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Inspired by the works of Leo Dorst and Eric Harshbarger, I set out to build
a working clock mechanism in a form factor that could be displayed on a
train layout. The result of this two-week effort is my LEGO Clock Tower,
which made its debut on NELUG's train layout at the Greenberg train show
this past weekend. Except for a two-pound weight and a length of cotton
twine, the entire clock mechanism is made out of unmodified, non-electric
LEGO pieces.
I am working on a complete write-up about this project, but here are a few
preliminary pictures:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
The top portion of the tower (above the windows) contains the complete clock
mechanism, and can be separated into functional layers for easier
maintainance. The head of the clock tower contains four identical clock
faces that are geared together at their minute hand axles. The pulley (a
wheel hub) and gear train are located in the top half of the tower shaft,
and the pendulum and weight hang down the remainder of the shaft and through
a cutout in the display table. A pair of eye hooks attached to the
underside of the table allow me to hang the weight at a slight horizontal
offset to prevent it from interfering with the pendulum motion.
As built, the clock keeps reasonably accurate time. During the train show,
it was rarely more than 3-5 minutes off the correct time, although for a
variety of reasons the clock did not run continuously for any single stretch
of more than a couple of hours without needing to be wound/restarted/reset.
I am still fine-tuning the mechanism to improve the accuracy of the
timepiece, to lengthen the run-time between windings, and to reduce the
weight needed to drive the clock.
Before I forget, if anyone knows of a good minifig-scale pest control
service please let me know -- I've got bats in my belfry!
- Chris.
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In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Phillips writes:
> Inspired by the works of Leo Dorst and Eric Harshbarger, I set out to build
> a working clock mechanism in a form factor that could be displayed on a
> train layout. The result of this two-week effort is my LEGO Clock Tower,
> which made its debut on NELUG's train layout at the Greenberg train show
> this past weekend. Except for a two-pound weight and a length of cotton
> twine, the entire clock mechanism is made out of unmodified, non-electric
> LEGO pieces.
>
> I am working on a complete write-up about this project, but here are a few
> preliminary pictures:
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
<snip>
Have you considered making the tower more 'open', so people can see the
mechanism? Maybe build the clock faces using clear bricks?
This is too clever (and too much work!) to hide... :-)
JohnG, GMLTC
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In lugnet.technic, John Gerlach writes:
> In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Phillips writes:
> > I am working on a complete write-up about this project, but here are a few
> > preliminary pictures:
> >
> > http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
> <snip>
> Have you considered making the tower more 'open', so people can see the
> mechanism? Maybe build the clock faces using clear bricks?
>
> This is too clever (and too much work!) to hide... :-)
>
> JohnG, GMLTC
As you might imagine, the gears are packed in there pretty tight. I built
the tower from the outside in: I decided how large it could be before it
would look out-of-scale and then I tried like crazy to fit four clock faces
in there. This is pretty much four copies of Leo's clock face with their
minute hands tied together. The gear train is functionally equivalent to
Eric's grandfather clock, and I am using the new 8-tooth propellor gear as
the escapement gear. The pendulum is a bit different in that it pivots from
below the escapement gear.
The building is very loosely modeled after a historic building in my town
that burned to the ground several years ago, except for the clock tower
which still stands to this day. I still miss eating breakfast at the local
greasy spoon that was one of their busiest tennants.
The really tricky part (once I understood how to build a clock that would
keep running) was to fit everything into the available space. And to keep
rebuilding it every time the weight dragged it off my workbench...
- Chris.
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In lugnet.technic, Chris Phillips writes:
> The really tricky part (once I understood how to build a clock that would
> keep running) was to fit everything into the available space. And to keep
> rebuilding it every time the weight dragged it off my workbench...
>
> - Chris.
Have you considered using one (or more) of the pullback motors as an
alternative power source to the weight on a string ? I believe the larger
pullbacks (32283) have a technic axle-hole for the take off.
Ray
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In lugnet.technic, Ray Sanders writes:
> In lugnet.technic, Chris Phillips writes:
> > The really tricky part (once I understood how to build a clock that would
> > keep running) was to fit everything into the available space. And to keep
> > rebuilding it every time the weight dragged it off my workbench...
> >
> > - Chris.
>
> Have you considered using one (or more) of the pullback motors as an
> alternative power source to the weight on a string ? I believe the larger
> pullbacks (32283) have a technic axle-hole for the take off.
