Dial Clock

by timothymh

3.6K2416

Intro: Dial Clock

In this instructable, I will show you how to make a clock out of an old rotary phone.

STEP 1: Get Your Parts

You will need the following:
  • A rotary phone which is broken internally/not usable
  • Clock parts
  • A drill
  • White paint (optional)
  • Hot glue

STEP 2: Gut the Phone

Take everything out that can easily be taken out.

Save the following parts:
  • The dial itself
  • If it's a separate piece, like in my case, the plastic plate behind the dial
  • Anything that isn't in the way of the clock body that is relatively hard to take out (Also, if it's fairly weighty, you may wish to leave it in to make it seem more real.)
  • The entire headset
  • The thing holding the headset cord to the phone body
Part two of this step:

Make a hole in the dial the size of the shaft of the clock (see pics 1 and 4).

STEP 3: Attach the Clock Parts

Put the clock body into the phone.

Put the dial on the shaft.

Attach the hands.
Note: If you wish, you can put a dollop of hot glue to attach the hour hand to the dial. Then the dial will turn with the time!

STEP 4: Add a Battery

Put the battery where it goes. Do not want electrocute yourself and try to sue me. *wink wink*

STEP 5: Set the Time and Have Fun!

NOTE: make sure you don't pick this up when the phone is ringing. It is actually quite easy to do; I have done it myself numerous times :)

15 Comments

paqrat 12 years ago

Very cool instructable, both in concept and execution.

Lance Mt. 14 years ago

 If you could possibably (Somehow,) make the phone still work that'd be cool

timothymh 14 years ago

 Very cool, yet impossible for a few reasons 1) you need to take out the dial guard, 2) the clock part gets in the way of the dial mechanism, 3) you need to turn the dial a little to align the dots with the hour positions. But it's a great idea!

paqrat 12 years ago

Perhaps one could take one of the handsets of a modern phone which has the dialing buttons on the handset and put them on the handset of your phone. Might then be possible to use the guts from the modern phone to give you both clock and working phone.

Lance Mt. 14 years ago

 Quite impossible. Yet it must be done. Actually, we should have combining instructables contests. Office cardboard chair trap. Knex gun milkshake maker. Headphone single cookie bakers.

timothymh 14 years ago

 Absolutely. :) iPod wallet clock. PC USB E-Z-Bake oven hack. Exploding aerosol pen prank.

Lance Mt. 14 years ago

Duck tape mouse, with thowies and all.

timothymh 14 years ago

Definitely. Mentos + Diet Coke virus, VR cookies, edible pop-top chainmail

Lance Mt. 14 years ago

 We're on to something...

timothymh 13 years ago

Don't forget... The Incredible Open-Source Gorilla Glue Pastry Remote-Control Lawn Chair Arduino Prank!

Lance Mt. 13 years ago

Ehhh, that "The Incredible Open-Source Gorilla Glue Pastry Remote-Control Lawn Chair Arduino Prank!" is a bit overrated...


BUT I CANT WAIT FOR VERSION 2.0!!!! He's called it The 5min Incredible Open-Source Gorilla Glue Pastry Remote-Control Lawn Chair Arduino Prank NOW WITH VIDEO

timothymh 13 years ago

Wasn't there a rumor about the schematic for the Arduino causing it to explode?

The 5min Incredible Open-Source Gorilla Glue Pastry Remote-Control Lawn Chair Arduino Prank (With Video) WITH IMPORTANT UPDATPr