Make Yourself a Secret Hiding Place!

by Weissensteinburg

15K4628

Intro: Make Yourself a Secret Hiding Place!

Have an old broken pocket watch? Have some secret note you need to hide? Do I sound like a commercial?

Here's how I took my 2 dollar pocket watch from china town, and made it into a special compartment.

STEP 1: Supplies

Not much really, Just a pocket watch, and a thin prying tool. I used a letter opener. You also may want glue.

STEP 2: Pry Off the Back

On the back of the watch, there is a cover, you will need to get this off. It takes some work, use whatever you have, a knife (be careful not to cut yourself), fingernail, whatever you can. This is the hardest step.

STEP 3: Taking Out the Innards

Use your prying device to pull off the white plastic piece that holds the clock and battery in. I used the 4 rectangles around the circumference of the plastic. Once you do this, Pull out the clock and face. There will be a thin rod attaching the clock to the top. This is what sets the clock when it's twisted. Snap this rod off towards the top, and pull out the clock. You can use this for something else if its not broken.

You'll notice that once you snap the rod, the knob on the top will fall off, that's okay.

STEP 4: Push Out the Glass

Now, from the inside, push hard on the glass (keep this, if you want, its also a lens) to make it fall out. Now you have a nice biggish storage space to keep stuff in!

STEP 5: Option - the Knob

Now you have a choice. The knob that has fallen off will work like a key for you. But if you don't think you'll be able to keep track of it, put a bit of glue around bottom of the knob (the part that you spin, NOT the button, and then put it in. This way you'll still be able to use the button to open the compartment.


You can also put one of those small, very strong magnets inside towards the top, so that it's not permanently in there, but it won't fall out.


And now...you're done!

Congratulations, you have an inconspicuous storage container with a lock!

27 Comments

Jedi Ronin 15 years ago

I just did this like, five minutes before I read this Instructable. That's Why I searched for Pocket Watch, to see if there was anything I could do with the case. Funny thing is...we used the same brand of watch. Mine's got a carving of a buck, on the front and I left the glass in (might make it into a picture frame or something). I also managed to salvage the clack and am formulating evil plots involving it as I type...

NetReaper 14 years ago

Stupid crystal pocket watches. thats doing it wrong

awoodcarver 17 years ago

Why not just add a new battery and use it as a watch ? there should be enough room in the back for a single bill with all the parts in it .... ah well the crystal and gears will make somethng good i am sure.

Weissensteinburg 17 years ago

My watch was broken, it wasn't just a dead battery. It didn't know how to tell time. And if yours is anything like mine, the white part holding the clock in place comes up to the brim, so nothing would fit in.

iman 16 years ago

"My watch was broken, it wasn't just a dead battery. It didn't know how to tell time." LOL :) thats me, I made this a few years ago when I was bored only I put a pager motor and a watch battery in it .

awoodcarver 17 years ago

I just replaced the battery in mine and there was a white part like yours and you are right you cant get anything in there ,

brainwise 16 years ago

This is great. I have at least two non-functioning pocket watches, so I might try this one.

Whaleman 16 years ago

Cool! I am definitely gonna make this!

Whaleman 16 years ago

Here you go! I now have a PhoneClock, and a secret spot to put my papers, and it can only be accessed by removing the back panel!

Whaleman 16 years ago

That is my PhoneClock, I had a radio that came with a shirt and looked like a phone, so I gutted it and put the clock from my pocket watch into the radio and now I have a PhoneClock

Weissensteinburg 16 years ago

So it's a clock and a radio? Or is it really a phone? Or does it just look like a phone?

Whaleman 16 years ago

It is a clock that used to be a radio that looked like a phone, but now it is a clock that looks like a phone. Sorry if that was confusing.

Whaleman 16 years ago

if you don't glue the back on and you leave the lens in, you can take a picture of the clock, and leave it in the stop watch, that way, if some one happens to take a look inside your pocket watch, it looks normal at first glance.

Whaleman 16 years ago

Ok, and here is an Idea, you could use it as a wallet, then if someone tries to rob you, you can have your money in your pocket watch, although they might steal that anyway, and it can't hold ATM cards...
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