DIY Tin Top Wall Clock

During the holidays the most delicious cake arrived on our doorstep.

It was a mouthwatering apple spice crumb cake that had everyone fighting for slices.

Everyone except me.

You see I was more interested in the metal canister it came in.
The top was covered in gorgeous green vines.

And I just knew it could be a fabulous piece of home decor...someday.

Well, someday showed up this past weekend, when the temps were too cold to do anything other than sit inside and play with my thrift store stash.

I put on my crafty thinking cap and decided to turn the top of that tin canister into a decorative clock.

It was also a super project to share for today's Thrift Store Decor Hop. 

How To Make A DIY Clock

That lid deserved to be front and center and I thought that turning it into a clock face was the best way to show it off.

Keep in mind that this project would work on a vintage tin top or a metal burner cover. You could even use the tops of tea tins, to make mini clocks, since the movements come in all sizes.

To start, I had to get rid of that word smack in the middle of my lid. Turns out, it was a transfer and lifted clean away once I was able to get underneath it.


Then I wiped the surface with a damp rag and I had a clean slate.

The Easiest Way To Find The Center

Next up, it was time to add the clock, which would naturally be centered. Of course, I had to find the exact center of the tin before I could drill a hole to pop the movement through.

And the easiest way to do that was with paper.

I started by tracing around the top with a pencil.


Then I cut out my paper circle, very carefully, as I needed to be directly on that line for this method to work.

I folded my circle in half and in half again, to form a small pie shape...for my cake tin clock.


And snipped the pointed tip of the paper off with a scissor.

Then I laid the paper circle on top of the tin, making sure they were lined up exactly, and placed a pencil in the hole I had cut, to mark the center spot.


That was honestly, the most time consuming part of this project. Once that was done, the rest was smooth sailing.

How To Make The Perfect Hole (without damaging your clock face)

My husband used a hammer to gently tap a nail into the tin, on the pencil mark, so he'd have a notch to place the drill...because the closest I get to power tools, is my glue gun.


I did help out though. I placed blue tape around that tiny hole, so that if the drill accidentally slipped, it wouldn't damage the finish or my precious vine.

Before he drilled, he measured the diameter of the center post on the clock with a caliper, to find the right bit and get the right sized hole.

Installing The Clock

Adding the clock was easy. The trickiest part was finding the right movement kit.

The center posts come in different heights, to accommodate the thickness of your clock. The hands also come in different lengths, so measuring before you choose is important.

To install it, I followed the directions on the package and voila. I was done.

CLOCK KITS

Well, almost. 

Once I saw the clock on the wall, I decided I didn't love the gold in the center of the dial. So I covered it with some black enamel paint.


Then I was done.

Or was I?

Hmmm. It looked nice on the wall, but it seemed unfinished. Besides, I was looking for more than nice. 

Adding A Frame

That's when I remembered this $3 cheese board I grabbed at the thrift store a while back. It was in really bad shape.

Somebody clearly liked their cheese, because this sucker had the deepest cut marks in the center...which had prevented me from upcycling it yet.


However, I figured if I used it to frame the clock, no one would ever see that terrible mess.

So I distressed the outside edge of the wood with black chalk paint and a coat of gloss sealer.

I also hammered a push pin into the wood to hang the clock on. That way it'd be removable when the batteries need changing.


That's when I got my wow.


The scratched cheese board gave my simple tin clock the pop and the grandeur it lacked before.

Now, the top of that bakery tin is a charming, and functional, decor accessory for my family room.


And super sweet.

Even without the cake.

😉

Don't you think so?

Hey, don't rush off! It's time to hop with my talented, upcycling friends.


 I hope you'll stick around and check out all the fabulous DIYs.



Thrift Store Basket Makeover
My Repurposed Life

DIY Window Wood Coffee Table With Storage
Funky Junk Interiors

Gorgeous Thrift Store Gold Framed Floral Print
Redhead Can Decorate

Modern Use For A Vintage Wood Wall Pocket
Shop At Blu

Chic and Upcycled Light Shades
Sadie Seasongoods

How To Sew Felt Easter Bunny Treat Bags
Songbird

Aged Stone Planter
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

How To Make A DIY China Plate Wreath
Our Crafty Mom

Tin Top DIY Clock
Exquisitely Unremarkable

Happy Hopping, Friends!