Three Part Clock

A normal analog clock is an efficient way of piling three different bits of information on top of each other. The hours, minutes, and seconds can all be read with just one dial.

I like this system, but after a while I thought that each hand should get its own space. So for this I made the three part clock. Each hand has its own dial and reading the clock is just a matter of moving from left to right.

Step 1 Get clock parts

You can order clock movements and hands fairly cheaply online or, if you have an Ikea store nearby, you can buy three clocks for just $3 each.

Also needed, and not pictured, is a piece in which to put all the clocks. We had a scrap piece of wood 28"x10.5" so I just grabbed that. It's warped so this is just a prototype, but for a final version just get a better material and check the thickness so that the clock movements can stick through it.

Comments

[comodore]

That looks great, I love that you used wood! I agree with Kiteman, when the batteries start to lose the power each one will bet slower and they won't show the correct time... I looks like one of those boards that contain 3 scales, one that shows the moisture of the air, the other pressure and the third temperature, was that the inspiration for you? All in all a great project for the afternoon! I really love it and I think I am going to make one of these... rate:*****

[matbh]

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[matbh]

the right way to make the circuit.
note: if u use a high wuality batts, its not necessary to use 3 batts

[wobbler]

This circuit is correct, but putting batteries in parallel is not good. They will self discarge through each other. You should only use one battery, but use a larger battery if necessary.

[wobbler]

This won't necessarily work, unfortunately. Depending on the circuits, you'll find they may only pass current when they are moving the motor and will not pass hardly anything at other times. hence the clocks will interact and not work properly. The correct way to do this is to wire the clocks in parallel to one battery. Connect all the clock positives together to the battery positive and all the clock negatives to the battery negative. This of course means any battery will only last a third of the time, but that's exactly the same as changing three batteries which last three times longer. The advantage is you don't get clocks failing indiscriminately. You could always use a bigger C or D type battery of course to compensate.

I like this idea though, I wonder if it's possible to move the mechanisms around in order to get one mechanism driving three separated dials?

[russ_hensel]

You need not bother with 3 batteries, just use a C or D cell, clocks in parallel.

[matbh]

i didn't test with this kind of batts... thank you for the advice

[comodore]

OK... That's a great plan...

[matbh]

i was wrong. check the right circuit... thank u

[drbill]

we got all this high tech in our clocks now, when have you ever seen ANY 2 clocks reading the same time

[NastySpill]

I have. Probably wont surprise you that it was in Tokyo. I very carefully set my new digital watch to an atomic clock. A few weeks later I found myself in Tokyo and held my watch up against a clock on a train station. They were within a fraction of a second, which is as good as you can measure moving your eye between two clocks. I was impressed yet again with the Japanese way.

[flio191]

hell yeah man, my grandmother sent me an atomic, solar powered casio watch from japan, and it is always on time. when i visited japan, every clock was the same as mine. :D i can sooo back you up on that.

[comodore]

Can you post some pictures of your watch please.... I really want to see how it looks! Thanks! :D

[flio191]

It's right here! It's only sold in Japan i think, though.
http://mygshock.com/wiki/GW-1310BCJ-1AJF

[comodore]

Thanks!

[drbill]

O.K. I would like to see someone post some kind of clock made with da kine clock parts that listens to WWV the atomic clock in Boulder, Co. Those clocks re-adjust themselves. They have a shortwave receiver in them. Lets see a 3 part clokc made with da kine!!!

[comodore]

LOL!!! Why don't you make one of those??? ;D

[drbill]

Too much bother.

[flio191]

lol i have no idea what you just said but sure. :D

[comodore]

I asked you if you want to give me 1 000 000 000 ... and you said sure.... You can send the money directly to my home address... xD xD

[flio191]

sure! send that along with your social security, credit card number, home and cell phone numbers, closest relatives full names and birth certificates, the closest relative that has a dog (yes, send them full, in express mail), your closest relative that owns a cat (them too), and your computer motherboard. just the motherboard. :D

[comodore]

I don't think that is necessary for this transaction... I will just give you the address... :D

[drbill]

Wow. What a crowd!

[comodore]

:D

[Lance Mt.]

Pit the cat against the dog and you have yourself a deal!

[comodore]

For some reason I love Japanese people and food and... They beleive that they were given hands to work, make, create...

[drbill]

I was so impressed by the Nippon way I married one.

[comodore]

hehe

[comodore]

ah... Never

[drbill]

Yeah. Still it looks real good.

[comodore]

Yeah!

[Mister_Caipirinha]

"when the batteries start to lose the power each one will bet slower" Really? I thought the idea behind the quartz driven clocks is that the quartz vibrates at a certain frequency independent of drive voltage - only the amplitude is voltage dependent. My battery clocks seem to just "poop -out" and can't move the motor but the period seems unaffected.

[comodore]

Depends, he used 3 chinese cheep clocks...

[ChrisakaKurisu]

Do you think there's a way you would wire all three sections into a plug? Sounds like a lot of work but also possible if you used 3 clock motors that use plugs. Just a thought to solve the low battery power problem. Nice though, I think I'm going to make one. Two thumbs up.

[comodore]

Why should you use a plug when you can wire them all to a one sorse of power....

[ChrisakaKurisu]

That's what I meant, wire them all to one plug. Running them off of a battery isn't a good idea when it comes to clocks because as the battery runs low so does the time on the clock.

[comodore]

Than your right! :P

[fungus amungus]

The wood was scrap and is unfortunately warped so this is a prototype. Not sure what the final piece will look like yet. As for the inspiration, I was just looking at a clock and thinking about how the three different parts are stacked on top of each other and what it would be like if they were arranged like a digital clock. It also happened that I had three of those cheap clocks in my office from another project and it all came together pretty quickly.

[maruawe]

Would it not be possible to hook them up together on a 110 circuit off a regulator of some kind..... come on I know you can do it

[comodore]

I really love the idea, and desine... You can use some lack to make the wood shiny and sparcling... I was thinking and what came to my mind to solve the problem of the clocks slowing down in different rates... You can power all in with one battery pack... Connecting the clocks in serial and if they use 2 AA batteries, take a 6 AA battery holder and attach it on the back... So when the batteries are low they all slow down at the same rate...