>
> Ray
Yes. I tried the pull-back motor, but it could only run a lightly-geared
clock for a very short time before it lost its oomph. I also tried
stretching the white bungee cords >>theme music of Wile E. Coyote in the
background<< over pulleys, but had the same problem. >>sound of anvil
hitting Chris in the head<< When you store energy in a spring you get less
torque out as the spring relaxes, and past a certain point it can't spin all
the gears.
A weight on a pulley loses a very small amount of torque as the string winds
off the pulley (and its effective radius decreases) but not nearly to the
degree that power tapers in a spring.
I'm actually following a suggestion that came from Dan and Jenn Boger, and
looking at ways to run it with a motor and battery box. This shows the most
promise right now for any pure LEGO solution to power the clock.
At least until LEGO comes out with a potato in a glass of water...
- Chris.
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In lugnet.technic, Chris Phillips writes:
> At least until LEGO comes out with a potato in a glass of water...
That's not in the DACTA catalog? Hmm.. salad dressing, cake baking sets, dish
washing liquid, huh! You'd think.
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In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Phillips writes:
> Inspired by the works of Leo Dorst and Eric Harshbarger, I set out to build
> a working clock mechanism in a form factor that could be displayed on a
> train layout. The result of this two-week effort is my LEGO Clock Tower,
> which made its debut on NELUG's train layout at the Greenberg train show
> this past weekend. Except for a two-pound weight and a length of cotton
> twine, the entire clock mechanism is made out of unmodified, non-electric
> LEGO pieces.
>
> I am working on a complete write-up about this project, but here are a few
> preliminary pictures:
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
Wow is that cool. So what kind of comments from the audience did it get?
This seems like a really neat thing to have at a show, that's for sure.
spotlighted.
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In lugnet.technic, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> spotlighted.
BUT... considering the day and considering how gullible I am, do you have
any video of it actually WORKING that you can share? GRIN
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In lugnet.technic, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> In lugnet.technic, Larry Pieniazek writes:
>
> > spotlighted.
>
> BUT... considering the day and considering how gullible I am, do you have
> any video of it actually WORKING that you can share? GRIN
Well I don't, but I know somebody who does...
- Chris.
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In lugnet.technic, Chris Phillips writes:
> In lugnet.technic, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > In lugnet.technic, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> >
> > > spotlighted.
> >
> > BUT... considering the day and considering how gullible I am, do you have
> > any video of it actually WORKING that you can share? GRIN
>
> Well I don't, but I know somebody who does...
>
> - Chris.
Not that I care whether Larry believes that my clock isn't a hoax, but I
have posted a couple of .AVI files that I shot today with my Vision Command
camera. Of course in my eyes, any footage I've ever shot with that thing
looks as if it oughtta have a guy in a bigfoot costume wandering around in
the background, so these movies might not convince anyone anyway.
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
Sorry about the large downloads! ClockFace.avi is 632K, and TickTock.avi is
a whopping 5.9M.
- Chris.
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> Not that I care whether Larry believes that my clock isn't a hoax, but I
> have posted a couple of .AVI files that I shot today with my Vision Command
> camera. Of course in my eyes, any footage I've ever shot with that thing
> looks as if it oughtta have a guy in a bigfoot costume wandering around in
> the background, so these movies might not convince anyone anyway.
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
>
> Sorry about the large downloads! ClockFace.avi is 632K, and TickTock.avi is
> a whopping 5.9M.
UFO spotted!!!
:)
Way cool clock! Must have been a nightmare to fit the gears in there, but the
weight gave you practise I've read - I bet you can paint the walls in an
apartment through the door mailbox by now :)
Best regards,
/Tobbe
http://www.lotek.nu
(remove SPAM when e-mailing)
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In lugnet.technic, Tobbe Arnesson writes:
> > Not that I care whether Larry believes that my clock isn't a hoax, but I
> > have posted a couple of .AVI files that I shot today with my Vision Command
> > camera. Of course in my eyes, any footage I've ever shot with that thing
> > looks as if it oughtta have a guy in a bigfoot costume wandering around in
> > the background, so these movies might not convince anyone anyway.
> >
> > http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
> >
> > Sorry about the large downloads! ClockFace.avi is 632K, and TickTock.avi is
> > a whopping 5.9M.
>
> UFO spotted!!!
Yeah, but did you notice that the UFO is being piloted by Elvis?
> Way cool clock! Must have been a nightmare to fit the gears in there, but the
> weight gave you practise I've read - I bet you can paint the walls in an
> apartment through the door mailbox by now :)
Well if the door is made out of LEGO and I can take it apart whenever I need
to dip the brush...
