Past Projects: Hidden Storage Clock

Past Projects will be a fairly regular post (until I no longer have any Past Projects to discuss) that will deal with various projects I have completed in the past.

Behold, the power of hidden storage. Pull the top off this magical clock and
store any number of things inside: money, jewels, candy, tiny elves...

Date Made: 2000

This was one of the first projects I completed during my 3 years of high school woodshop. As you can probably guess, as a teenager, the idea of a hidden compartment captured my imagination so I was immediately drawn to this project. I knew I was so clever and sneaky, putting this seemingly ordinary clock right there on the fireplace mantle, sitting right in plain sight, and those fools I called friends and family never knew it had ~$10 just sitting right there…in plain sight (evil laugh).

As you may have noticed, the actual clock set inside this housing is laughably small. This is actually due to two rather glaring mistakes I made when creating this piece. First, I read the measurements wrong when creating the middle section, causing the housing to be 1 ½” taller than intended. Second, I purchased a clock that was too small because it looked much larger in the magazine (who needs actual measurements? Hint: Not this guy).

Below, I have recreated the layouts for this particular project and I have included the original dimensions. So if you actually follow the proper dimensions and buy a normal sized clock (I suggest 3-4” diameter), this could actually be a pretty nice clock to display in your house…and hide things in.

INSTRUCTIONS

A – (2) 5 ½” x 5” x ¾”
B – (2) 5 ½” x 6 ½” x ¾”
C – (2) 5 x 3 x ¾”

1. Cut wood to dimensions listed above.
2. If desired, use router or table saw to design edges. Note: Edging should be performed on the top of both (B)s and on the 5” sides of both (A)s. See image below for reference.
3. Drill hole in center of A1. Obviously, the size is dependent on the clock you are installing.

This particular clock used 2" diameter drill bit.

4. Glue both (C)s between the (A)s. See Top-down view of middle section above.
5. Glue bottom on.
6. Stain/Varnish pieces as desired.
7. Install clips to hold top in place.

Any questions? Feel free to contact me through Twitter or e-mail