Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Mechanics and Construction => Mechanics and Construction => Topic started by: Bill 79268LS on January 09, 2011, 11:05:10 AM

Title: Need to control the hour and minute hands for a fake clock.
Post by: Bill 79268LS on January 09, 2011, 11:05:10 AM
I need to control the speed of a fake clock that will be used in a Nutcracker play for this coming December. I want to use the small motor that is in a remote control car and attach one of the wheels to the center of the clock hands but I want to control the speed of the clock hands.
Thank you.
Title: Re: Need to control the hour and minute hands for a fake clock.
Post by: waltr on January 09, 2011, 11:42:59 AM
This sounds to be a good job for a stepper motors and a processor such as any of the AVRs.
SparkFun has stepper motor, stepper drivers and processor boards.
Title: Re: Need to control the hour and minute hands for a fake clock.
Post by: Bill 79268LS on January 09, 2011, 03:29:26 PM
Waltr

Thank you for your reply. I sent an email to SparkFun requesting some help and hope to hear from them soon.

Bill
Title: Re: Need to control the hour and minute hands for a fake clock.
Post by: klims on January 09, 2011, 10:43:52 PM
I want to use the small motor that is in a remote control car and attach one of the wheels to the center of the clock hands but I want to control the speed of the clock hands.
To do this you will need one of the more expensive remote control car radios(transmitter) because they give proportional output. This means that if you squeeze the trigger a little bit then the motor spins slowly. Do you know anyone with a radio like this? Worst case they are not expensive to buy a cheap one.

If you wanted to go this way you would need:
1. proportional radio transmitter
2. receiver
3. ESC (electronic speed controller)
4. battery
5. motor.
Title: Re: Need to control the hour and minute hands for a fake clock.
Post by: Bill 79268LS on January 10, 2011, 09:45:53 AM


  klims,

 Thank you for your help. I think you're right about using the more expensive remote control car. I'll keep everyone posted on my progress. 

  Many thanks,

  Bill
Title: Re: Need to control the hour and minute hands for a fake clock.
Post by: Bill 79268LS on January 17, 2013, 02:13:44 PM
   I found a way to control the hour and minute hands for a fake clock.  I attached the shaft of the gear motor (GM17)

from Solarbotics to the gear that turns the hour and minute clock hands of a small battery operated clock. The gear

motor is a small, slow power motor that turns from 12 to 46.9 RPM's depending on the voltage used. Solarbotics can

be found on line. The item costs $7.00.

Title: Re: Need to control the hour and minute hands for a fake clock.
Post by: Bill 79268LS on January 17, 2013, 02:16:43 PM
  I forgot to mention in my last post that I used the electronics and transmitter from a small remote controlled toy car.