It actually wasn't all that bad to fit everything in there. It initially
took me four full days to build a basic clock mechanism that worked, but it
only took me a day to build the four-face clock and another day to re-work
the clock mechanism to fit into the vertical space of the tower shaft. Add
one more day of making the rest of the building and its display shelf and
shrubbery. Not only did I build the clock from the outside in, but I also
built it from the top down.
It really was a very interesting project. It forced me to dust off brain
cells that I haven't used since Physics 101. It also reminded me why I went
into software instead of hardware...
- Chris.
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In lugnet.technic, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Phillips writes:
> > Inspired by the works of Leo Dorst and Eric Harshbarger, I set out to build
> > a working clock mechanism in a form factor that could be displayed on a
> > train layout. The result of this two-week effort is my LEGO Clock Tower,
> > which made its debut on NELUG's train layout at the Greenberg train show
> > this past weekend. Except for a two-pound weight and a length of cotton
> > twine, the entire clock mechanism is made out of unmodified, non-electric
> > LEGO pieces.
> >
> > I am working on a complete write-up about this project, but here are a few
> > preliminary pictures:
> >
> > http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
>
> Wow is that cool. So what kind of comments from the audience did it get?
> This seems like a really neat thing to have at a show, that's for sure.
>
> spotlighted.
When I built it, the tick-tock noise seemed deafening. But at the train
show, with the crowd, the trains, and all the other motorized stuff we had,
you couldn't hear it from outside the layout. We had a mind-numbing layout
with three trains and a monorail running at all times, two wireless cameras,
a lighthouse, no fewer than five animated amusement park rides, and a parade
with two motorized floats, not to mention five level crossings with lights
and gates.
The audience didn't generally notice it unless it was pointed out to them.
I think one person looked at the clock and said "Look at the clock." Then
looked at his watch "Hey, it's even right!" without someone pointing out
that the clock was fully functional. It needs a second hand or a big bell,
I guess...
When it was pointed out to people they seemed to think it was pretty cool.
I took it apart a few times to show people how it works, but I was trying to
let it run continuously and undisturbed as much as possible during the show.
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> > In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Phillips writes:
> I took it apart a few times to show people how it works, but I was trying to
> let it run continuously and undisturbed as much as possible during the show.
Chris,
For the next show, you could build a replica of the clock mechanism and have
it handy, so you can show it to people without having to mess with the tower.
I saw it running for a two hour stretch with only a two minutes delay or so,
it's really amazing that it actually fits such a small space. Impressive.
J.-
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In lugnet.technic, Jorge Fernandez writes:
> > > In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Phillips writes:
> > I took it apart a few times to show people how it works, but I was trying to
> > let it run continuously and undisturbed as much as possible during the show.
>
> Chris,
>
> For the next show, you could build a replica of the clock mechanism and have
> it handy, so you can show it to people without having to mess with the tower.
>
> I saw it running for a two hour stretch with only a two minutes delay or so,
> it's really amazing that it actually fits such a small space. Impressive.
>
> J.-
That's a good idea. I made the roof lift off easily, but since the clock
was in the middle of the layout nobody could look inside anyway. Maybe next
time we can put it closer to the outer edge of the layout somehow. >>sound
of gears grinding<< Have to give that some more thought. Good thing I have
a whole two months before the next show-- luxury!!!
Having an extra mechanism on hand for closer inspection would be a good
idea, too. I'll have to think of a way to build one that puts the guts on
display. It is pretty cool to watch it run.
- Chris.
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In lugnet.technic, Chris Phillips writes:
> In lugnet.technic, Jorge Fernandez writes:
> >
> > For the next show, you could build a replica of the clock mechanism and have
> > it handy, so you can show it to people without having to mess with the tower.
>
> That's a good idea. I made the roof lift off easily, but since the clock
> was in the middle of the layout nobody could look inside anyway. Maybe next
> time we can put it closer to the outer edge of the layout somehow. >>sound
> of gears grinding<< Have to give that some more thought. Good thing I have
> a whole two months before the next show-- luxury!!!
>
> Having an extra mechanism on hand for closer inspection would be a good
> idea, too. I'll have to think of a way to build one that puts the guts on
> display. It is pretty cool to watch it run.
I think that's a really great idea ... I definitely think this item receives
the "most underappreciated MOC" award for the show. It is truly a marvel, but
tough to really convey easily to the crowd.
