Introduction: Word Clock With Rainbow Effect and Background Light.

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The beginning is there.
The front plate is 40 by 40 cm and is ready.

Step 1:

I bought an MDF plate of 122 by 61 cm and 12 mm thick.
I have had them saw to size at the building market. The sawing machine gives a better cut than the plate itself had. That's why something is cut off first. (red on the drawing). Then two strips of 7 cm and one of 5 cm. After that two pieces of 40 by 40 cm. The rest I saw in strips what I need. The plate is enough for two clocks to make so spare material enough.

Step 2: The Drilling

    Then the drilling template is drawn on the plate.
    I have smeared with wood glue the edge of the board twice. If this is then sanded with very fine tear paper, it becomes very slippery. The edge is then easy to paint and does not require further finishing.

    First I drilled holes of 4 mm. Problem with drilling in the middle plane, it is to make do with the reversed drill stand. Then the holes are enlarged with a speed drill. In the front they are 18 mm round and 7 mm deep and in the back 12 mm round and 3 mm deep. Then with a counterbore drill the remaining part beveled and the hole must then be 8 mm. As you can see, not every hole has succeeded equally well, but that is not a problem. Because the font is higher than wide, I have bevelled the holes in the front at the top and bottom. Check with the front plate whether all letters can be fully illuminated.

Step 3: And Further

Added tip sensors next to bottom three letters left and right. Operation of the touch key visible in the letter next to it, therefore touch the other way around on the right side.

MDF plate is easy to work with a Stanley knife.

Rear front slots cut, deep enough for wiring LEDs. This with the sawing machine in minimum cutting depth.

Rectangle of 37.5 * 37.5 cm and 7 cm wide for backlight. Here 60 LEDs for lighting with the second a slightly brighter color, so there are less LEDs at the top and bottom than at the sides.

Rectangle of 35 * 35 cm and 5 cm wide with suspension possibility and at the rear a piece of metal for strength.

Both rectangles of the strips made but can easily be made in one piece.

Holes for capacitors for power supply of LEDs.

Three layers of superstructure, with the space for the electronics in the middle.

Space for LDR and temperature sensor.


Toegevoegd tip sensors naast onderste drie letters links en rechts. Bediening van de tiptoets zichtbaar in de letter ernaast, daarom tiptoets andersom aan rechter kant.

MDF plaat is goed te bewerken met een Stanley mes.

Achterkant front sleuven gezaagd, diep genoeg voor bedrading led's.
Dit met de zaagmachine in mininmale zaagdiepte.

Rechthoek van 37,5 * 37,5 cm en 7 cm breed voor backlight.

Hierin komen 60 led's voor verlichting met de seconde een iets fellere kleur, daarom zijn er aan de boven en onderkant minder led's dan aan de zijkanten.

Rechthoek van 35 * 35 cm en 5 cm breed met ophang mogelijkheid en aan de achterzijde een stukje metaal voor stevigheid.

Beide rechthoeken van de strippen gemaakt maar kan makkelijke uit een stuk gemaakt worden.

Gaten voor condensatoren voor op voeding van led's.

Drie lagen opbouw, met in het midden de ruimte voor de elektronica.

Ruimte voor LDR en temperatuur sensor.

Step 4: Painted

The visible parts are painted.

Step 5: Clock Backlight

The backlight is ready.
There are 60 neopixels all around for the seconds to display. To get a similarity with the pointer of an analog clock, there are more LEDs on the sides than on the top and bottom sides. When this was programmed it was easy to add the minutes and hours. Whether this stays that way depends on the end result.

The clock now shows 10:19:25.

3 blue neopixels for the hours

1 green neopixel for the minutes

1 red neopixel for the seconds

The hours minutes and seconds neopixels have more clarity as the others and are therefore stand out.

Step 6: Het Duurt Wel Erg Lang

Project is still under development and is open to suggestions, so the rest will follow.

Project nog in ontwikkeling en staat open voor suggesties, dus rest volgt.