Christmas Clock

[Warrant2000]

This is the thread for me building my giant Christmas Clock. I'll post updates on what the skinny is. Fortunately, the weather here in sunny SOCAL is hot, dry, and clear.

Here's (http://s463.photobucket.com/albums/qq352/warrant2000/) the first round of pics.

Tutorial is posted here:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dqz74m6_0ddwc8kdg

[Sickie Ickie]

Lookin good! Love that first gear! :)

[Just Whisper]

Looks like it will be quite some undertaking. Can't wait to see more.

[Warrant2000]

I've been at a standstill for several days while I try to figure out what kind of wheels to get. A few trips to Ace Hardware and Home Depot didn't help, so I side-tracked into making the posable wise-man for our Nativity.

A surge of brilliance a few days ago and I realized that I should just make my own wheels. So I grabbed some plywood from my bin and went to work. I used a small stain can for the inner wheel diameter, and a large stain can for the outter wheel diameter. I slapped that onto my scroll saw, threw some glue on it, and I now have 3 wheels.

I've also fretted over how to actually make the whole thing turn, and after 3 different designes, finally figured it out. I had to changed the position of the wheel, anticipating too much torque when the belt is attached.

My last technical hurdle was to ensure the axles turned smoothly. My current design has a wood axle going through two wood holes. I was going to put a t-nut in the holes but those don't come in 5/8" size. My daughter was suggesting using PVC pipe instead of wood dowel, which gave me the idea to use a PVC gasket inside the hole.

Yea, I know I'm not doing a great job of describing it, but I'll have pics up this evening after I get home.

[Warrant2000]

Pictures are now posted in the Clockwork album.

http://christmasfanclub.com/album.php?albumid=27

[Sickie Ickie]

To say you are creative is an understatement!

You going to paint it orange? Get it? A clockwork orange? Hahahahahhahahahahaaaa!!!!!!! *cough* *cough*

[Warrant2000]

IT'S ALIVE!

I finally went and got the rubber tubing at a local speargun shop and connected it all up. I assembled the whole mess, strung the gears from the ceiling, wound up the tubing, plugged her in, and here it is.

Now that the hard part is over, I'm off to build the clock house, which will be about 5' across, 4.5' high, and 2' deep. This will then go on top of my garage, housing rules be damned!

http://s463.photobucket.com/albums/qq352/warrant2000/Christmas%20Clock/?action=view&current=Movies018.flv

[Sickie Ickie]

Lookin' great man!

[LeeLee]

This is exciting. Can't wait to see more.

[Just Whisper]

Me too. That makes my elf worktable look like baking cookies. I must say that took some engineering skills. I am really impressed, and can't wait till it's done and on the roof.

[Hitman]

Hello
Oh man that is just Sick (And I mean that in a good way)
I can not wait to see the finish product just to Awesome.

Hitman

[Sickie Ickie]

How did you attach the tubing end to end?

[Warrant2000]

How did you attach the tubing end to end?

I used my old Scoutmaster skills and tied a square knot. It makes a slight lag when it goes around the wheel, sort of "riding the rim", but does eventually make it. I've been thinking of using a wire noose instead, but the knot seems to work.

[Sickie Ickie]

Oh. Okay. Thanks. :)

[Just Whisper]

Warrant, what type of motor are you using? What is the rpm and torque rating on it?

[childofthenight]

wow can't wait to see the finished clock !!!!

[Warrant2000]

Whisper, it's a Jakel rotesserie motor I got on eBay for $11. I think it's about 4 rpm, and I really have no idea on the torque. But I figure since it's designed to turn heavy slabs of meat, it should be able to turn 3 foam gears. :)

Child, I keep telling myself that, too. I just have to escape from Wifeypoo and her "improvements" to our outside light setup. "Honey, can you reach..." "Honey, can you move that string to..."

[Warrant2000]

Pic of the Clock Skeleton. The vid is uploading as we speak.

http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq352/warrant2000/ChristmasClock034.jpg

[Warrant2000]

Video of the clock in action, skeleton form. I still have to finish the outside paneling, roof, clock face, and accoutrements.

