2023-11-06

Stepper motor clock

Well I got up this morning and it is still showing the correct time! So it didn't stall or reverse at all overnight.

I will still try out the ratchet though.

Seems to work well:

So maybe the clock is now Finished finished.

Update: it's not finished. I found the clock stalled, it having attempted to reverse. It's another tight spot in the train :(.

Also: when the clock starts up from cold, it has enough torque to overcome the ratchet even in reverse. Ugh, what a ballache.

OK, I've added a lump to the ratchet to make it harder to bend backwards:

Also, Mark apparently wants me to make him a clock. I don't think he realises how unreliable it is, lol.

The Loctite seems to have done the trick. Let's make a collet and hairspring.

I've ordered some 0.38mm music wire, but in the mean time I want to try and make it work with what I've got, so it will be that 0.7mm lockwire.

Handily, I have a spare shaft to test with, so I don't need to risk damaging my balance wheel while test-fitting the collet.