Pendulum clocks aren’t used quite as often these days as their cumbersome mechanics and timekeeping abilities have long been outshone by electronic alternatives. However, they’re still fun and they do work, so [PuzzLEGO] set about building a working example with Lego.
The core of the clock is the escapement, a linkage which the pendulum can only turn in one direction. As the pendulum swings once per second, it lets the escapement gear turn one notch forward at a time, turning the gears of the clock which drive the hands. It’s powered with a falling weight in the form of a drink bottle full of water, which turns the gears of the clock via a chain.
The clock can only run for approximately an hour, so it’s set up with a second and minute hand instead of the more usual minute and hour hand. However, with the pendulum tuned to the appropriate length and the weight fitted, it pleasantly ticks and tocks the seconds away.
We’ve seen other great builds from [PuzzLEGO] before, too, like this inventive Rubik’s Cube build. Video after the break.
Could be useful for punishing children. Make him or her stand in the corner until the big hand reaches to bottom. Like an hourglass
Great. One can also experiment with electroshocks. Or force them eating boiled carrots. So creative!
He’ll probably take it apart and build a spaceship.
You have to wonder about a person that sees a clock built out of lego and immediately thinks about using it to punish children… I hope you’re doing ok Eric :’)
Nice – I built a pendulum clock from LEGO over 30 years ago – using the older, chunkier 70s gearing, which made an escapement quite easy :)
I do love those giant gears – mesh well at odd angles and the track links for them are way tougher and more usefully grippy than the stuff of my childhood, not as pretty though.
I understand the most recent linkable chain track stuff to be really good, durable and with little rubber plugs for grip (do have some now but not really played with it properly) but that really fine detailed stuff they still make in the odd sets looks lovely, can make great timing chains but can’t run up even the slightest smooth incline as its just got no friction…
This is hackaday! The pendulum shaft should pivot on the wall and the clock should be the weight at the bottom of the pendulum shaft!
All good. Looks like a hack, smells like a hack …
Neat :D
But I cannot approve the glueing of the small hand….
WHAT? Glue in a LEGO build?! Blasphemy!
Stone the heathen! (with the smallest LEGO bricks of course) ;-)
What are we gonna’ use for pitchforks and torches?
I also want to build this clock out of lego