In downtown Concord NH, there's a huge town clock (pendulum and weight),
encased in all glass walls. You can watch the mechanism running ... maybe
that's the sort of design that could work? Use clear 1x4x3 panel pieces to
build up the walls of the clock tower, with the exception of where the clock
axles need to project through? I count your clock at 12 studs wide ... make it
14, and you're easily set! Three 1x4x3 panels across on each side, plus a
stack of 1x1s in the corners.
I'd really love for you to be able to draw more attention to this ... it's
spectacular.
-s
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In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Phillips writes:
> Inspired by the works of Leo Dorst and Eric Harshbarger, I set out to build
> a working clock mechanism in a form factor that could be displayed on a
> train layout. The result of this two-week effort is my LEGO Clock Tower,
> which made its debut on NELUG's train layout at the Greenberg train show
> this past weekend. Except for a two-pound weight and a length of cotton
> twine, the entire clock mechanism is made out of unmodified, non-electric
> LEGO pieces.
>
> I am working on a complete write-up about this project, but here are a few
> preliminary pictures:
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
>
> The top portion of the tower (above the windows) contains the complete clock
> mechanism, and can be separated into functional layers for easier
> maintainance. The head of the clock tower contains four identical clock
> faces that are geared together at their minute hand axles. The pulley (a
> wheel hub) and gear train are located in the top half of the tower shaft,
> and the pendulum and weight hang down the remainder of the shaft and through
> a cutout in the display table. A pair of eye hooks attached to the
> underside of the table allow me to hang the weight at a slight horizontal
> offset to prevent it from interfering with the pendulum motion.
>
> As built, the clock keeps reasonably accurate time. During the train show,
> it was rarely more than 3-5 minutes off the correct time, although for a
> variety of reasons the clock did not run continuously for any single stretch
> of more than a couple of hours without needing to be wound/restarted/reset.
> I am still fine-tuning the mechanism to improve the accuracy of the
> timepiece, to lengthen the run-time between windings, and to reduce the
> weight needed to drive the clock.
>
> Before I forget, if anyone knows of a good minifig-scale pest control
> service please let me know -- I've got bats in my belfry!
>
> - Chris.
That is very sweet! As a person who tried, not hugely successfully, to get
a Leo or Eric LEGO clock working, I'm so impressed that not only did you do
it, you did it with 4 faces!
Very nicely done!
Dave K
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Chris, as someone who saw it first-hand at the show, I just want to say how
cool I thought it was. In fact, a number of us used it as the way to see
how much time was left in the show! Truly a fantastic job.
- Joe
In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Phillips writes:
> Inspired by the works of Leo Dorst and Eric Harshbarger, I set out to build
> a working clock mechanism in a form factor that could be displayed on a
> train layout. The result of this two-week effort is my LEGO Clock Tower,
> which made its debut on NELUG's train layout at the Greenberg train show
> this past weekend. Except for a two-pound weight and a length of cotton
> twine, the entire clock mechanism is made out of unmodified, non-electric
> LEGO pieces.
>
> I am working on a complete write-up about this project, but here are a few
> preliminary pictures:
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
>
> The top portion of the tower (above the windows) contains the complete clock
> mechanism, and can be separated into functional layers for easier
> maintainance. The head of the clock tower contains four identical clock
> faces that are geared together at their minute hand axles. The pulley (a
> wheel hub) and gear train are located in the top half of the tower shaft,
> and the pendulum and weight hang down the remainder of the shaft and through
> a cutout in the display table. A pair of eye hooks attached to the
> underside of the table allow me to hang the weight at a slight horizontal
> offset to prevent it from interfering with the pendulum motion.
>
> As built, the clock keeps reasonably accurate time. During the train show,
> it was rarely more than 3-5 minutes off the correct time, although for a
> variety of reasons the clock did not run continuously for any single stretch
> of more than a couple of hours without needing to be wound/restarted/reset.
> I am still fine-tuning the mechanism to improve the accuracy of the
> timepiece, to lengthen the run-time between windings, and to reduce the
> weight needed to drive the clock.
>
> Before I forget, if anyone knows of a good minifig-scale pest control
> service please let me know -- I've got bats in my belfry!
>
> - Chris.
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In lugnet.technic, Joe Comeau writes:
> Chris, as someone who saw it first-hand at the show, I just want to say how
> cool I thought it was. In fact, a number of us used it as the way to see
> how much time was left in the show! Truly a fantastic job.
>
> - Joe
Maybe that explains why the show seemed sooooo long! And why I didn't get
home on Sunday until after 8:00.
Could it also explain why I haven't finished unpacking my car since the weekend?
- Chris.
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Good job. Even since recently annoucing that I got my grandfather clock up to
30 mours in weight/runtime, I still have frustrations with it (it now decides
to stop at will, etc).
