Archive for the 'Clock' Category

Final Clock Post

I’ve finally moved to Colorado, and I had to leave the big clock behind, and luckily I had finished it:

photo

I finilized the code, installed the clock in my church, and programmed it for there needs. The code is stored here if someone want to see it. If you want to check it out run:

svn co http://dev.xkyle.com/clock

I have a little more technical info on my wiki, but it basically goes like this:

68fbb4a6882a094ecd708c15fca783ee

So using this and Openvpn, I can control the clock through the serial interface anywhere in the world, even Colorado! And of course the best part of it all, the church staff can also control it by sending an @reply using twitter!

Putting the Clock Together

We have finally built enough pieces of the clock together to get some digits!
It basically comes down to a white wooden box, a piece of cardboard with the LEDs wired, running to a RJ45 jack. Then a stryofoam cutout painted black, with a white piece of paper and plexyglass on top for a face.

Here is the template with wired LEDS:
p1000194.JPG

A multitude of completed digits (still missing the blank faceplate).
p1000196.JPG

Painting the boxes:
p1000198.JPG

This is an experiment with reflective tape: (didn’t make a difference)
p1000200.JPG

And yet even more boxes are coming:
p1000204.JPG

Here is the magic controller: (A little messy, not finished)
p1000205.JPG

And the outputs of the controller: (Just cat5 connectors, cheap!)
p1000206.JPG

Clock Primer

Here is the intro to the clock project:

Stencil We start with a template made at a sign shop, and the cover the edges with aluminum tape to protect them from the heat from the hot wire.

styro1 I’ve pushed out holes with a strait wire and a blow torch to give my entry points for my hot wires. Its going to be a plunge and cut job.

laser The laserpointer helps guide the hot wire because it inevitably bends and makes crooked cuts. Following the point makes straiter cuts. The laser isn’t cutting the stryofoam for us… Yet.

cut Only a CNC machine could have done a better job. A CNC machine…. With a laser cutter!!!

r This clock is going to have a great R-Value !!!

tease God help us all.