Paper Clock: "Make Your Own Working Paperclock"

This is a paper clock. This is NOT my original design. I got it from a book by James Smith Rudolph that I bought from Amazon.com. The comes with instructions and diagrams (diagrams posted) and the pieces are printed on the pages which are heavy stock paper. You have to cut the book up and the pieces out then glue them together then using some sort of "axle" (I used straighten paperclips). The instructions say to use "latex based glue" but I used "Aleene's Original Tacky Glue" and it worked just fine.

These pictures are a few months old. I did not know about this glue contest until just today. My sister told me about this contest so I figured I would submit the pictures that I took. The contest says that any project is eligible just as long as it involves glue and this involved 4 fl oz (118mL) of glue, a couple paper clips, and 10g of beads.

All of this is 100% done by my hands: Cut, Glue, Assemble, Mount, Adjust. The only thing not original is the template/diagram/design but the reason that it works in the first place is that I had to take some mechanical thinking and know-how to make sure it ran.

Comments

[jokerjp]

I'm having some trouble trying to place the wheel (fig. 2), on the frame (fig. 3) next to the other wheel, (fig. 1). Any suggestions?

[IvaldiEitriBrokk]

If I understand your issue correctly. It's the alignment of the wheels inside the frame. I used plastic beads for the pins to sit on once I seemed to have them in the right place. Mostly because I cut slits instead of holes on the center columns.

[jokerjp]

Can you send a picture of that please?

[IvaldiEitriBrokk]

Sorry no. I dismantled mine and making a new one out of plastic.

[jokerjp]

Oh, that's fine. Then can you try to help me understand what to do?

[IvaldiEitriBrokk]

Explain your issue again. You are haven't trouble aligning the wheels inside the frame?

[jokerjp]

No. Outside.

[RobertH44]

I built this many years ago, Twice. The first time i saw "latex glue" in the instructions and thought they meant rubber cement. The result was that after working on it for 3 weeks on my spare time it started to spring/pop apart like the SS minnow from Gilligans island with the professors glue. The 2nd time i used a copy that i had scanned in and printed on card stock which made the clock a little smaller. I used good old white glue which is what they actually mean by latex glue. It worked great.

[Waz]

Trying to construct the working paper clock but baffled by the mechanism that drives the hands of the clock. I can see the reduction gear is supposed to get its power from the motor wheel via the rubber band pulley system but how does that translate and connect into powering the hand mechanism?
Any help or advice would be appreciated.

[cameronredsell]

There are a few parts and directions with critical errors, so make sure to dry fit everything and test how it works before gluing. Use the cardboard boarders etc to remake failed pieces.

[Danger is my middle name]

This is very cool, I've never heard of this book before! I'd love to hear more about your process! Any tips you would give to other people who attempt this project? Did you learn anything new or unexpected while making this project?

[cameronredsell]

Everything needs to glue flat, that's the key. If you're adventurous you can also fold many of the parts backwards (after copying some directions to the back) so the directions don't show on the frame.

[ianknight291]

ive just paid to hope to show patern downloads for this clock but disappointed. to been shown just pictures,

had brought the book part made clock returnd and found that I need to remake numbers 36 through to49, can any one help with patterns

[Oberrw]

A question that has been bothering me about this project: I assume you must be quite accurate when cutting out the pieces; this being said, does it matter whether you cut to the outside of the lines thus leaving the lines on the pieces; or do you cut to the inside of the lines and remove them?

[IvaldiEitriBrokk]

Excellent question! Yes and no. Yes cutting the pieces out can affect the accuracy of the finished assembly and then the compounded inaccuracies can affect the clock movement. Is there one way better than another? I'll say no, because it's still paper, however my clock needed adjustment cuts but only to the escapement wheel. I think that the consistency is more important than under the line, over the line, or on the line. And in that case I'd say you can always take more off than put more on.

[philip.williams.7505]

Hello, I have made this clock, but I cannot get the top part which swings with the pendulum to interact properly with the top cog wheel. I am also having issues with the two drives that turn the hands of the clock, they mesh, but they are too tight. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you for your article!

[IvaldiEitriBrokk]

Sounds like a similar problem I use to have that First wheel (the smallest/escapement) if the teeth are too long or misshaped the Anchor (fork) will not hook in and hook the next tooth that would be your first step in making that is fluid. The "two drives that turn the hands of the clock" that i think you are talking about is the little wheels outside of the Main Box Frame just inside the face. Those should be pretty tight if they dont turn try checking that they move manually sometimes glue can slip in there and glue something you dont want but the tube that the minute hand is on since it was rolled into a cylinder the inside end will stick out and catch on something try filing that down so its completely smooth.

[shazni]

looks real cool

[IvaldiEitriBrokk]

Pro Tips:

Go Slow take your time be patient and be prepared for the long hull. This is not a one day affair I would dare to day that its not a 1 week affair.

the frame pieces definitely be pro-active when gluing that they do not twist while drying. Look down the pieces and line it up.

Be creative when making it. You have to be a precise as possible so make jigs and fixtures to hold things (shown in one of my pictures) I used cardboard pieces from the box the book was shipped in and cut up paper clips to hold pieces in place to glue in place.

Get a set of X-Acto knives for precise cuts and you'll be able to tell when you should take a break because your fingers/hands should hurt from cutting.