Electromechanical "digital" clock on Kickstarter! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MarkS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 11, 2023, 05:31:06 pm
content: I LOVE stuff like this! I had to share. I just wish I had the money to back it. This is beautiful. I'd paint the segments with glow in the dark paint.https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rantoge-clock/rantogean-electromechanical-cam-clock-that-hears-the-time

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2023, 05:37:58 pm
content: They say it is a clock that "hears" the time, but I have no clue that that means and can see no explanation. It's weird.

author: MarkS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 11, 2023, 05:43:54 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on February 11, 2023, 05:37:58 pmYeah, that part is kind of odd. Considering that it's based in Hong Kong, it may just be a translational issue.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2023, 05:48:26 pm
content: All I can think is that would be super easy to damage as there's no protective cover for the digits or the mechanical parts. With a glass/acyrlic cover it would still look pretty good and the mechanism and parts would also stay relatively dust free.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2023, 06:09:11 pm
content: I had an electromechanical digital clock in the 70's. It had several cards it would flip through with cards for the upper and lower part of the segments. Something like attached image but with green lettering and a high tech computerish font of the times. A cheap alternative to the new LED displays.It stopped working after a few years due to mechanical failure.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2023, 06:31:23 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on February 11, 2023, 05:37:58 pmIt's Chinglish:"During the working of Rantoge, the mechanical sound formed by the gear and cam rotation, and the metal digital board flipping makes the time can be heard and seen."Just what you need when it's next to your bed

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 11, 2023, 10:04:55 pm
content: Nice.

author: cbutlera
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 12:39:24 pm
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on February 11, 2023, 06:09:11 pmI was given a similar clock in the early 1970s too. The Pifco Numero shown below. I’ve still got it, and it has been running continuously since then. I just oil it occasionally when it becomes noisy. After more than 26 million flips the spring fingers restraining the hour and minute cards have worn down significantly. As a result of this, the hour cards now flip one minute before they should, so 10:58 -> 11:59 -> 11:00.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 12:42:30 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on February 11, 2023, 05:48:26 pmOh my ... yea my cat would have a field day with that thing ...

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2023, 07:02:30 pm
content: My bedroom when I was growing up with my old first ham radio (Halcrafters and National) with my green flip clock in the center.

author: jonpaul
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2023, 11:27:08 am
content: Not mech but kit, WWV lock by radioHeathkit GC-1000 Most Accurate Clock circa 1980shttp://www.n8obj.com/Heathkit.htmlMechanical clock that will tick for 10,000 years? circa 2007https://longnow.org/clock/Jon