DIY vinyl record clock: step-by-step instructions for beginners
Vinyl records with your favorite music make you feel nostalgic, so many people do not decide to part with them after a long time. When they sit on a shelf, they collect dust and take up space. There is not much benefit from this, rather the opposite. If you are not lazy, you can breathe a second life into them. Your work will not be in vain and will please the eye both for you and for everyone who comes to your home. This accessory will add originality to your interior, which is now so valued. If your house is filled with things from the last century, and you can’t bear to throw them away, then you will find this article useful on how you can make a clock quickly and easily from a vinyl record.
Making a watch from a vinyl record is not as difficult as many may think at first glance. For those who cannot immediately understand the entire process of making such watches, a video tutorial will be useful, which you can familiarize yourself with after reading the article.
Fantastic car
Richard's home machine for making vinyl records is reminiscent of some device from retro science fiction films. It's like a car from a Rube Goldberg cartoon. It is simply impossible for an uninitiated person to understand what it is and why. The base of the device is made from a Technics LP player.
The cutting head consists of two small speakers that transmit vibrations to the diamond needle. Diamond cuts tracks on the record, and the player's needle immediately transmits the signal to the amplifier and speakers - Richard listens to the newly cut tracks, music is created right before his eyes. In a big factory, everything happens completely differently, and no one closely monitors every track.
“If someone wants 10 copies of an album, then I have to cut all 10 copies. Everything is in real time. There is no way to speed up this process,” says Hoten. Once he even had the opportunity to record the group LA Takedown, the recording went directly to the record. The musicians played for 20 minutes without a break for each copy (record) separately. The end result was several unique recordings, all of which were slightly different from each other in some way.
Let's look at the main methods of making watches from a vinyl record
The simplest option, in which only the mechanism itself is attached to the surface of the plate. It must be glued on the reverse side. The arrows come out to the front side through a hole in the middle. For a more impressive appearance, you can make a drawing. It can be glued or drawn by hand with a brush. But lovers of minimalism will also like the option without drawings.
This method is very similar to the first. The difference is that before attaching the clock mechanism, you need to give your watch a not very complex shape (hare, butterfly, heart, etc.). Remember that when cutting out the shape, do not rush, because... Vinyl can melt from high temperatures.
To cut, you will need a burr with an attachment or, if you don't have one, a hand jigsaw. Before cutting out the dial, you need to draw it with a pencil on the future watch. After finishing the work, start cutting along the contour.
If you prefer to use this option, don’t be upset if it doesn’t work out right away, because... this is quite a complex process. Be patient and try again and again until you get the hang of the tool.
You can apply a design to a vinyl record either yourself or using stencils. This method is very complex and, if you do not have the necessary experience with tools, then hold off on making watches. Instead, you can practice on plywood or other suitable scrap material.
You can use decoupage to decorate your future watches. But if you want it to be noticeable that this is a vinyl record, then you should not use this method. Under the picture it will not be clear what material the product is made of. To achieve the same effect, you can simply take a sheet of plywood or plastic.
Mysterious teacher from Germany
Richard bought his machine from a mysterious man from Germany known as Souri. Khoten says that everything happened very unusually (we are talking about the process of learning from Souri how to cut grooves on records): “It was like some kind of test. You have one workout that will last as long as you physically can stand it. He (Souri) knows everything about making records at home, right down to how to get the deepest bass on a record."
Richard learned a lot from the Souri master: how to set up the machine, how to work so as not to break the sensitive mechanism. He learned how to make records the way they used to make them. Now it all seems like some kind of fairy tale, when there is so much digital music around.
We are studying one of the options for making a clock from a vinyl record using the decoupage technique
To work you need:
Handmade business attracts budding entrepreneurs with a low entry threshold and the opportunity for self-realization. Such projects are not always long-lasting, but if the founder believes in himself and has correctly “found” the niche, then his micro-business has every chance of growing into something more serious. Three years ago, a student from Vladivostok, Karina Kaluga, sold her first watch made from vinyl records through a page on a social network, and now her products are sold in many retail outlets and both Vladivostok residents and guests of the city are happy to buy them.
