Which Clock Should You Build?

[@KrysSmietanski]

Good stuff Steve. Have built everything from about SP4 onwards and love the build challenge.

[@Runescope]

Hey Steve. Love all these designs. If You're looking for a new challenge with clocks, something I've always wanted to see is a clock where the hour and minute hands move discretely from the second hand. That is, the minute hand doesn't tick to the next minute until the second hand reaches 12, and the hour hand doesn't tick to the next hour until the minute hand reaches 12. This way, if the time is 4:35:23, the hour hand is on the 4, not halfway between the 4 & 5, and the minute hand is on the 7, not halfway(ish) between the 7 & 8. I've done a bit of searching and I haven't been able to find one that works like this though clocks used to ALL work like this at one point and then just stopped being made that way for some reason.

[@stevesclocks]

That sounds like an over-complicated way of doing something that has a trivial solution of using simple gears to move the hands. I do not think I have ever seen an analog clock operate the way you describe. The closest I can recall is the schoolroom clocks that were all synchronized to the master clock in the main office. An electromagnet would be energized once per minute to move the minute hand one step. The hour hand moved normally with a 12:1 ratio to the minute hand.

[@Runescope]

@@stevesclocks You're right, it IS an over complicated way to do it. And when I say "used to" I mean like a couple hundred years ago when clocks were first being made. You go to all the old city clocks in Europe that are still operating and when the minute and hour ticks over, you'll hear a REALLY loud CLUNK and the hands will move. :) I just thought it would be an interesting challenge for You.

[@stevesclocks]

@@Runescope That is very interesting. I always assumed that a tower clock would be completely analog.

[@Runescope]

@@stevesclocks Oh no, they are! That's kind of my point. The process is all done through gearing, that's why I thought it would be a challenge for You to figure out how they used to do it.

[@jumadhaheri]

Love your work, Steve

[@TooManyHobbies786]

Just adding my thanks here as well--I built the moon clock and then electrified it (like his desk clocks)--it is perfect now!. Fantastic help in his forum!

[@woodwaker1]

Steve, a great display. I have built or tried to build many of these, some work very well, others it took a number of tries to get them going. I need to finish the moon phase clock, I'm at the point of getting the rods cut and ready to assemble - all of the parts are printed.

[@stevesclocks]

The moon phase clock assembles really easy. I am looking forward to seeing the extra touches added.

[@woodwaker1]

@@stevesclocks Thanks for the encouragement. Just had so many things going on and I keep pushing this back, plan on starting this week.

[@bompm]

Dear Steve This is a great video and great work you’ve done. I will definitely build one right away. Congratulations (from France :). Pierre

[@warrenreif5369]

What an amazing dissertation on such great works! Only built one gravity/ pendulum clock so far; the crazy gear clock is next up (for my son). I've experimented with digital display clocks using real time, internally temperature controlled crystals and found they are amazingly accurate as you describe. Have been expanding my radio controlled clock knowledge with an idea that a crazy gear clock might be tied to the Fort Collins standard... Thanks for all you have done; from a retired EE.....

[@stevesclocks]

@warrenreif5369 Generic RTC modules are accurate to about a minute per month. Precision RTCs add voltage and temperature compensation for an accuracy of about a minute per year. They only cost about a dollar more. The only time the clock loses time is when it loses power. Synchronizing to a global reference time adds a lot of complexity. It needs to connect to the reference time, and it needs sensors to know where the hands are pointing so it can bring them back to position. I have considered an alternate solution of using the Arduino Nano nonvolatile memory of recording each second that the hands move. If power goes out, the algorithm only needs to know how many seconds the power was out. The clock could run fast until the hands catch up. If power was out for 11 or 23 hours, then the clock would run backwards for an hour. Of course, there is also a trivial solution of making sure power never goes out. A small USB battery can power the clock for a week or two. Plug the battery into a wall charger so it stays fully charged, then feed USB power from the battery to the clock.

[@warrenreif5369]

@@stevesclocks Thanks for the quick and highly informative feedback. I program C/C++ primarily in the Arduino world, so an atomic clock solution, similar to the real time clock implementation, seems doable. My thoughts on a "never let the power got out" solution was to mimic the computer back up approach where a battery is always providing power to the load (clock) and is charged at a safe, long term voltage when power is on.

