How to Make a Clock on CNC | ToolsToday

How to make your own family clock using Amana Tool® industrial CNC router bits on the STEPCRAFT M.1000 CNC machine. toolstoday.com

The downloadable and customizable CNC plans for this project are available on our website with item no. FAM_CLOCK if you want to make this project yourself!
toolstoday.com/cnc-family-clock-plans.html

Feed, Speed & CNC Running Parameters
Amana Tool RC-45711 In-Tech Insert Carbide V Groove 90 Deg x 11/16 D x 21/64 CH x 1/4 Inch SHK Single Flute Router Bit
toolstoday.com/v-10600-rc-45711.html
RPM: 18,000
Feed Rate: 40ipm
Plunge Rate: 20ipm
Max Depth of Cut: 0.30"

Amana Tool 46225-K SC Spektra Extreme Tool Life Coated Spiral Plunge 1/8 Dia x 13/16 CH x 1/4 SHK 2-1/2 Inch Long Down-Cut Router Bit
toolstoday.com/v-13941-46225-k.html
RPM: 18,000
Feed Rate: 60ipm
Plunge Rate: 30ipm
Depth per pass: 0.125"

Amana Tool 46202-K SC Spektra Extreme Tool Life Coated Spiral Plunge 1/4 Dia x 3/4 CH x 1/4 SHK 2-1/2 Inch Long Down-Cut Router Bit
toolstoday.com/v-13779-46202-k.html
RPM: 18,000
Feed Rate: 100ipm
Plunge Rate: 50ipm
Depth per pass: 0.25"

Amana Tool 47116 Carbide Tipped Flush Trim 1/2 D x 1/2 CH x 1/4 Inch SHK w/ Lower Ball Bearing 3-Flute Router Bit
toolstoday.com/v-5341-47116.html

VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION:

Matt: Hey guys, how's it going? Today I'm gonna show you how I made this awesome clock here on the Stepcraft M.1000 CNC. We do have the plans available for the clock on our website with a link down in the description, so be sure to check that out. Without further ado, let me show you how I made it.

It’s time to get started on a new project, making a clock for my living room. So, I'm just getting a piece clamped down here to the Stepcraft M.1000 CNC, and we're going through and carving through the Oramask 813 available on our website to create an area that we're later going to paint into. This is reclaimed oak flooring that we actually found here in the mall where the shop is that we got for free that we glued up into a panel to make into this clock face. Turns out this is oak that is actually from just a few minutes from here that was very, very old. So, it's actually pretty cool to see.

So, you can see, this is the RC-45711, 90-degree V bit going through here and doing a really clean job carving through this masking. The masking is going to protect the wood from getting paint where we do not want it with the oak. It is an open-grained wood. So, that's definitely very important. We do sell the plans for this project on our website with instructions that go over all of the tips and tricks for making this and how you can make it easier yourself. So definitely check that out if you're interested in making this for yourself.

So, we got all of the V grooving done on this piece. If you love this type of content, be sure to subscribe to our channel, and go ahead and hit that bell so that you'll be notified on all of the new videos when they're released. Also, don't forget to follow us on Instagram @toolstoday. Now that that is done, I'm going to go through and use sanding sealer on all of the letters. I did this over the entire clock. Sanding sealer dries pretty quick, but it takes a little longer to cure. So, I wanted to let that do that while we're going through the next process.

Dropping off that V bit and picking up the 46225-K 1/8" Down-Cut bit. It's really important with Oramask to always use Down-Cut bits as an Up-Cut bit will tear up the masking and when you're using V bits to make sure that you're using something really sharp. With that center hole for the clock mechanism done, we can go ahead and cut the outside profile using the 46202-K. Again, this is a Down-Cut bit and it does a really nice job leaving nice clean cuts through that masking, which is exactly what we want to see. I left some pretty big thick tabs here on the bottom since we do need to pocket out the back for the clock mechanism as well.

So, we're just going to get that all flipped over. You can see what that clock looks like. It's definitely looking really nice. So, once we get that flipped over, it's super easy to clamp back down using the workholding wasteboard for the Stepcraft. We do have plans for that available on our website as well. We'll use that same bit to go through and pocket out the backside for the clock movement. The material here isn't quite thick enough to be able to pocket that fully into the wood, but we're using a French Cleat to hang it so it won't matter at all.

Using the Fein MultiMaster, I got the tabs all cut free. One thing I did want to mention is the four on the clock is the traditional way to do the four four clocks. I know that the four is typically IV. That is a more modern style. So definitely check it out, do a search and learn about it. It's really pretty cool, but the plans do come with it both ways. So, using some General Finishes Milk Paint, this one is patina green. Now, go ahead and get everything painted. I really like using milk paint for projects like this, as it is a bit thicker and it’s definitely not as prone to bleeding. The sanding sealer definitely helps with that on Oak. It's really important since it is the open-grained wood, but the milk paint by itself does a really nice job preventing any of the bleeding too.

Then, we'll get those tabs all flush trimmed over at the router table while we let that paint fully cure. It sets up super quick, but it takes a little bit longer to cure just like the sanding sealer. I'm using the 47116 3 Flute Flush Trim Bit and it does a really nice job leaving all the trimmed areas nice and clean. So sometimes the masking can stick down a little bit too well. So, I'm just going through here with a heat gun to warm that masking back up since it's been sitting for a little bit. And this will prevent any sort of grain pulling. So sometimes when you pull the masking up, it'll pull some of the grain with the wood and this definitely makes it a lot easier to remove this masking.

So, after getting the majority of it off, you just go back with the heat gun in some of the smaller areas while you're working on them to get them hold up. I'm also using a hook weeding tool which really helps to get all of the edges up without damaging the paint or the wood. You got nice crisp clean lines which is exactly what you want to see from the Oramask and it looks absolutely fantastic. So, after that is done, we can go ahead and get everything finished. I'm using some Minwax spray lacquer here and satin. It definitely brings out some really beautiful grain and color in the wood which I love to see.

So, after that, we'll get the French Cleat installed on the back here. I'm using some brad nails to tack it down into place and we’ll counter sink and screw and some screws from the backside. This will make leveling it on the wall super easy. So, then we can get the movement all installed. We'll install the hour hand first and then the minute hand after that and then get everything secured down nice and tight. And now that that is done, we have a functioning clock so we can get the battery installed and see how everything works. This is definitely a project that I've wanted to do for a long time and something that we've wanted to have on our wall for a very long time as well.

So anyways, I'm going to let Caity finish this one off. She was really excited to have a clock so she can learn how to tell time but hopefully you guys enjoyed it. Have a great day, everybody.

You see a new clock? What do you think?

Caity: Ahh!

Matt: You like it?

Caity: Mm.

Matt: Woohoo! Can you count the numbers?

Caity: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Matt: 11

Caity: 11, 12.

Matt: Good job.

Caity: Thanks for watching. Have a good day. Bye bye!

Matt: Thank you guys so much for watching. If you love this type of content, be sure to subscribe right over here. And for more great videos, click right over here.