Author Topic: My clock project  (Read 549 times)

Offline Greybeard

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My clock project
« on: 19.11. 2020 18:31 »
I've been getting into Arduino micro-controllers. If you've heard of Raspberry Pi, the Arduino is similar.
We were given an old American style wall clock. The original mech had been butchered and what was left working was not very reliable. I decided to try to get an Arduino to play sound samples to simulate the sounds that the clock should make. Additionally I've managed to get the pendulum working.
I've put some notes on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/sCSyK_EylQo
Greybeard (Neil)
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Offline Alex kettle

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #1 on: 19.11. 2020 19:21 »
I’d say top marks greybeard. That’s a good effort. 👍🏻

Offline metalflake11

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #2 on: 19.11. 2020 20:04 »
Clever clogs!  *smile*
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Offline RichardL

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #3 on: 20.11. 2020 00:47 »
What makes that an American style clock. I think the term is "Regulator," but may be wrong.

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Offline metalflake11

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #4 on: 20.11. 2020 04:48 »
I get it chiming when the big hand passes 12, but how does it know how many times it should chime?

Have you programmed it to chime once more each time it passes, and then reset at 12 or something?
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Offline Greybeard

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #5 on: 20.11. 2020 08:52 »
I get it chiming when the big hand passes 12, but how does it know how many times it should chime?

Have you programmed it to chime once more each time it passes, and then reset at 12 or something?
Exactly that.
There is a counter that gets incremented each time the minute hand reaches the top. It gets reset at 12.
There also needed to be a 24 hour counter because I programmed a quiet period for night, so between 21:00 and 08:00 the volume is reduced. That counter is also incremented at the 12 position of the minute hand.

These mini micro-controllers are great fun, they make these sort of projects possible for amateur makers like me.

I needed to learn a bit of the programming language C++.
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Offline Greybeard

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #6 on: 20.11. 2020 08:55 »
What makes that an American style clock. I think the term is "Regulator," but may be wrong.
A wall mounted clock in a case is known as an American clock here.
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Online bsa-bill

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #7 on: 20.11. 2020 09:44 »
Quote
A wall mounted clock in a case is known as an American clock here.

 in that case, I've got one, also a Grandmother clock in many pieces, I also have plans for both of them but dare not say for how long the plans have been plans -  sometime in a future lockdown maybe
All the best - Bill
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1959 Rocket Gold Flash - blinged and tarted up  would have seizure if taken to  Tesco

Offline Greybeard

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #8 on: 20.11. 2020 10:48 »
We are a bit clock mad here.
Picture 2 shows a Gledhill Brook clocking-in machine that I got from Freecycle. I got that working with an Arduino controlling a model aircraft servo.

Greybeard (Neil)
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Offline Greybeard

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #9 on: 20.11. 2020 10:58 »
The longcase clock mech is probably 300 years old, although the case is later. The clock was made with only an hour hand, in a time when minutes were not so important as now.
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Online bsa-bill

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Re: My clock project
« Reply #10 on: 20.11. 2020 11:54 »
my grandparents had a grandfather clock, it always struck me it looked odd as it was black, my dad told me that some of the men in his family ( 5 boys 3 girls) had decided to fix the clock for some reason and the cogs were made of wood and black was the paint they had so black it was, I can remember it chiming but as to accuracy I don't know

my wall clock is very similar to picture 4

Nice collection though
All the best - Bill
1961 Flash - stock, reliable, steady, fantastic for shopping
1959 Rocket Gold Flash - blinged and tarted up  would have seizure if taken to  Tesco