Karina Kaluga
, 25 years old, entrepreneur from Vladivostok, founder of the
Vinyl Vl
(production of designer watches from old vinyl records). Education: Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service (specialty in environmental design). The cost of starting a business was 5,000 rubles.
Three years ago, student Karina Kaluga worked in the Far Eastern representative office of the Yota company, which once sent her on a business trip to St. Petersburg. There, Karina entered an underground passage and saw a clock made from vinyl records. There were three hundred rubles in my pocket, and the watch cost five hundred. So Karina decided that it was time to do something of her own without large investments - for example, a similar watch.
“I came home with these thoughts. I bought thirty old records from an online flea market, made models, and found a carver. To begin with, we laser-cut three clocks with different details to understand how fused vinyl would behave. All the watches turned out, and I posted them in a group on the social network VKontakte. On the same day, I received orders from friends and acquaintances. I think that the approaching New Year played a big role in this,” says Karina Kaluga.
The art of cutting records. One at a time [translation]
Nowadays, most so-called “audiophiles” listen to music on streaming services through Beats headphones.
In general, there is nothing wrong with this. Each generation has its own fashion, its own ideals and heroes. But even digital music, modern fashionable headphones and all kinds of gadgets are not able to make true music lovers forget about vinyl records. Now, as we know, the demand for vinyl is growing again, and it is no longer possible to say for sure whether this is just fashion or something more. We won't argue, not this time. Now we will talk about those for whom vinyl is more than a good way to listen to music. Such people consider records to be something sacred, animated. Richard Houghten lives in the USA, in Los Angeles. Richard has his own vinyl record machine. Vinyl is not Richard's only hobby (but without a doubt the main one): he is also a guitarist, musician, music teacher, and composer.
Richard Hoten regularly makes vinyl records on his machine, but the process of creating a record at home is very different from what you see in a factory. Richard is an artist. Perhaps such words may seem like an exaggeration to some, but this is actually true.
Judge for yourself - Richard monitors the recording process of each record in real time, he carefully listens to each track so that everything is as it should be. Richard always keeps an eye on the volume level - a little louder than necessary and the cutter's diamond stylus will make a groove too wide, causing the turntable stylus to jump into the adjacent groove during playback. This requires maximum concentration, patience and a well-oiled mechanism.
DIY crafts from vinyl records: tips for home craftsmen
Vinyl records, which were widely used for sound recording in the last century, still survive today. The most valuable specimens can be sold to collectors. Discs that have been released in large quantities can be used to make household items or original handicrafts with your own hands.
A boring white wall will immediately become more attractive if you decorate it with plates with bright stickers. The result will be a unique colorful design.
Painting with acrylic paints will make the composition even more impressive.
From discs of the same size fastened with variegated laces or metal staples, you can make curtains that replace an interior door.
Unusual coasters for hot dishes will surprise your guests and put the older generation in a nostalgic mood.
Round photo frames can be decorated with lace, beads or paper flowers. Even schoolchildren can cope with such work.
The minion mirror frame looks like an exotic flower.
A simple but elegant handbag perfect for stylish teenagers. It’s good if young needlewomen make the product themselves.
Non-standard furniture will fit into a modern interior of any design. The correct geometric shape of vinyl circles and ease of assembly allow you to build a hanger, small table or stool in a few minutes. Such handmade crafts from records will appeal to fans of talented musicians of the past.
A damaged countertop decorated with an unusual mosaic will look like new.
The reflections on the surface of vinyl records will make the light of a table lamp or pendant chandelier brighter.
Vinyl is a material that softens easily when heated. To make the walls of a homemade shelf, bottle rack or kitchen organizer, just hold the plates in boiling water for a few minutes and bend them in accordance with the chosen project.
