Jump to content

SkySurveyBanner.jpg.21855908fce40597655603b6c9af720d.jpg

DIY Moon Phase Dial


Gina

Recommended Posts

Found the short on the 12v power on the board, fixed it and put everything back together.  Power is on and things happen when powered up but it isn't working right.  Apart from being very noisy when fast forwarding to 12 o'clock, it has a tendency to stop with a loud buzzing sound (insufficient power for the set speed I guess, so something may be binding).  Also, it has trouble deciding which way to go on startup.  Sometimes it goes backwards, sometimes forwards and sometimes back and forth by about 90° at the motor gear.

I'll have to strip it all down again and run tests with the parts separated.  I suspect that the stepper motor driver may have failed for one coil - all the wires were connected when I put it all together.  I'll do that tomorrow, had enough for today...

Edited by Gina
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No good - I couldn't just leave it!!!  So I dismantled it again and had a good look at the circuit board.  Found the problem and fixed it.  When one of the motor wires broke I resoldered it but put it back on the wriong strip!  Idiot that I am :D  Fixed by unsoldering and putting on the right strip.  Tested it in bits and it worked so I put it all back together and it's working :)  Not too noisy either. 

The rear bearing needs repositioning slightly as the axle is not quite perpendicular to the clock face - it's a couple of degrees out as shown by the hands being further away from the dial at the bottom than the top.  No problem, just unscrew and put the woodscrews in a new position.  I'll take and post some photos tomorrow.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The main axle is now perpendicular to the dial and hands are about the same distance from the dial all the way round.

Now experimenting with the RGB LED strip with varying values of the three colours.  Whatever colour the gears don't show very much.  I think it could do with a darker background.  The dial and hands stand out very well though :)  The hour hand caught on the numbers again and broke so I'll have to repair it (again).  I'll also adjust it to clear the numbers.

56f06a5237efc_CasewithFrontLEDString03.t56f06a58dd32f_CasewithFrontLEDString05.t56f06a55631c0_CasewithFrontLEDString04.t56f06a4c37772_CasewithFrontLEDString02.t

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went through my craft supplies looking for coloured card to use for a background for the clock to go behind the gears and hopefully make them show up better.  Tried various colours - except green which I haven't got.  I've gone for sky blue and will just have to see how it works with various coloured lighting.  Here's a photo with the clock partly assembled.

56f181f279be4_BackgroundCard01.thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Neil :)  However, I think the card looks reasonable. 

Here's a photo with light green lighting.  I can change the colour of the lighting, of course, but ATM the clock is on the bench and too far from my main PC which has the sketch on it, for the USB to work.  (And my laptop refuses to talk to the clock!!)

56f1a431f1b76_BackgroundCard02.thumb.jpg

Edited by Gina
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks good Gina! Maybe some sort of picture frame (DIY, materials readily available if you can cut a mitre @ 45deg) would give the front edge a classy look? That's all you look at from the front really - apart from the clock itself of course ;-)

ChrisH

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was thinking of having something like this, but the frame doesn't have to be black necessarily.  ATM I don't know how to make the round frame for the moon phase dial other than 3D printing.

56f1b5321ada8_ClockDiagramwithFrame01.th

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Red with just a little blue is quite impressive :)  Unfortunately, I can't get the camera plus Photoshop to make a correct representation of the clock as I see it.  The gears show pink and the background blue card purple. 

One thing I need to do is to add some more card at the top with cut-outs for the moon drive.  or maybe put some behind the moon drive gears.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Put blue card behind the moon drive gears but to make it reflect sufficient light I would need to add more lighting as it's too far back to catch much from the front LEDs.  OTOH the same blue card placed in the same plane as the main piece would work perfectly.  I could cut bits out for the moon drive gears (probably try that first) or get rid of the Heath-Robinson moon drive and use a stepper motor (with a tidier appearance).  After all the trouble taken to get the ratchet drive working I'm reluctant to dump it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the cut-out card will do :)  I shall need to provide some support for it round the edge.

56f3f81c55814_BackgroundCard03.thumb.jpg

Edited by Gina
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As above with dial and case illumination.  Some extra illumination middle top would be good but it's not too bad :)

56f41ec7e3d0a_CasewithFrontLEDString12.t

Edited by Gina
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Neil :) I intend to fill the gap.  I haven't got a large enough piece of card to do it all in one piece ATM but I'll see what I can get.  Needs to be 290mm square so an A3 sheet should do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love the blue card and the one with the subtle green light, just comes across really crisp and clean.  Gina this is absolutely fantastic, I'm well envious you have something really special there.

 

Jim

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.