Comments on: Hanging chain clocks http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 22 May 2013 11:50:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Jim Sands http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1233148 Jim Sands Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1233148 Email from the maker: Due to overwhelming demand, I am temporarily out of the pre-built clocks.  I am in the process (yes, I’m a one-man shop, with a day job) of building more, but the building process takes about 10 business days, depending on how quickly ponoko can produce the laser-cut parts.  Email from the maker:

Due to overwhelming demand, I am temporarily out of the pre-built clocks.  I am in the process (yes, I’m a one-man shop, with a day job) of building more, but the building process takes about 10 business days, depending on how quickly ponoko can produce the laser-cut parts. 

]]> By: brainflakes http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232731 brainflakes Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232731 It's a synchronous A/C motor, so it's synchronised to the mains frequency (50 or 60hz) and thus turns at a constant speed independent of torque. It’s a synchronous A/C motor, so it’s synchronised to the mains frequency (50 or 60hz) and thus turns at a constant speed independent of torque.

]]> By: AA http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232702 AA Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232702 - You are late! - My clock got derailed!!! (Avoid such surprises with Shimano Chronographs...) - You are late!
- My clock got derailed!!!
(Avoid such surprises with Shimano Chronographs…)

]]> By: phisrow http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232579 phisrow Mon, 03 Oct 2011 03:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232579 Their particular offering appears to not be available in kit form; but(aside from the motor module, which I'm pretty sure they got right off the shelf, along with screws, bushings, the chain, etc.), I don't see anything that couldn't be duplicated with a jigsaw, a chain tool, and a modest collection of drill bits and screwdrivers... I'm assuming that the chain tool(especially if the chain is a different size than a common bicycle chain) is the presumed sticking point.  Their particular offering appears to not be available in kit form; but(aside from the motor module, which I’m pretty sure they got right off the shelf, along with screws, bushings, the chain, etc.), I don’t see anything that couldn’t be duplicated with a jigsaw, a chain tool, and a modest collection of drill bits and screwdrivers…

I’m assuming that the chain tool(especially if the chain is a different size than a common bicycle chain) is the presumed sticking point. 

]]> By: SparcMan http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232567 SparcMan Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232567 This has been Tweeted by Adam Savage This has been Tweeted by Adam Savage

]]> By: phisrow http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232563 phisrow Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232563 If the motor is under-spec, that would be an issue; but 'synchronous' motors, by design, run at a speed determined by the frequency of the drive current unless overloaded, when they stall. Given the plummeting cost of doing things with silicon, sensors, and a little feedback cleverness, you could probably make something like this work(particularly given how coarse the resolution of the 'display' is), with a normal brushless motor and a driver circuit that counted links as they passed and sped up or slowed down as needed; it might even be cheaper to do it that way. A synchronous motor, though, handles the compensation for changes in load, within its limits, purely by electromagnetic cleverness... If the motor is under-spec, that would be an issue; but ‘synchronous’ motors, by design, run at a speed determined by the frequency of the drive current unless overloaded, when they stall.

Given the plummeting cost of doing things with silicon, sensors, and a little feedback cleverness, you could probably make something like this work(particularly given how coarse the resolution of the ‘display’ is), with a normal brushless motor and a driver circuit that counted links as they passed and sped up or slowed down as needed; it might even be cheaper to do it that way.

A synchronous motor, though, handles the compensation for changes in load, within its limits, purely by electromagnetic cleverness…

]]> By: SamSam http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232559 SamSam Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232559 Man, I had plans to build something almost identical to this even before this idea was <i><a href="http://boingboing.net/2009/11/11/clock-on-a-bicycle-c.html" rel="nofollow">first</a></i> published on BB two years ago, and I still havem't done so now that it's been posted a second time. Sigh... too many projects and too little time. I have, finally, bought a high-torque clock motor for it. At least these commercial versions have dropped in price -- the one posted two years ago was over $2000. That said, that one was a lot prettier. This is perfect -- the one I am going to make would probably have looked more like this, but now that I can see them side-by-side, I can decide whether I ought tocompress and hide my gearing. Man, I had plans to build something almost identical to this even before this idea was first published on BB two years ago, and I still havem’t done so now that it’s been posted a second time. Sigh… too many projects and too little time. I have, finally, bought a high-torque clock motor for it.

At least these commercial versions have dropped in price — the one posted two years ago was over $2000. That said, that one was a lot prettier. This is perfect — the one I am going to make would probably have looked more like this, but now that I can see them side-by-side, I can decide whether I ought tocompress and hide my gearing.

]]> By: Dewi Morgan http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232551 Dewi Morgan Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232551 One thing I'd be wary of when creating this is that 11 and 12 are heavier than most numbers. Unless all the numbers were close enough in weight that the motor's torque makes it irrelevant, half the day will pass faster than expected, and half slower. One thing I’d be wary of when creating this is that 11 and 12 are heavier than most numbers. Unless all the numbers were close enough in weight that the motor’s torque makes it irrelevant, half the day will pass faster than expected, and half slower.

]]> By: anderalert http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232550 anderalert Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232550 Dusting nightmare. Dusting nightmare.

]]> By: hohum http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232549 hohum Mon, 03 Oct 2011 02:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232549 It's tricky… While the 'numbers' go in the wrong direction, the 'thing that moves' goes in the right direction. Since these are one and the same, a design choice must be made… I think I'd prefer it this way, but it's difficult to say for certain without actually seeing it work, and whether my instinct would be to read quarter of or quarter past, when one comes up… I do wish there were more minute-less clocks out there, though… It’s tricky… While the ‘numbers’ go in the wrong direction, the ‘thing that moves’ goes in the right direction. Since these are one and the same, a design choice must be made… I think I’d prefer it this way, but it’s difficult to say for certain without actually seeing it work, and whether my instinct would be to read quarter of or quarter past, when one comes up… I do wish there were more minute-less clocks out there, though…

]]> By: sockdoll http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232528 sockdoll Mon, 03 Oct 2011 01:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232528 "Handmade," using laser-cut and industrial components which can't be assembled by the end users. Curse my common hands. “Handmade,” using laser-cut and industrial components which can’t be assembled by the end users.

Curse my common hands.

]]> By: rrh http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232497 rrh Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232497 Previously: http://boingboing.net/2009/11/11/clock-on-a-bicycle-c.html Previously:
http://boingboing.net/2009/11/11/clock-on-a-bicycle-c.html

]]> By: BrianOman http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232480 BrianOman Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232480 I kind of the like the surreality of counter-clocks. I think the chain drive is just fine in the direction it is in. I kind of the like the surreality of counter-clocks. I think the chain drive is just fine in the direction it is in.

]]> By: awjt http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232466 awjt Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232466 Exactery what I was thinking.  It should be represented like a clock face and there could be a secondary chain with 00-59 in smaller numerals for the minutes. Exactery what I was thinking.  It should be represented like a clock face and there could be a secondary chain with 00-59 in smaller numerals for the minutes.

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2011/10/02/hanging-chain-clocks.html#comment-1232452 EH Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=121372#comment-1232452 Should have the numbers in the other direction, and I guess clock motion to match. Should have the numbers in the other direction, and I guess clock motion to match.

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