A small tabletop device can be made from one disk, cut in half.
To obtain more complex designs, the plates are heated in an oven, the temperature of which should not exceed 120 C°, and then they are given the desired shape. To avoid burning your hands while working, you should use protective gloves.
A colorful stand for jewelry can be made vertical or in the form of a shallow dish.
From heated vinyl you can form any containers, for example, an original office organizer.
There is no need to drill a hole at the bottom of a homemade pot for indoor plants - it was provided by the technology for making gramophone records.
Making beautiful carvings on plates is a little more difficult - you need skill and special tools. The design is cut out onto a stencil using a sharp knife, electric jigsaw, milling cutter or wood burning device. Home craftsmen can come up with other ways to create elegant lace products, which, as a rule, serve as frames for homemade watches.
Crafts made using the decoupage technique look very impressive.
To create colorful panels, any decorative elements that match the theme of the image are suitable. “Paintings” for a children’s room can be decorated in a marine style, and a kitchen applique can be decorated with bulk food products, seeds or nuts.
A colorful pot for hanging plants or artificial flowers will make your garden area more elegant. And the feeder will help birds and squirrels survive the cold season.
Young plants surrounded by a simple but visible border will be protected from trampling.
Pliable and flexible vinyl is a convenient material for home creativity. Creating original household items will only require a little imagination and diligence.
Music on chocolate
You can cut more than just vinyl on your home machine. “You can experiment in different ways. I know a guy who takes notes on chocolate bars. You can use anything. Even the plastic part of a CD will do. I used both CDs and different plastic plates,” says Hoten.
Richard Hoten doesn't make a cult out of vinyl. He never says that physical music is better: “I think digital music and vinyl are not competitors - both formats are good in their own way.”
The new is the well-forgotten old. This statement is not always true, but this is exactly the case here. Machines for making records at home seem like some kind of innovation. Of course, you shouldn’t expect that tomorrow everyone will run for plane tickets to Germany to buy themselves a machine, and such a “home” hobby will not seriously compete with factories and streaming services, but the fact that someone is doing this is already great .
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When new is better than old
Vinyl records (LP) are, first of all, the first original pressings. All the magic of the original analog recording, the richness of timbres and “that same sound” is exactly what audiophiles are chasing. But the modern development of technology (and not always digital!) dictates its own rules - careful mastering from studio tapes, the use of SuperVinyl / UHQR formats provide unprecedented sound realism. Often superior to the original! Today in our selection are the best editions on modern vinyl records, which, in our opinion, should be present in every collection!
Bob Dylan "Blood On the Tracks" Hand-Numbered Limited Edition SuperVinyl
Catalog number – MFULP006-45 $124.99
Named one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums, Bob Dylan's fifteenth album is a masterpiece. A modern edition to match: the released 45 rpm records were recorded in the Mobile Fidelity UltraDiscOne-Step (UD1S) format. The use of only analog mastering and a one-step printing process (joint development with JVC), the use of carbon fiber mass (NEOTECH and RTI) - all this guarantees both negligible noise levels and hyper-realistic sound. Only a couple of boxes are released per person, the circulation is limited to 9,000 copies.
Dave Brubeck Quartet "Time Out"
Catalog number - AAPJ 8192-45 $55
Reference LP from Analogue Productions - pressing in the Quality Record Pressings (QRP) format guarantees minimal noise levels, and mixing and mastering are completely analog. Dave Brubeck Quartet's “Time Out” on 45 rpm sounds exceptionally great - the very case when, after playing the record, you simply plunge into another world.
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble "Texas Flood" Numbered Limited Edition SuperVinyl
Catalog number – MFULP005-45 $139.99
Another release on “super vinyl” by Mobile Fidelity. The circulation is only 7,000 copies, the recording is completely analogue, of course, at 45 rpm. The elaboration of the entire frequency spectrum is amazing - the lower middle of most tracks evokes admiration for its elasticity, the bass is prominent and thunderous. Perhaps this is the case when a “remake” destroys the original to smithereens.
