Salvaging: An old wall clock

We live in a throw away society. Who it was that first noticed this, I don't know, but I dislike throwing things away.

So what will we salvage today? How about a clock?

I had a funny spongebob one that my grandma had gotten me for Christmas last year, but unfortunately, it had no alarm, so I couldn't use it for much. Plus, the ticking of my alarm clock and the wall clock was getting annoying, so today I finally put the poor thing on it's deathbed.

If you are interested in learning how I did it and what I salvaged, read on.

Step 1: Specs

I'm not going to need an equipment list. All you need is a screw driver and the clock itself.

Now, the specific details on the clock I'm taking apart:

- The casing was entirely plastic
- There was only one (1) screw
- The lens was plastic

These have been the specs for nearly every clock I've ever taken apart. I have never attempted one with a glass lens or wooden casing, and I really don't recommend trying it.

Comments

[happyjo]

I love the clock!

[lemonie]

Did you find a use for the clock bits? I prefer not to take the clock movement apart, as these can be kept in working order.

L

[A good name]

I use the lens for drying out wet tea leaves which I use for fertilizer. The gears I have yet to find a use for, but since nearly all clocks contain the same shapes and sizes of gears they are relatively easy to make something out of mixed parts. The copper I am planning to amass and sell.

[lemonie]

I see that you actually unwound the copper - keeping that unit together would have been a good idea (electromagnet, solenoid, relay) L

[A good name]

Ehh not really. It's hard to find anyone who would want to buy a piece of a clock. Also considering that copper prices are shooting up I figured it would just be better to save that.

[Goodhart]

many hobby and craft shops sell clock motors only, for building one's own clock. ;-)

[A good name]

Heh... That might be interesting, but I'm more for taking apart broken stuff rather than making it into something. I strip whatever it has that might be of value to other people and get rid of it. Another shameless plug: Soon I will be launching a store selling clock bits and other salvaged stuffs.

[Goodhart]

This has a lot of potential, especially if you were to mod the clock rather then disassemble it completely. But at least you had uses for most of it. :-)

[E-R-IC]

good instructions but unuseful topic

[TimTheScarecrow]

unuseful to you.. but not to most

[E-R-IC]

Realyy? wow...

[TimTheScarecrow]

yes. but, like you, this was also unuseful for me.

[A good name]

Ha :)

[TimTheScarecrow]

lol dont take it personally. but this did help me take apart my old clock. but i was looking for metal gears and they were all plastic

[A good name]

Haha, no I don't take it personally, I just thought it was ironic. If you're looking for metal gears, you can probably find them in older clocks (wooden generally, the ones that aren't cheap and are quite dangerous to take apart due to glass lenses). I'm starting a store soon, so if I find any I'll keep you postd.

[TimTheScarecrow]

thanks. the one i took apart had a metal frame. (shaped just like yours. gearbox and all) and a glass lense. and the hands were shaped like a fork a knife and a spoon.

[santy22]

"stabbing the box with screwdiver" sometimes i grab something and get angry and stab it while yelling: "DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!!!!!1!one"