How to Make a DIY Tide Clock with a Laser Cutting Machine
I’ve been wanting a tide clock for a while so I made one with my xTool M2!
My goal was to make a tide clock that didn’t look homemade and I think that I accomplished that but let me know if you disagree in the comments.
We have a very shallow cove across from our house so if I want to take the paddleboard out it needs to be near high tide. This tide clock helps me to time it perfectly and it looks really nice on the wall too.
In this post I’ll walk you through exactly how I made this tide clock with step-by-step instructions and photos so that you can make one of your own. You can use any laser cutting machine so if you don’t own the M2 that’s ok. You will need some woodworking tools to make the chunky wooden frame but there are some alternatives if you don’t have those and want to laser cut a frame instead.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
DIY Tide Clock Materials and Tools
Materials
Tools
- Laser Cutting Machine
- Router
- Circle Cutting Jig
- Tape Measure
Free Tide Clock SVG File
I designed my tide clock to have a 10.5″ diameter face which worked perfectly for the tide clock mechanism that I purchased. If you are interested in the free SVG file all you have to do is enter your name and email address into the form below. You could always change the image in the center if you’d like something other than the lighthouse that I used.
How to Make a DIY Tide Clock
Step 1 – Download and Prepare the Tide Clock SVG
If you want to use my design for the tide clock you can download it using the form that is before this section.
Upload your SVG into the software that your laser cutting machine uses. Since I exclusively use xTool machines I use xTool Studio.
Align your image on the material that you are using. I originally had a blue sheet of MDF and then I didn’t like the way that it looked with the frame so I made a second one in the lighter mint colored MDF. For that reason some of the process images will be blue.
The SVG will have two separate colors. The black should be the parts that you engrave and the green will be the parts that you cut (small hole in the center and circle for the outside of the clock face).
Step 2 – Engrave and Cut the Tide Clock Face
The colored MDF sheets that I used are from xTool and they are already included as a material option in xTool Studio. I selected the color that I was using and used the default settings to engrave and cut and both worked perfectly. That said, I always recommend to do a test before you commit to a full design. I tested both the engrave and cut settings in a corner of the sheet that I knew I wouldn’t need for the clock.
One feature that I love in xTool Studio is that you can see a 3D preview of your project before you process it so that you can be sure that you’ve selected the correct settings for the different layers.
Here is the mint green MDF sheet after I engraved and cut it on the M2. You don’t have to engrave deep to get the design to show. I can’t even feel a difference between the colored and engraved sections when I run my finger across them. The colored MDF is a great material to work with because it saves time since you don’t have to paint the sheet after you engrave it. The only downside is that you are limited to the available color options but there were quite a few to choose from.
Step 3 – Cut the Wooden Tide Clock Frame
One of the reasons that I used the MDF sheet was because I wanted to spend most of my time making a chunky frame for the tide clock. I think that the frame is what really makes it look professional and less DIY. You know what I mean?
Full transparency here, you’ll need a router and also a circle cutting jig to make a custom frame like mine. I love woodworking so this project was such a fun mix of my woodworking hobby and my laser crafting hobby.
I purchased a 1″ thick 15″ diameter teak wood circle from Lowes for just under $15 to use for the frame.
Using the circle jig I first cut a 12.5″ diameter circle for the outside of the frame.
You may have to flip the board over and also cut from the back side if the router bit isn’t long enough to make it through the full inch of material.
Here is the 15″ diameter board with the 12.5″ circle cut. I removed the outside piece after this step.
After I had a 12.5″ diameter circle I moved the circle guide in to make a 10.5″ circle to match the mdf face diameter. For this step be sure to not cut all the way through the material. The goal here is to make an inset lip that you can glue the mdf tide clock face to. I set my bit to slightly longer than the mdf sheet thickness and ran 3 passes reducing the radius each time so that I had a substantial edge to glue the mdf to.
After I had the edge to the width that I liked I did a final pass going all the way through the material to create a hole in the center.
Step 4 – Sand and Finish the Wooden Frame
I used 120 grit sandpaper followed by 240 grit to finish the teak. I liked the light beachy look of the teak wood so I decided not to apply any oil or stain.
If you choose a different wood species you may want to stain, apply a polyurethane or paint the wood frame.
Step 5 – Assemble the Tide Clock
The first step to assembling the tide clock is to glue the mdf face to the wooden frame. I applied some super glue to the edge that I cut on my router and set the mdf face in. It dried quickly and it feels like a very strong hold.
Next, you’ll want to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the tide clock mechanism. It will require you to fit and assemble the parts through the center hole in the mdf face.
I found it very easy to assemble the mechanism but did struggle at first with the hand. Maybe it was just the one that I received but it needed a lot of pressure when installed on the threads to sit upright and not fall down on the clock face.
Step 6 – Set Your Tide Clock
Now that you’ve made a DIY tide clock the last step is to set it. Check a local tide chart, wait for the exact time of high tide and use the adjustment wheel on the back to point the hand at high tide.
Here are finished pictures of my DIY tide clock. It makes me smile every time I walk by it!
The chunky teak frame really elevates the look of the clock. I think it pairs so well with the mint green mdf sheet.
What should I make next with my xTool M2 machine?
More Laser Cutting Tutorials & Free SVG Files!
Some of my favorite projects are linked below!
