[print-me]
My first attempt at a clock worked out fine, for a while at least. That is until the clock fractured through the hole I had drilled the hole for the movement. It was hanging on the wall in the studio at the time so you can guess what happened when it hit the concrete floor.
Time has come for another clock. This time as a gift for my grandson Jacob.
Jacob is a youngster, at least compared to me, so I decided to do something a bit modern. I think it’s modern. Basically, simple shapes and colours, nothing too complex.
The final decision was a colour scheme of blue, white and black. Shapes were to be simple geometric forms. In a way, they were dictated by the glass available. A little rearranging determined the final shapes. In the photo you will notice a series of vertical white lines created with stringers. These were needed to ensure the black clock hands didn’t disappear against the black background. The white lines gave some reference when reading the time.
For the base I cut two pieces of glass. One white and the other black. The irregular edges from the sheets of glass were incorporated to break the monotony of the geometric shapes. You will also notice that I wasn’t being too exact with cutting. I just wanted a rather organic look about it, if that’s the right word.
Of course, I did do my maths regards where I would need to drill a hole for the movement, and to ensure the hands I had would work relative to the final size.
On top of the base came a couple of transparent blue offcuts, a piece of clear and a piece of black. For decoration some white cabs I had made and a few white stringers. I did use some glue to hold things in place, hoping it wouldn’t appear in the final piece. You can see the glue under the transparent blue square.
This went into the kiln for a medium fuse. A little more than a tack fuse but it would still left with some texture. The firing schedule is below, as usual.
The end result was pretty good, I thought. It didn’t have that perfectly proportioned and finished look, but I didn’t want that.
The only slight disappointment was that the glue under the transparent blue didn’t burn off fully and you could see a slight mark there. Never have been a fan of glue with transparent glass.
Sorry, I don’t have a photo of me drilling the hole. The stress levels at that time were a little high so I simply forgot. But the drilling went fine. The whole piece was immersed in water just enough so the top was covered and using a Dremel tool I slowly drilled the hole using a hollow diamond bit. Started on a slight angle to get the bit to bite and then slowly brought it back to the vertical position to complete the cut. I did drill all the way through from one side and luckily didn’t get any blow out on the back, though I did have a piece of sacrificial glass behind.
The movement was inserted with a small amount of good silicone to keep it firmly in place.
Try it. Don’t worry about being perfect with the design, Let your creativity flow and I am sure you will be surprised with the end result, in a good way.
Firing Schedule
Medium Fuse
Please be aware that all kilns fire differently and this schedule may not produce the same results in your kiln.
| Segment | Rate (C/hr) | Target (C) | Hold (mns) |
| 1. Release | 222 | 537 | 30 |
| 2. Process | 333 | 780 | 0 |
| 3. Anneal | Full | 516 | 90 |
| 4. Cool | 83 | 371 | 10 |