Hugh Masekela "Hope"
Catalog number – APLP0117 $54.99
Test disk at most high-end technology shows. The recording demonstrates a huge scale and takes you into the atmosphere of a real concert. The double edition from Analogue Productions was released on 200 g records at regular speed (33 rpm), but the sound literally captures the stars from the sky.
The Bill Evans Trio “Portrait in Jazz” Numbered Limited Edition SuperVinyl
Catalog number – MFULP009-45 $249.99
Mobile Fidelity again with the revived SuperVinyl. The reissue of the 1959 recording was released in 6,000 copies on UD1S (UltraDisc One-Step), the price is extremely high today. The quality of the record is stunning - mastering from the original years on a completely analogue path demonstrates that very revived “magic of time”.
Selection of materials and tools
Before you start working on creating a craft from a vinyl record, you need to decide what technique will be used to create the product. But in any case, you will need a clock mechanism with a battery and hands. Numbers for the dial are sold in handicraft stores.
Vinyl records were produced in two sizes, so the arrows are selected to match the size of the existing record disc.
To cut the disk into the desired shape you will need:
- scissors;
- jigsaw;
- drill;
- stencils of drawings or layouts for cutting.
The decoupage technique or craquelure technique involves the use of other tools and materials.
Often, when making a watch from a vinyl record with your own hands, you combine decoupage with craquelure.
Therefore, you will need much more materials and tools than when cutting out a watch dial.
Before starting work, you need to prepare the following materials:
- primer;
- two options of acrylic paint;
- brushes for varnish and paint;
- PVA glue;
- decoupage napkin;
- craquelure varnish;
- finishing varnish;
- stencil for decoration.
Of course, you can do it in a simple way. For example, insert the clock mechanism into the hole in the middle of the plate, install the hands, draw or glue the dial - and the wall clock will be ready. But a watch made from a vinyl record, made by hand using sophisticated technology, looks much more impressive.
Russian
encounter the problem of downloading free drawings and layouts for laser cutting and engraving. It is for this reason that in this section I will collect vectors tested and, if necessary, modified by me for laser cutting.
Today, laser cutting machines have become available and widely used. With such equipment you can cut various materials: paper, cardboard, all kinds of plastics, veneer, plywood, and even metal. I myself have been working on a laser machine since 2013, and have accumulated a large collection of layouts for laser cutting in CRD (Corel format), which I will share. In addition, any archive that you download will contain dxf, pdf, eps, svg files . Mainly in this category I will post drawings and layouts for cutting plywood or acrylic , but many vector patterns that can also be used when creating a layout can be found in the “Vector Clipart” category.
Vector layouts for laser cutting:
Details are very important
What is the best format to save music in? Disk space is cheap these days, so it's better to choose a high resolution. 24-bit/96kHz, the standard for many studios, represents a reasonable compromise between quality and storage capacity.
WAV, AIFF or FLAC - it doesn't matter so much, as long as your system supports this format. Sony PS-HX500 allows you to record music in DSD 5.6 MHz format.
CDs and digital files usually have embedded metadata containing song information and album art. Vinyl discs don't have this, so you'll have to enter the metadata manually.
This process is quite tedious, especially when copying many disks, but it is very important, since only by doing so will it be possible to distinguish between files in a shared folder on the computer.
The PC does not recognize individual songs; in most cases you will have to copy each one individually. Compositions that flow into one another also pose a problem. Mark them to play continuously, or you'll have seconds of silence where there shouldn't be any.
Once the process is complete, it will be very disappointing if your computer or NAS server crashes and results in data corruption or loss. Make at least one backup copy of your digital library, preferably two. After spending so much effort on copying vinyl, you are unlikely to want to repeat this procedure.