I tell ya', it's tough working outside in 70 degrees and clear skies... :)

http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq352/warrant2000/Christmas%20Clock/th_Movies044.jpg

[Just Whisper]

That is cool as heck. And I hate you cuz I am so cold right now...and I live in FL. Go figure. Anyway, keep those pics and vids coming.

[Restless Spirit]

Very Cool!!


I tell ya', it's tough working outside in 70 degrees and clear skies... :)


I wonder how it would work up here? It's -5 degress right now:exclaim:

[Sickie Ickie]

Cold here, too. Go figure.

[Warrant2000]

Worked on some of the paneling and decorations. I plan on either staining it dark, or painting it light yellow (the color I happen to have a lot of). Then I'll attach a row of white C7 bulbs around the roof and front.

http://christmasfanclub.com/picture.php?albumid=33&pictureid=296

[Sickie Ickie]

Go warrent!

[Just Whisper]

I wonder how it would work up here? It's -5 degress right now
I can yell you how I'D WORK in -5. NOT AT ALL. My shut down temp is about 56. And that's wearing everything I own outside. Told you I was a weanie.

[Sickie Ickie]

You have one? :idea:

[Warrant2000]

You have a WHAT????

:)

[Just Whisper]

Be nice. Santa's watching. (He is kind of kinky like that.) And let me retract that statement and clarify that I am a cold weather SISSY.:deer:

[Sickie Ickie]

Kinky is good. That means I'm on the good list. :p

[Dr Morbius]

So, this is where Bryce is hiding!

[Sickie Ickie]

SSsssssshhhhhhhh! You'll blow my cover! LOL Heyya Doc! :D

[Alucard888888]

Looks great! The colors remind me of Rudoulf The Red Nosed Reindeer movie =O.

[Warrant2000]

Put a few more trimmings on the clock, but the work has slowed with other projects. Mainly the Nativity which got up two days ago and was blown over by high hot winds yesterday. Since it's tall, made of lightweight 1"x1/2"'s and topped with palm branches, I had to tie it down with guy-lines. I have some pictures that I'll get on later today.

The high winds make me nervous, I'm not sure if I'll be able to mount this clock on my roof. Here in SoCal we are subject to infrequent Santa Ana winds that blow east to west (normally we get the west to east coastal wind) and raise the temps about 20 degrees for a few days. Heck, I may not even be able to GET it on the roof, the blasted thing weighs so much. But it is my white whale...

[Sickie Ickie]

If you do or don't, you still did a good job, Ahab!

[Just Whisper]

It would still look awesome just sitting in your driveway or weedbed, etc. How much longer will you be stationed there?

[Warrant2000]

Just Whisper - I should be here for about 2 more years, I'm not sure where I'll put it after Christmas since my garage is bulging at the hinges. I learned a long time ago to make seasonal things that are either flat or can be disassembled to become flat. I didn't use any glue, just a lot of screws, so I should be able to break it all down, stow the gears, and use the wood for something else.

I've been eyeballing a blank spot in my flower bed to put the clock. It was the same location as my Autopsy Room in my Haunt this year.

Oh, Wifeypoo started talking about how easy it would be to turn the front of our house into a gingerbread-style house, since we do our annual Candy House Making party each year. She really digs those large slabs of easy-to-form foam board.

Must...finish...clock...

[Sickie Ickie]

LOL The gingerbread theme has been making it's rounds!

[Hitman]

Hello
Clock is looking good

Warrent2000 Wrote:
T
he high winds make me nervous, I'm not sure if I'll be able to mount this clock on my roof. Here in SoCal we are subject to infrequent Santa Ana winds that blow east to west (normally we get the west to east coastal wind) and raise the temps about 20 degrees for a few days. Heck, I may not even be able to GET it on the roof, the blasted thing weighs so much. But it is my white whale...

Funny I am north of you Up in Whitter and not a leaf is blowing.
It is a little warmer but not much.
Weather update they say we will have some rain in a couple of days is the the clock water proof :lol:
I was worried about the wind because of my cross up on the roof since I did not mount that securely because it is coming down in a few weeks.

Hitman

[Warrant2000]

Stick a fork in it, it's done!

I may embellish it a bit more with some candy-style decorations. All depends what Wiifeypoo says when she gets home and finds a giant clock in her flower bed.

