How to make a clock from vinyl records?

Many families have preserved vinyl records, which were a must-have for music lovers in the last century. The owners do not raise a hand to throw away these testimonies of the past. After all, they performed recordings of your favorite classical and popular music. To listen to records on vinyl, you need an appropriate turntable, which not everyone has preserved. So these records are gathering dust, hidden in closets or on the mezzanines. Although in skillful hands, they turn into original decor items.

The records are made from vinyl chloride with some additives. Many useful household items have been created from this material, since it is safe for humans. Vinyl is flexible and shatterproof. When heated, it acquires the properties of plasticine. Heated vinyl can be easily shaped into any shape, while observing the safety regulations. You need to work with glovesso that your hands are not burned.

Before starting work on creating a craft from a vinyl record, you need to decide in what technique the product will be created. But in any case, a clockwork with a battery and hands will be needed. Dial numbers are sold at handicraft stores.

Vinyl records were produced in two sizes, so the hands are adjusted to the size of the available record disc.

To cut from a disc of the desired shape, come in handy:

• scissors;
• jigsaw;
• drill;
• stencils of drawings or layouts for cutting.

The decoupage technique or the craquelure technique involves the use of other tools and materials.

Therefore, much more materials and tools will be needed than when cutting out a dial for a watch.

Before starting work, you need to prepare the following materials:

• primer;
• two options for acrylic paint;
• brushes for varnish and paint;
• PVA glue;
• decoupage napkin;
• craquelure varnish;
• finishing varnish;
• stencil for decoration.

Vinyl is a material that can be easily processed. When working with the plate, various design techniques are used. The paint easily and evenly lays on the plate. A decoupage napkin is well adhered to the plate. Therefore, most often they use the craquelure technique and decoupage technique.

Decoupage is the gluing of a paper napkin to the base. The plate as a base is ideal for making watches.

Let's imagine a phased production.

• The plate is degreased, covered with a white primer... When the ground is dry, we begin the main work on the manufacture of watches.

• Choosing a napkin for gluing... A huge number of drawings on decoupage cards and napkins, plots on rice paper for pasting help you easily choose the right option for decoration. Floral motifs are often chosen. Themed drawings of landscapes or animals are suitable for making gift items. Water-based PVA glue is used for gluing the napkin. The top layer with the pattern is removed from the three-layer napkin and applied to the watch base. Apply glue on top of the napkin with a brush. When wetted, the napkin stretches slightly, so the glue is applied with maximum accuracy. Sometimes craftsmen apply glue with their fingers so as not to tear the napkin.

• Dial is installed... At this stage of creating a watch, the scope of creative imagination knows no limits. Numbers made of wood, plastic, or metal are sold at handicraft stores. You can cut numbers out of paper. The original numbers are obtained from dominoes. A creative option is to use numbers from an old keyboard. Sometimes figures are laid out from shiny rhinestones or beads.

• The clockwork is screwed in from the seamy side of the plate... The hole in the middle of the disc is sized to fit the clockwork. After fixing the mechanism, the arrows are installed. The arrows come in a variety of colors and shapes. For kitchen clocks, hands in the form of a spoon with a fork are suitable. The lacy arrows correspond to the floral pattern. There is a special hook on the clock mechanism box to hang the item on the wall.

The word "crackle" in translation from French means "cracks". This technique is perfect for decorating surfaces. To make a watch from a vinyl record using this technique, you need to perform the following manipulations.

• Degrease the plate and apply a white primer.
• In order for the cracks to turn out expressive, acrylic paint of a bright tone, contrasting with the main color, should be applied to the dried base.
• After the paint has dried, apply 2-3 coats of craquelure varnish. Then the cracks will be more noticeable.
• Apply paint of the main color on slightly dried varnish, and then dry with a hairdryer.
• After 4 hours, cover with a matt acrylic topcoat.

The cracks have the color of the first layer of paint - it is in contrast to the main color of the disc. Next, you need to continue the decor using a stencil. Attach it to the watch and apply the drawing with a brush.

After the paint has dried, install the clockwork, dial and hands. The watch, made according to the craquelure technique, is ready to use.

The product is much more interesting if the decoupage technique and the craquelure technique are combined. One of the options is when the central part of the disc of the disc, on which the title of the work is written, is decorated using decoupage technique. And the main part of the disc is made according to the craquelure technique.

The abstract shape of a vinyl disc is given by heating in an oven. If the vinyl is slightly warmed up, it will be soft like plasticine. Any shape is given with the help of hands.

The shape of the plate is changed depending on the decor idea. It can be round or any other. Sometimes they give a wavy shape. The upper edge can be bent and the watch can be hung by this edge on any fastener.

A tricky way to work with vinyl records is to saw the shape with a jigsaw or other tools. This method requires experience in sawing. You can practice on any other material and then pick up the record. But the result of the work will be great.

Most often, themed shapes of watches are cut out for a gift. These can be boats, teapots, umbrellas, dogs. The spectacular shape of the clock is obtained when the frame is cut out from the plate. The middle does not remain empty - it is filled with an elegant openwork pattern or carved pattern. It all depends on the skill of the carver.

Vinyl records will not shatter if dropped. But it's still a fragile material. Therefore, you need to be careful when working. The slightest wrong movement will lead to the destruction of the plate. The cut edges of the vinyl are sharp enough. In order not to cut yourself, you need to lightly melt the edges with an open flame, keeping it at a distance of 2-3 cm.

When working with the craquelure technique, you need to remember that the thicker the layer of craquelure varnish, the larger and more beautiful the cracks will be. It is necessary to apply paint on a layer of craquelure varnish when it is not completely dry yet.

See below for a master class on making watches.