The 4-face gearworks is a great innovation.
eric
In lugnet.announce.moc, Chris Phillips writes:
> Inspired by the works of Leo Dorst and Eric Harshbarger, I set out to build
> a working clock mechanism in a form factor that could be displayed on a
> train layout. The result of this two-week effort is my LEGO Clock Tower,
> which made its debut on NELUG's train layout at the Greenberg train show
> this past weekend. Except for a two-pound weight and a length of cotton
> twine, the entire clock mechanism is made out of unmodified, non-electric
> LEGO pieces.
>
> I am working on a complete write-up about this project, but here are a few
> preliminary pictures:
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
>
> The top portion of the tower (above the windows) contains the complete clock
> mechanism, and can be separated into functional layers for easier
> maintainance. The head of the clock tower contains four identical clock
> faces that are geared together at their minute hand axles. The pulley (a
> wheel hub) and gear train are located in the top half of the tower shaft,
> and the pendulum and weight hang down the remainder of the shaft and through
> a cutout in the display table. A pair of eye hooks attached to the
> underside of the table allow me to hang the weight at a slight horizontal
> offset to prevent it from interfering with the pendulum motion.
>
> As built, the clock keeps reasonably accurate time. During the train show,
> it was rarely more than 3-5 minutes off the correct time, although for a
> variety of reasons the clock did not run continuously for any single stretch
> of more than a couple of hours without needing to be wound/restarted/reset.
> I am still fine-tuning the mechanism to improve the accuracy of the
> timepiece, to lengthen the run-time between windings, and to reduce the
> weight needed to drive the clock.
>
> Before I forget, if anyone knows of a good minifig-scale pest control
> service please let me know -- I've got bats in my belfry!
>
> - Chris.
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In lugnet.technic, Eric Harshbarger writes:
>
> Good job. Even since recently annoucing that I got my grandfather clock up to
> 30 mours in weight/runtime, I still have frustrations with it (it now decides
> to stop at will, etc).
>
> The 4-face gearworks is a great innovation.
>
> eric
Wow, thanks!
I found that every time I rebuilt the mechanism (and I did this a bit more
often than I would have chosen) I had to go through a whole checklist to
make sure that there were no friction problems in the gear train and that
the walls of the gearbox were square. I also found my clock to be somewhat
susceptible to small variations in the leveling of the mechanism and that
these problems could sometimes be compensated for by putting the pendulum
off-balance. When it has one of these problems it runs intermittently. But
when it's set up properly I have actually had difficulty stopping the clock
-- the pendulum can sometimes start swinging again just from the drag of the
weight!
- Chris.
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Oh, I really like this and look forward to seeing how to make it!
I never ever would have thought of making a clock out of lego... thanks for
snapping me out of my limited imagination. :)
"Chris Phillips" <drvegetable@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:HCoACs.21rH@lugnet.com...
> Inspired by the works of Leo Dorst and Eric Harshbarger, I set out to • build
> a working clock mechanism in a form factor that could be displayed on a
> train layout. The result of this two-week effort is my LEGO Clock Tower,
> which made its debut on NELUG's train layout at the Greenberg train show
> this past weekend. Except for a two-pound weight and a length of cotton
> twine, the entire clock mechanism is made out of unmodified, non-electric
> LEGO pieces.
>
> I am working on a complete write-up about this project, but here are a few
> preliminary pictures:
>
> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=38950
>
> The top portion of the tower (above the windows) contains the complete • clock
> mechanism, and can be separated into functional layers for easier
> maintainance. The head of the clock tower contains four identical clock
> faces that are geared together at their minute hand axles. The pulley (a
> wheel hub) and gear train are located in the top half of the tower shaft,
> and the pendulum and weight hang down the remainder of the shaft and • through
> a cutout in the display table. A pair of eye hooks attached to the
> underside of the table allow me to hang the weight at a slight horizontal
> offset to prevent it from interfering with the pendulum motion.
>
> As built, the clock keeps reasonably accurate time. During the train • show,
> it was rarely more than 3-5 minutes off the correct time, although for a
> variety of reasons the clock did not run continuously for any single • stretch
> of more than a couple of hours without needing to be • wound/restarted/reset.
> I am still fine-tuning the mechanism to improve the accuracy of the
> timepiece, to lengthen the run-time between windings, and to reduce the
> weight needed to drive the clock.
>
> Before I forget, if anyone knows of a good minifig-scale pest control
> service please let me know -- I've got bats in my belfry!
>
> - Chris.
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