There I was, all excited to plug it all in, lights and motor together, until I found that the motor is a 3-prong, and my extension cord is 2-prong. I guess I can make one more trip for a new extension cord. Once evening approaches I'll get a nighttime video so the lighting shows up.

I appreciate everyones encouragement and comments during my journey. :)



http://christmasfanclub.com/picture.php?albumid=33&pictureid=360

http://christmasfanclub.com/picture.php?albumid=33&pictureid=359

[Sickie Ickie]

YAY!! Looks great! I would have never thought of using tubing from spear guns.

(Don;t forget the how-to for teh SP site.) :D

[Hitman]

Hello
Warrent2000
It came out great can not wait to see it at night.
I know you will want to shoot me but if I may ask and make a comment.
Why not angle it more towards the walk way instead of flat against the house.
Just curios looks great.

Hitman

[Just Whisper]

I would have never thought of using tubing from spear guns.
Cuz let's face it, that's something we all have laying around in our junk box. LOL
Warrant, I am really impressed and I know you must be proud. I hope it stops a lot of traffic (but not the MPs).

[Warrant2000]

Thanks everyone. I liked the idea of angling the house, but Wifeypoo likes it as is. And if she's happy, we're all happy

[Warrant2000]

Here's the vid of the clock in action in the evening. It appears the square knot in the rubber tubing doesn't last forever. During the evening I went to check on it and found at two different times that the knot had jumped the wheel putting it all to a stop, except for the 1 gear attached directly to the motor. I'll have to rework that knot.



Early evening at the height of our Candy House Making (which was a huge success).

http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq352/warrant2000/Christmas%20Clock/th_ChristmasClock042.jpg



This is later in the evening, a little shorter. I put a string of white lights inside to illuminate it, but it's not as bright as I like. I'll dig around for some more lights.

http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq352/warrant2000/Christmas%20Clock/th_ChristmasClock044.jpg


Overall view of the house. My daughter, seeing I was about to take a picture, ran into frame and is hiding somewhere in the picture.
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq352/warrant2000/Christmas%20Clock/ChristmasClock045.jpg


After many beers, I had to give the camera to my daughter so she could get a good picture since all my pictures were coming out blurry. The low-light exposure shows the wheels spinning at a blistering 4rpm.
http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq352/warrant2000/Christmas%20Clock/ChristmasClock056.jpg

[Just Whisper]

It all looks great.

[Sickie Ickie]

LMAO! I had so much fun with trying to find "Waldo" in that one pic!

I love the ornamentation you chose, and I agree with you. The inside light has to be brighter to fully understand the decoration at night.

[Warrant2000]

Tutorial posted here and in the Tutorial section.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dqz74m6_0ddwc8kdg

[Sickie Ickie]

Not sure if my work has a firewallor what, but the first severalpics aren't showing up. (?)

[Warrant2000]

Hmmm, I did a copy/paste to get the pictures in. Not sure if I have to link them....

I'll mess with it to get it to work.

[Warrant2000]

How about now?

Anyone else?

[Sickie Ickie]

I'm at home now and looking at your page, none of them show up.

[Warrant2000]

I went through and re-did all the pictures. It seems there's an actual "Insert > Picture > From My Computer" function in Google Docs.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dqz74m6_0ddwc8kdg

/fingers_crossed

How now brown cow?

[Sickie Ickie]

A-O-K, little blue Jay. :D

All pics are showing up bright and clear!

[Warrant2000]

Ding W00t !!11ONE!!11 :)

[Sickie Ickie]

I just put it up on the Sp site, too. :)

In fact, many of the projects there are from the great members here!

[SantaPaws]

Man you could almost make a merry go around out of that.

[CandyCane]

That is one beautiful Xmas prop! Fabulous work and your tutorial is outstanding. Well done!

[Warrant2000]

I finally cleared the last of the decorations from out front last night. Me and my cordless drill dismantled the clock that took me several months to build, in about 30 minutes. As I pulled out the last screw, the last wood beam toppled like a falling tree to the driveway with a loud surprising slam.

It did not go gentle into that good night...

[Sickie Ickie]

*SI plays taps*