How to transform old hard drive into time gadget

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Hello everyone!

So, what are we going to recycle today?
Let's take a look what we have in that big box. I'm pretty sure we'll find something to start with.
Well, that's hard drive... one more... two more... plenty more; internal, external, IDE, SCSI, MFM...
Wow, that's quite a load of junk. Sadly, overall capacity of this box of HDs is much less than capacity of one HD which is humming inside my desktop today.
Let's see what we can do for those guys... this one would be good as paperweight, this one as door stopper, but this external SCSI HD looks very promising.

Let's examine it closer:
- solid metal case;
- LED at front panel;
- power connector and switch at the back;
- power supply +5V, +!2V;
- 12V fan;

That's almost finished device, it just needs new guts.
By the way, I've always wanted my own hard drive clock, and right now I have everything to build one.
That's settled. We are making hard drive clock.
Is anyone interested in joining the team?
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Step 1: Another POV device

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Yes, I know, I've reinvented wheel, since few projects are already built :
http://alan-parekh.com/projects/hard-drive-clock/
http://instruct1.cit.cornell.edu/courses/ee476/FinalProjects/s2006/ja94/Amsel%20-%20Klitinek%20Final%20Project/index.htm
http://www.ian.org/HD-Clock/
but in my opinion, original author of idea is Paul Gottlieb Nipkow who used spinning disk with holes to generate image:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipkow_disk

Functionally device is quite simple and it's easy to clone it using commonly available hardware and components .

Well, main ingredients for project :
- hard drive;
- index sensor;
- LEDs;
- controller;
- power supply;
- couple of weeks without sitting in a bar, watching TV, surfing Internet ;-)
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Comments

[Cobra_Phil]

There is a Kickstarter project here about a POV hard drive clock using a Microchip controller... 
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/680714141/hard-drive-ticktock-pov-clock

[bug on fire]

It's always Nice seeing stuff from AP Digital even though you don't put stuff often the stuff you put always has a nice finish and really mind blowing. I still love your poor mans laser show more but this is still very impressive.

[freedom20000]

fantastic design, thank you for sharing all this JP

[bijikenyot]

looks tired make this funny clock.. i'm asking you, people... anyone sell it on ebay???

[kurre1204]

Hey, that thing is really awesome, but where can i get all the equipment and do u sell those sircuit boards. Cause i dont understand anything how to make them. Well still GOOD JOB! And how long did it take you to make one of these? Well thanks anyway and sorry for my bad english

[AP Digital light]

Thank you for the comment. Unit is built from random found parts and all electronic modules are customized for this particular case. You can make similar device, using methods and ideas shown here. I can help with main PCB and microcontroller but rest of stuff you'll have to find or fabricate yourself. Embedded software directly measures RPM so it should work with any hard drive. Of course sensor output logic must be the same as in original design. It took me 5-6 weeks to complete this project and mechanical tinkering was the most time consuming part.

[danton721]

VERY VERY VERY V NICE MAN!!!!!!
I love it!
But,it's complicated to build this on Brazil,cuz the names it's in english,and sounds like impossible to translate the names,i know english,but that names,huh,never readed about this =S

[leey1]

YAY!!!!!!!! :-D I JOINED!!!!!!!!!!!

[mindophobic]

what does HTT stand for?

[AP Digital light]

Heat toner transfer.

[FeedTheGrid]

Wow. Nice job.

[zh11107]

http://www.lotusinvention.cn/

[AP Digital light]

Thanks for the link. Good stuff.