[@stevesclocks]

@@warrenreif5369 Powering the clock with USB power makes it really easy keep power applied. The biggest challenge is finding a power bank that doesn't go to sleep. My 10,000mAh Anker power bank shuts off with only a single clock load but will run continuously if a few clocks are attached. A no-name 5,000mAh model will stay running for several days with one clock load.

[@WildmanTech]

Looking good Steve!

[@StarlancerAstro]

Those are all amazing! Now that I have a decent printer I have to make one of them

[@incogburrito]

I'm a big fan of your clocks! Are you willing to make a clock design course for us?

[@stevesclocks]

I have been thinking about writing a book.

[@HoffmanTactical]

@@stevesclocks That would be an awesome book!

[@shaunmorrissey7313]

I am printing the parts for the sp7, all extra parts are orderd, I am using steampunk rainbow for the base and frame not sure about the gears yet. The accompanying manual is exemplary.

[@stevesclocks]

I bet it will look great. You can post pictures on MyMiniFactory or the web site forum at www.stevesclocks.com/forum

[@shaunmorrissey7313]

@@stevesclocks Be assured I will, everybody needs to see just how amazing your clocks are. I love the fact that, while the clocks are your design, we can make them our own simply by using our favoutite filament. When I have finished this one I am going to purchase your moon phase clock. I love your designs.

[@nicksantitoro]

I tried to build the easy build clock a while back. It ran good for several months but then quit working. Maybe because that frame was petg and added too much friction with wear. I’m thinking about trying to build another one to see how that goes.

[@stevesclocks]

You may be able to easily get your old clock working again. In my experience, the most common fix is to clean the pendulum bearings again. Then check that all the gears still spin freely on their arbors. A tiny drop of lightweight oil on the arbors and lithium grease on the pinions may also help. For the easy build clock, make sure to use the "Rev 2" updated gears. It can still be downloaded from MyMiniFactory. This fix eliminates gear 3 pushing against the escapement.

[@mindlessautomaton2.0]

Do you have a video for sp 13? And is that the easiest for my first attempt. I need to know what assembly parts I have to buy and where to get them? And the plans. I am so going to give this a shot. Do you think it can be printed on the flash forge adventurer 5m pro 220x220x220mm and what kind of filament? Thanks Steve. I want to build one for my mother for Christmas. They are all beautiful and elegant not really interested in the electric ones. Accept for the magnet one but simplicity first.

[@stevesclocks]

SP13 is the easiest to build and should be very reliable. Any printer less than 5 years old is capable of printing my clocks as long as the build plate is large enough. 220x220 can print all of my clocks. You can find the assembly guide with instructions and parts list at www.stevesclocks.com/sp13

[@mindlessautomaton2.0]

@@stevesclocks thanks

[@markvios29]

Hey there Steve, I just built the small 8 day clock. I think if you have a good 3D printer a clock can turn out a little better than a laser cut wood clock. Here's a good question. If you use bearings on all the pivot points, will the clock have less friction?

[@stevesclocks]

I agree that 3D printed gears should have less friction than laser cut wood. Friction would be reduced by adding bearings at all the pivot points. However, the gear tooth friction in my clocks is probably 10X higher than the pivot friction. The arbors have a small diameter with steel turning in a smooth PLA hole. The gear teeth engage at a larger diameter and will always have some amount of sliding friction. Completely eliminating pivot friction would only reduce the overall friction by around 10%. It is much easier to just increase the drive weight by 10% instead of adding bearings throughout the clock. A wooden gear clock with wood dowels as arbors will have a much higher pivot friction. It might see a much better benefit from additional bearings. The only places I use bearings in my clocks are where there is a moving weight. The pendulum arm has about 5-6 ounces of weight and is the fastest moving component in the clock. It gets small bearings with very low friction. The weight shell also needs bearings due to the heavy load being supported.

[@shaunmorrissey7313]

I Have built sp7, the pendulum swings, the second hand sweeps but the minute and hour hands aren't moving, any idea what the issue may be? It's OK, I think I got it, the clutch mechanism wasn't tight enough, Once I understood how it works I was able to trace the problem.

[@stevesclocks]

Good to hear. I was just about to reply to check the friction clutch. The debug video at kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpa6aIKpn75grrM would also have some hints.

[@СергейКошелев]

Отлично !