One more clock...

There are too many computer boxes where I work, we keep them just in case we need to send them back to get them fixed. Let's face the reality, most of the time they are out of warranty when they decide to die... Then, I took one of them.

Easy to do:

You just need a mechanism that you can get from any old clock, or you can buy it online on a website like this one, it's even cheaper to buy a cheap clock from Ikea or a dollar store and get the mechanism out of it.
You just have to make a hole with a pencil in the box, that's it. It's just an expensive clock if you have to buy the laptop...

Earth day 2012

From Womansday.com

Today is earth day.... so let's recycle... and upcycle.

The clock mechanism can be bought from http://www.clockparts.com/ around 15$ including everything.

Upcycling skateboard wheels

I'll call that more repurposing since the wheels are new, but this project could be done with old wheels too. The astro clock looks closely inspired from the Nelson ball clock featured here. I love the Nelson clock... I like the multicolored wheels on this one.

A clock made with bottle caps

The clock mechanism is easy to salvage from on an old clock, but you can also buy the mechanism on this website.

The results is not so far from the famous Nelson clock and you can choose as much colors as you want.

Nelson clock

Transforming an old Mac G4 adapter into a desk clock

I've found an "old" adapter that is supposed to adapt DVI to ADC. It was still wrapped with the protection film that usually comes with Apple new products.

The Tools

  


The Material

How to make it

  

The most difficult part is to empty it because most of old Apple product, and specifically adapter, are not supposed to be fixed or opened. There's no rule to empty the adapter. Just use your imagination and a screw driver without breaking the shell. Then using the drill, just use the drill with tiny bits (and progressively increase the size of the bit until you get the right size), make a hole in the apple logo to fit the clock mechanism.

Conclusion

This is a cheap project, the clock mechanism can be taken from an old clock or does not cost more than $3. You can also buy a $1 clock from Ikea and take the mechanism. I would prefer to use thinner hands, they are a bit too thick and are hiding the apple logo to0 much. That's all I had in stock this week end.

A clock made with bottle and pendulum for a art science contest

Most of the time, my job (Scientist) has nothing to do with ucpcyling stuff, but sometime I can not resist. There are tons of items in a laboratory that are trashed, I usually keep some under my bench...

This is a clock I made with a plastic bottle that usually contains reagent and a pipette that was broken, I decided to enter the clock in the art science contest, let see what people will think about it.

The Result:

The picture is ugly, but the clock is displayed in real conditions, at the top of a door. You'll notice that if somebody opens the door, the pendulum will be in trouble. After the picture, I put an other upcycled clock I made, that has been in the lab for years, same kind but with no pendulum.

The tools needed:

The material:
A pendulum movement that you can buy here.

And any pendulum that can fit the theme of your clock. In my case, a lab pipette.

How to make it:

Make just a hole to attach the movement with the nut provided with it. With the dremel, make a hole in the bottom of the bottle to let the pendulum move freely.

To attach the pipette or any other pendulum, I used a paper clip. Each pendulum has its own way of hanging anyway.

The cost:

Around $10 for the mechanism.

Conclusion:

The project is only doable because this bottle has a big neck that allow me to access the inside of the bottle and fit the movement easily. If the bottle you choose is too narrow, then you'll have to make an opening in the back.

A clock made of an old Mac G4

I told you that clocks would take some space on this website.
I had an old Mac G4 and wanted to keep some part of it as a souvenir.

The Result:

A clock with a mouse pendulum

The tools needed:

A drill, a jigsaw

  

The material:

The side of the Mac G4, an old wired apple mouse, a clock pendulum mechanism from clockparts.com, a clothes hanger, 8 deck screws, piece of wood.

How to make it:

Through the front panel, I attached the pieces of plywood through the 4 holes. The shapes don't need to look like mine, I was lazy and let the wood shape the way it was.

I made a hole to let the shaft of the clock to go through the panel and attached it with the nut provided.

On the back, I used 4 more screws to "push" the clock a little bit more away from the wall.

The mouse had to be emptied from it's heavy electronic and I also emptied the cable from all the wires to insert a piece of the clothes hanger to hold everything and to avoid rotation of the mouse.

I "epoxied" a piece of the original pendulum that comes with the clock mechanism to get a good attachment.

The cost:

Assuming you are only buying the clock mechanism, it's around $12.

Where to buy it from:


I was lucky enough to find some more G4 parts, and I decided to sell few clocks $150 plus shipping, if you are interested in buying one let me know in the comment section or by email at upcycleus@gmail.com

Conclusion:

At least, you can give another life to your expensive outdated equipment...

A clock with pendulum for your kitchen

Clocks were the first items I made when I started upcycling. So be ready to see this topic on the blog. Today I'll show you one of my first clock that still stands on my kitchen. It actually has 2 roles: It shows me what time it is and it also hides the glass breaking sensor of my alarm system. I tested this sensor and it is still functional with the clock on it.

The Result:

The tool needed:

A can opener (old fashion way is better for the result)

A drill or dremel

   



The material:

A can you like
A whisk
A paper clip
A clock mechanism

The cost:
Less than $15
Clock mechanism is $9 with hands, without shipping form clockparts.com, the can and the whisk are not so expensive.

How to make it:
Open then from one side, just half the way to let the pendulum move freely.
Using the drill, gently make a hole to let the shaft of the pendulum go through. The mechanism come with a nut that will maintain the mechanism attached to the can.
To attach the whisk to the pendulum mechanism, a piece of wire such as a paper clip will do it.
You can make a hole on the back of your clock to hang it to a nail.

Conclusion:
It's an easy project that will allow many variation in style, I will post plenty of them in the next weeks.