This Clock Is Outta This Galaxy! Copper Star Wars Clocks 🚀
Remember how simple a piece of plywood is? It’s flat, it’s cheap, and it’s the starting point for countless projects. But what if you could take a simple wood cut and transform its surface into real, aged metal?
This project was a deep dive into combining the precision of a laser cutter with the messy magic of electroforming to create a pair of striking Star Wars Rebel Alliance Clocks—each with a completely unique finish.
The plan was simple: turn a Rebel logo cut-out into a piece of metallic art. The process, however, was a classic ShopTime adventure, full of unexpected challenges.
From Wood to Wiring: The Transformation
The first step was setting the stage. Using the xTool, I cut the Rebel Alliance logo out of a simple piece of maple plywood
Cutting was the easy part. The real work began with the copper transformation, a process that requires the wood to be electrically conductive.
Prepping for the Plunge
To get a smooth, even layer of copper, the wood piece must be completely sealed with conductive paint
This step is critical, and requires multiple light coats. However, getting a large, 10-inch piece of wood to sit perfectly submerged for the electroforming process involved a bit of troubleshooting (and some serious magnets!)
The Plating & Patina
Once submerged and running at about 1 Amp, the copper slowly begins to form on the surface After hours in the bath, the wooden logo is finally solid copper. But that was just the halfway point.\
The second part of the challenge was to take that bright, shiny copper and give it the look of ancient galactic ruins. While the first clock was sealed as bright copper, the second was treated with a simple household solution—vinegar and sea salt—to force a beautiful, mottled patina.
The results were stunning: an unexpected chemical reaction creating deep blues and greens that perfectly evoke an antique, battle-worn relic.
The Final Face-Off: Which Do You Choose?
After assembling the clock mechanisms and setting the copper pieces against a black wooden background, I ended up with two distinct final products:
The Bright Copper Clock: A sleek, modern-industrial look with an even, metallic sheen.
The Patina Clock: A weathered relic with stunning blue and green streaks that tell a story.
I walk through the entire process—including all the happy accidents—in the video below. Watch to see the full transformation!
CLIFFHANGER: I had a favorite, but the internet has been split. Which do you like better? Team Bright Copper or Team Patina?
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