Building your own clock using one of the many grandfather clock kits available is a very fulfilling task. Most grandfather clock kits are very elaborate and the final product looks and works just as well as a factory produced unit, possibly even better. However, unlike any clock you can purchase premade, when you build one yourself you will have stories to tell as friends and family admire your clock.
Grandfather clock kits vary drastically so make sure you shop around. The first thing you want to do is decide on what style of clock you want to build. How much woodworking experience do you have? While most grandfather clock kits are made so that just about anyone that can follow instructions can put together a unit, having woodworking skills can help and you may even be able to add your own flourishes.
Also, some units will include everything that you will need, including wood, plans, clock components, hardware, etc. You will only need to supply your time and tools. There are some grandfather clock kits that let you piece together the different components when you order so that not only will you have a clock that you built yourself but one that will be fairly custom.
Whitmore Shaker Floor Kit -
I would recommend this kit for beginners and for those that just want to get an idea of what it will be like to build a clock. The Whitmore Shaker kit is a simple, Shaker style (of course), clock so it technically is not as hard to build as the more elaborate grandfather clock kits. Not only that, but the entire kit can be purchased for around $400-450. This kit includes everything you will need so you will end up with a clock for around $450. Not too bad! If you decide that you want a bigger challenge after building the Whitmore Shaker you can gift or sell this first clock and challenge yourself with something a bit harder.