Copying finished! You can enjoy your favorite music.
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Installation of the clock mechanism (MK)
A product with a clock mechanism - this option is the simplest. The essence of the work is to install the clock mechanism directly on the record.
To make a homemade product you need to go through the following steps:
1. Attach the base of the mechanism to the back side of the plate. It's better to use glue.
2. The arrows will come out through a hole that is located in the center of the base. Here you need to make sure that the mechanism is located exactly in the center.
3. All that remains is to install the hands and the clock is ready.
4. If desired, the base can be decorated with various designs or patterns. For lovers of minimalism, this option will be the most suitable.
In the video: a vinyl plate clock with numbers.
Dish
To make a dish from a record, you will need an oven, and in general, it will become an indispensable assistant in transforming records, so you can immediately move with all the accessories to the kitchen. At the same time, you won’t have to run from room to room if you want to take a break from the process and have a snack.
To make such a dish, we will need not only a plate and an oven, but also a deep bowl that is resistant to heat, twine and glue.
Place a bowl in the preheated oven with the plate on top.
After it “envelops” the bowl, you should remove the structure from the oven, cool it a little and place it in the oven again: only the plate will already be inside the bowl. This way she can form better.
After the dish takes the desired shape, without waiting for it to cool, wrap the item with twine coated with glue. Next, it should dry well and the new decor is ready!
By the way, you can make bottle stands in the same way, only you should use glass bottles rather than a bowl as a mold for the oven. Such decor would be very appropriate in a loft style.
Best application according to the editors
After reviewing a huge number of options for using vinyl records, we have identified a few winners.
The first winner is a clock with built-in color lighting, which is also a stylish wall lamp. Agree, they are simply magnificent!
The second winner is the use of records to decorate the room in which music is practiced. Cool, cool, cool!
Abstract clock (MK)
Anyone can attach a mechanism to a vinyl record. But to make a truly original product, you need to try a little. An abstract watch would be a good option. To do this, you need to heat the plate in the oven and give it the appropriate shape.
First, the oven is heated to a certain temperature and an old record is placed there. After some time, it is removed and given the required shape by hand. To give the plate the desired shape, you need to carefully bend it at several points. It is worth considering that there should be room in the center for unobstructed fastening of the mechanism.
It is worth remembering safety precautions. It is better to carry out the work in special heat-resistant gloves.
Making an abstract clock from a record
Vinyl zoetropes
The Zoetrope is one of the forerunners of cinematic animation. It creates the illusion of movement by displaying a sequence of drawings or photographs that demonstrate the phases of that movement. Zoetrope vinyl records are printed or engraved with images that create continuous moving images when rotated.
These mesmerizing animations come to life when the recording is illuminated with a strobe light, filmed at 25 frames per second, or viewed through a special device. This video from Sculpture Plastic Infinite gives you an idea of what it looks like.
Manufacturing
Vinyl is a material that can be easily processed. When working with a record, various design techniques are used. The paint applies easily and evenly to the plate. The decoupage napkin sticks well to the plate. Therefore, the craquelure and decoupage techniques are most often used.
Decoupage technique
Decoupage is gluing a paper napkin onto a base. The plate as a base is ideal for making watches.
Let's imagine step-by-step production.
- The plate is degreased and covered with a white primer . When the soil is dry, we begin the main work of making the watch.
- Choose a napkin for gluing . A huge number of drawings on decoupage cards and napkins, and scenes on rice paper for gluing help you easily choose the appropriate option for decoration. Floral motifs are often chosen. Thematic drawings of landscapes or animals are suitable for making gift items. To glue the napkin, water-based PVA glue is used. The top layer with the pattern is removed from a three-layer napkin and applied to the base of the watch. Apply glue on top of the napkin with a brush. When wetted, the napkin stretches slightly, so apply the glue with maximum care. Sometimes craftsmen apply glue with their fingers so as not to tear the napkin.
