Introduction: Geometric Clock

This Geometric Clock offers pleasing patterns that constantly change with time. It's an idea I had for a long time and the clock contest finally moved me to make it.

Supplies

  • Any old quartz clock - pictured is an one from Target ($8).
  • Any desired backpanel can be picked, but I found a nice 14" square white-board at Target ($9).
  • 1.6mm (0.062") diameter metal wire. I had a coil of music wire, but it is very springy. Home depot has galvanized wire. Copper wire can also be an option if you like a "golden" look.
  • Basic tools: knife, pliers, sharpie, tape, ruler, super glue.

Step 1: Assemble Clock Mechanism Into Back Panel

Disassemble the quartz clock (the hands can be (gently) pulled/pried off). Some clocks have a retaining nut, this one did not, but the honeycomb cardboard behind the whiteboard offered an easy compression fit.

Now you have a white-board clock you can get creative with already.

Step 2: Straighten the Wire and Bend Into Shape

Straightening the springy music wire was a bit tricky. For a previous (undocumented) prototype I happen to had some straight length of 36" (3ft) from McMaster (PN: 9667K51) - I recommend getting straight wire, as it saves the troubles of trying to straighten the wire. To get a square of 7"x7" you need a bit over 5 x 7" = 35" (so 36" is perfect). For the clock here, I wanted 8"x8", which is not available in straight length, so I had to straighten the wire. For 8"x8" you need 5x8"+few inch spare= ~44".

Bending the wire into shape: Start in the exact center of the wire and bend it around a needle nose pliers as shown in 2nd photo. The distance between the two wires needs to be matched with the diameter of the hour hand and minute hand protrusions of the clock.

Then measure very carefully and make the 90' bends. Make a few test bends first to see how it ends up after bending it around a pliers (3rd photo). Cut the wire to the correct size. I found simply taping the two ends together makes a virtually invisible connection.

Trying to make both wires exactly the same shape is the challenge to get a nice end result.

Step 3: Attaching the Wires to the Clock

I re-used the existing clock hands to super-glue the wire-hands. I cut the hour hand to 1" length and super-glued the hour-hand wire (put the super glue on the backside of the wire and clamp it in place as shown). As the original minute hand was too small to glue the minute-wire-hand, I used a 1" section of the hour hand and punched a hole in it to match the minute hand protrusion. And then super-glued the wire in place also.

I sharpied the wires black to get a nice consistent high contrast look.

Step 4: Finish the Geometric Clock and Enjoy

First, I added a 8"x8" square on the back panel with a sharpie - so there are 3 same-size squares interacting with each-other for visual effect.

Next, place the two wire-hands. Make sure the hour-hand wires are touching the back-panel, and make sure the minute hand wire does not "catch" on the hour hand wire (it should sit 1/4" in front of it). Note: the clock could be made with transparent sheets of polycarbonate also (or even a LCD-screen version), but the wire provides a more "physical" look.

While it is useful to tell time, I find it pleasing to see constantly new geometric patterns.

Good luck and Enjoy!