Maker Guide

How to Make a Custom Clock Face for Laser Cutting (No Design Software Needed)

Designing your own clock face doesn't have to be complicated. Whether you're completely new to making or exploring as a curious hobbyist, the Clock Face Generator helps you create a custom, laser-ready clock face right from your browser — no expertise required. Here's the whole process, step by step.

Open the Clock Face Generator

Start by opening the generator. It runs entirely in your browser, with no account to create and nothing to download. Your design stays on your own device.

Choose a preset

Begin with one of the seven ready-made styles — Classic, Modern Minimal, Roman, Kids Learning, Dot Matrix, Starry Night, or Hexagon. A preset gives you a friendly starting point so you never face a blank canvas, and you can change anything from there.

Set the clock size

Adjust the diameter to match your material (it starts at 200 mm), and set the center hole to fit your clock movement's shaft (it starts at 8 mm). Measuring your blank first makes this easy.

Choose the outer shape

Pick the outline that suits your design — Circle, Square, Hexagon, Octagon, Scallop, or Rounded Square.

Customize the numbers

Choose Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, or simple dots. You can switch fonts (Sans, Serif, Script, Stencil, or Mono) and adjust the number size and inset, and optional minute labels are available if you want them.

Add custom text

Add a personal touch with up to two lines of text — a name, a date, or a short message. Each line has its own size and placement, with an optional curve, and there's also a full text ring that wraps around the face.

Add markers and details

Set your hour markers (lines, diamonds, stars, triangles, squares, or circles) and minute ticks, then add optional details like quarter marks, border patterns, inner and outer rings, or a crosshatch fill.

Preview the clock

The live preview updates as you edit, so you can see exactly how every change looks before you go any further.

Check the cut and engrave layers

The export keeps cut and engrave on separate, color-assigned layers, so your laser software can treat them as different operations. Typically the outline and center hole are cut, while the numbers and markers are engraved.

Export the SVG

When you're happy with the design, export it as an SVG in millimeter units, ready for LightBurn, xTool Creative Space, Glowforge, LaserGRBL, or Epilog.

Review settings before cutting

Open the file in your laser software and double-check the size, your material, and your power and speed settings before you cut. A small test engrave on scrap is a good habit before the full run.

That's the whole thing — from idea to a build-ready file without opening a single design app. Trust your creativity: with the right starting point, making isn't just possible, it's genuinely rewarding.