Lightning "Factory Second" Prostyle #1 Driver $6.48 shipped
Clock Movement Quartz Square Straight Black Hand Shaft 3/4" Kit $12.95
(note: if I were to do it again, I would suggest going with the 1/4" or 1/2" kit instead of the 3/4")
Sticky Back Foam Sheets-Basic Colors $9.44 shipped
Black and Grey Spray paint about $4-5?
Optional but recommended: carbon paper - about $5 as well for 10 sheets
Step 1:
So to start off with, I resized and printed out an internet photo of the death star.
Using the carbon paper, I traced the outlines onto the frisbee.
Step 2:
(side note: if I were to do this again, I would next use my dremel tool and sand away the "emitter / focusing disc" portion as well as dremel in the curved lines -- on this run I did the sanding after I put the foam blocks on and had a few missteps which you'll see on the close up photos below)
Step 3:
Next, I used that same printout photo and traced the outlines onto a sheet of the adhesive backed white foam sheet. Using a scalpel / X-acto knife, I then cut out the blocks and stuck them to the frisbee, using the outlines as a guide to where they should go.
Step 4:
then spray painted the whole thing in semi gloss black (but any black will work I think) - paint was still wet in this image. The textural difference between the foam blocks and the frisbee was quite nice once the paint was on.
Step 5:
I used a strip of 1/4" tape to mask the center groove / canyon area, then lightly misted some gray primer to highlight some of the areas and provide contrast.
Step 6:
I then drilled a small hole for the clock nubbin to stick through and attached the clock arms.
Here it is mounted next to my shop clock for comparison
Step 7:
total cost: about $38-39
and the final result hanging in my office next to the falcon and TIE fighter:

Finalist in the
ThinkGeek Sci-Fi Contest
24 Comments
5 years ago
I can't find the picture that you have or any working replacement that would look as good as yours. Do you by any chance still have the original picture or do you know what you searched for?
Reply 5 years ago
Never mind. I found it. Turns out it was actually an ice cube mold. lol
7 years ago
Fantastic idea for my nephew, a fan just like me, or members of my Garrison (Dune Sea Garrison in Phoenix, AZ) for special occasions.
7 years ago
i love it!
8 years ago
really cool
8 years ago
What is this lightning "factory second" prostyle #1 thing? Is this the frisbee?
Reply 8 years ago
Yes it is the frisbee.
10 years ago on Step 7
You should purchase a star wars x-wing and tie fighter mini, they're made of light plastic. You can find them online cheap as chips I bet, just a couple of dollars. Attach them to the ends of the hour and minute hands and they'll slowly zoom around the death star on their trench run.
10 years ago on Introduction
I love your Death Star clock! Nice work. Great detail! Would love to see a DS II version.
Check out the Death Star I & II clocks I submitted as a LEGO Cuusoo project:
http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/16974
(It's a sort-of LEGO Kickstarter, where if a project receives 10,000 votes, LEGO will consider it for production as an actual set.)
If you like my project, please vote for it! Thanks!
10 years ago on Introduction
Sweet! I never would have guessed that started as a frizbee!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Hey, you should enter this into the Holiday Gifts Contest!
10 years ago on Introduction
This was a fun and easy gift for my Star Wars brother-in-law. Needless to say he absolutely loved it! Thank you for the idea and tutorial! The only tip I have for everyone is to make the arms of the clock a contrasting sheen or color; the arms i used are hard to read when the pass over the black equator.
10 years ago on Introduction
Thanks everyone for all the wonderful feedback! I had a fun time making this and hope you will too if you decide to try it. Figured it was a good way of repurposing a Frisbee (or really any disc shaped object), and hopefully something fun you could do with your kids on a rainy day.
10 years ago on Step 7
That is... AWESOME!! Great idea! I now know what I'm doing over xmas!
10 years ago on Step 6
A great Idea ,Great peice for the Dark side of the Force.
10 years ago on Step 7
Good use of a frisbee. Good instructable
10 years ago on Step 7
Kuddos!!! Such an awsome project!
10 years ago on Introduction
Obligatory: "That's no Clock!"
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Semi-obligatory: "I think it is time we demonstrated the full power of this station."
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Win