Cryptic Calendar Makes For A Useful Wall Ornament

Hackers love a good clock build, but its longer term cousin, the calendar, is more seldom seen in the wild. Regardless, they can be just as useful and elegant a project, as this cryptic design from [Wolfspaw] demonstrates.

The project consists of a series of rotating wheels, displaying a series of arcane symbols. When the markings on the wheel align correctly with the viewing window, they display the date, month, and day of the week, respectively. The wheels themselves are fitted with 3D printed gear rings, which are turned by stepper motors under the control of an Arduino Nano. Hall effect sensors and magnets are used to keep everything appropriately aligned, while a DS3231 real time clock handles timekeeping duties.

It’s a tidy build, and we think the cryptic design adds a little mystery, making this an excellent conversation piece. The build is actually a remix of a project we’ve featured before, scaled and given a unique twist to suit [Wolfspaw]’s own personal aesthetic. Video after the break.

7 thoughts on “Cryptic Calendar Makes For A Useful Wall Ornament

    1. I see your backlight idea and raise you fluorescent under blacklight or perhaps just retro reflective paint. I think that would look even more spectacular with the whole ring potentially glowing.
      That said its a calendar not a clock… if you really need to know the date while the room is pitch black so you cant read it…

      For me I think a nice E-ink display at the centre of the rotation to display today’s schedule would be a nice improvement.

  1. This is pretty cool looking and is a really impressive build based on the amount of thought that went into the display. It just begs for a matching time-display clock right next to it. The original project is obviously a bit easier to read, but I like the “huh? what?” conceptualization of using the frame to form the font. Makes for a serious conversation piece. Neat lamp to the side of it.

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