12 Segment Arduino Clock

This clock was made from 3/8" x 1-1/2" bar stock and cut steel pipe.

This was very costly but for a project you could use pvc pipe and wood quilting hoops.

Step 1: Make the Clock Center

Start with a 6" diameter piece of pvc pipe cut to 1 1/2" thick.

Drill 12 holes ( 1 for each hour ) insert 12 3/8" copper adapters as shown in picture ($2.50ea)

drill 3/8" hole in black iron cap - screw on one for each copper adapter ($1.50 ea.)

insert 12 ws2811 Aitove neopixel ($16 for string of 50) bulbs into each copper adapter from inside the 6" center.

(string can be easily cut down to 12 bulbs - you MUST start with the female end and the first bulb goes into the twelve o'clock hour)

you will feed the power from a 1.5 amp 5v power supply and the white wire will go to pin 5 on the Arduino.

The Arduino can be powered by the same 5v power supply ($6) if it will be within 3 foot of the neopixels. Mine was 15 feet away so I used a second $6 power supply (9v) to power the Arduino. I also used 18ga thermostat wire ($10) to power the remote light stand and time advance push button.

Step 2: Add the Outer Ring

Again I used metal rings but for this project you could use a quilting hoop of 23" diameter ($11).

You will need to drill 3/8" holes for each of the 12 hours into the quilting ring. Insert twelve 3/8" acrylic rods between the clock center and the outside ring. Hopefully the fit is extremely tight on both ends of each rod ( if not some super glue may be necessary on the out side ring).

Step 3: Electrical Hookup

I bought a Smarza Starter Kit for $16. it had the fake Arduino and the resistors but not the 1000mf capacitor that goes between the + and - on the 5v power supply. I would recommend the above book $7. If using just the 5v power supply you will also need a pigtail from the + and - that will power up the adruino post. For adding the 9v for long distance it plugs right into the post on the Arduino. I included the sketch with some helpful hints at the bottom.

Step 4: Setting the Time

There is a latch push button in the center of the clock used to advance the time.when pushed it speeds

up the clock to a pace where you can reset the time "fairly quickly" . The attached video is shown at real time for this mode. After uploading the sketch it may take up to six minutes for the lights to start.