Mirror Ball Clock

Intro: Mirror Ball Clock

It's a mirror ball that's also a clock. Having a mirror ball in the house is pretty tacky on its own. Usually these are left in gardens or pools and called gazing balls.

As for me, I love the warped fisheye lens effect you get from looking at one of these and figured that by turning it into a clock I could justify having it inside.

STEP 1: Materials

Supplies
- One 10" gazing ball
- One clock movement

Tools
- Rotary tool with cutoff disks
- Eye protection
- Ear protection

STEP 2: Drill Out a Hole for the Movement

My gazing ball already had a tiny hole in one side that was perfectly placed for the clock movement to stick out of. All I had to do here was drill it out a little more so that it could fit.

STEP 3: Cut Out a Hole in the Bottom

You still need to get the movement inside and the only way to do that is to cut a hole in the bottom that's big enough to get the movement and your hand inside.

STEP 4: Prepare the Movement

Add the AA battery to the movement so that it's now running.

Now, put hot glue on the four corners of the movement.

STEP 5: Insert the Movement

Holding the movement, reach in and stick it inside the ball. Don't worry about how the movement is aligned. It's all relative anyway.

Now, while supporting the movement from the inside, press the hour and minute hands onto the movement.

STEP 6: Set the Time

For setting the time, I simply grab both hands and move them both to 12 o'clock. Now, moving just the minute hand, adjust the time until it's correct.

That's it! Nice and easy. Feel free to place it wherever you want for some difficult time reading.

Comments

[BeanGolem]

You know what would be even more amazing... Place the clock in a corner of a room, and then place numbers around the room so that they show up in the reflection when you look at the clock straight on. Then you have numbers on your clock without damaging the shiny-ball effect.

[PACW]

Great idea!

[NickGriffin]

I like BeanGolem's idea-besides-from a decorator's point of view-it sure would be interesting where the actual numbers come up in the whole scheme of things-!

[imp]

it's really brilliant idea. I really love it.

[avibank911]

awesome idea.. jst had a thought on how to do that.. once the clock is re-assembled in mirror ball, shine a lazer pointer at the spot on the ball where a number would be eg shine it at the 12 o'clock position - make sure your angle of the beam is to your liking, and the reflected beam should fall on the correct spot in the room- get a friend to mark the spots where the numbers will be.. thanks for that awesome idea man u geniouse!

[BeanGolem]

You could even distort the numbers you place around the room so that they undistort when viewed through the ball.

[=SMART=]

that is incredible!!!! What a fantastic idea !!

[omnibot]

Your suggestion amazes me.

[Jake-off]

is it me, or does Escher come into mind when looking at this =]

[Zelka]

yep!

[fmafan]

This is SWEET I'll be sure to do this as soon as I can

[musicalbee2003]

So are the hands curved?

[Goodhart]

I am assuming they make those out of plastic and not glass (which would be overly fragile come to think of it). Very nice, and what ever is in front of the ball becomes the clock face; neat idea

[fungus amungus]

Neither. It's metal.

[=SMART=]

They sell them at the garden center i work at, we sell the metal ones along with cheaper plastic ones

[fungus amungus]

Stainless steel, to be exact.

[Goodhart]

Oh, that would be better then glass by a long shot :-) and it won't splinter as easily as some plastics would. Good choice :-)

[ARVash]

*correction*
Oh, that would be better then glass by a long shot :-) and it won't splinter as some plastics would. Good choice :-)

[bomberman3]

*correction*
Oh, that would be better than glass by a long shot :-) and it won't splinter as some plastics would. Good choice :-)

[Father Christmas]

well, im sure someone could find circumstance where it would splinter.