Introduction: Walnut Wall Clock, With a Splash of Geek

By Shop Time
About: Come spend some time in the shop. I'm a hobbyist woodworker and professional computer geek in Northern California. I guess my projects will vary widely, and I have no clue what I plan to make next...

This is a turned walnut wall clock with an inset  CD.

For this project you will need some materials:

A blank that measures, 10" square by 3/4 thick. (This can very depending on how think an outer ring you want)
A CD (I microwaved mine for 3 seconds)
Super Glue
Clock moment (Klockit.com has great prices)

Tools:

Lathe with at least a 10" swing
Turning tools
Table saw or hand saw
3/8 drill bit
Bench chisel
hand drill
forstener bit

Lets get started....

Step 1: Preparing the Clock Blank

I didn't have a 10" square blank, but I did have a 5" wide walnut board.

I cut down two pieces to 10" long on my table saw. You could also do this on a miter saw, radial arm saw or even with a hand saw.

I then jointed one edge of each 5" board to give me a clean glue joint. Again I used my table saw, but a jointer, router or even a hand place can clean up an edge to give you a gap free glue joint)

I applied glue and clamped the boards in place. I waited 4 hours for the glue to dry before attempting to turn.

Step 2: Cutting Corners

I cut the corners off at the band saw.

On a 10" square blank this will add a lot a stability to the turning, allowing you to turn at higher speed and cutting quite a bit of time roughing the blank to round.

I then centered the blank on my 3" faceplate and secured it with 4  wood screws

Step 3: Turning the Clock

Rough turned the clock until it is round and spinning true.

I used a bowl gouge, but a roughing gouge could also be used.

Clean up the edge and add a profile detail it you like. I went with about a40 degree chamfer on the back and a round over on the front edge.

Then flatten the front with your scraper or bowl gouge and sand the project. I went up to 400 grit.

Step 4: Adding the Recess

Cut a recess in the front that will hold the CD flush with the clock face. I used my square nose scraper for this. A parting tool or skew on it's side would work as well.

A CD is about 4 5/8" wide so if you start with a 4 1/2 circle and widen as you go you can get a tight fit. Stop your lathe and check frequently.

Lastly drill a 3/8 hole all the way through your clock. This is where the movement will go.

Step 5: Recess for Clock Movement

The clock movement I bought was about 3/4 thick. That means that my wall clock would have sat 1 1/2" off the wall. I didn't like the look of that at all.

So I cut a 5/8 pocket into the back of my clock for it to recess. If you get a smaller movement with a longer shaft, you can skip this step.

I used a sharpie to outline the movement and forstner bit to remove most of the waste.
The rest was cleaned up with a bench chisel.

Step 6: Finishing the Clock

You're almost done!

I then attached my microwaved CD with 4 drops of medium CA (any superglue would work) and let it sit for 15 minutes
I then assembled the clock movement from the manufactures directions and added the hands.

Lastly I put a coat of wipe on polyurethane on the walnut.

Hung and enjoyed.

Here is a video I made of the process