Melting Clock

Place the 3mm plywood flat on the Thunder Bolt laser bed and make sure the sheet is clean, dry, and free from noticeable warping.

Use honeycomb pins to hold the plywood securely against the work surface. Keep the pins outside the processing area so they do not interfere with the clock face, hands, or scored details.

Import the Melting Clock design into LaserMaker and arrange the artwork within the usable plywood area.

Assign the clock-face tick marks and decorative details to the scoring layer, and assign the outer clock-face profile and hand outlines to the cutting layer. Check the size, placement, and layer assignments before sending the design to the machine.

Set the laser focus on the top surface of the 3mm plywood before starting the job. Use the Thunder Bolt autofocus function for a quick setup or confirm the focal position manually.

Keep the plywood flat and stable after focusing so the working distance remains consistent across the scored clock details and all cutting outlines.

Run the Frame function to preview the complete working area and confirm that the melting clock design stays within the plywood sheet.

Check the clearance around the clock face and hand shapes. Once the position is correct, keep the plywood in place and start the job, processing the scored dial details and cutting outlines while maintaining their alignment.

After processing is complete, begin the final assembly in order. First, apply glue to the clock-face pieces and align them carefully so the layered dial sits evenly.

Next, insert the clock movement through the opening from the back of the dial and secure it in position. From the front, install the clock hands onto the movement shaft in the correct order and check that they can rotate without touching each other.

Finally, insert the battery into the clock movement. Confirm that the hands move freely and that the clock runs normally before placing the finished melting clock on a desk, shelf, or display surface.