Clock pendulum movement.

The new mechanism arrived and now fitted. Removing the cardboard face was a slow process as it was glued on, covering the nut. The new mechanism has a much stronger pendulum movement, so stuck a piece of blutack to each side to try quieten the click-clack striking the sides. So far keeping the time and no more horror movie sounds. Even my mother commented saying psycho has left the clock .

Seán Byrne

The added lights immediately reminded me of the Astable Multivibrator based "robot" from the 1979 Ladybird book 'Simple Electronics'.

Peter Lawrence

Many, Many moons ago, when I was learning about astables, I was told that it was actually preferred for one side to be ever so slightly different in value than the other. This would induce oscillation. The closer the values, the fewer the harmonics. This is actually not astable. It is triggered (by the magnets), as the magnets induce a voltage on either side, I suppose it would be a VCO. To explain would possibly reveal a military secret, so I'll ask you to figure it out for yourself. This was very much a memory jogger, and a fun video. Thanks Clive!!

Chuck Kirchner

This was the funniest thing I've seen all day. Clive says,"Oh, they've done that thing". First thing into my mind "WHAT?? They beat a dog??? Those bastards!!!!"

Chuck Kirchner

"...dash clock-making BULL shit... EXCELLENT!" I lost my shit there hehehehe

Dustin

I did a rough calculation, that little bird has chirped almost 4 million times now. My father bought that clock in the early 60's when he was stationed in Germany.

That's good going.

Big Clive

Good idea. From a quick look inside the clock, the one mechanism does both the hands and pendulum. At £2.48 for a similar looking mechanism on eBay, it's ordered. :-) Of course it's now ticking and swinging fine after been threatened.

Seán Byrne

I think I'll stick with my 55 Year Old Cuckoo Clock, that little bird just keeps on going. :)

You could change the clock movement to give the clock a whole new lease of life.

Big Clive

Thanks for the video Clive. I wondered whether the coils were out of phase.

Nuts 'n' Proud

Our bathroom clock has a wonky pendulum that makes me wonder how it manages to work (intermittently) over the years. There are times it just erratically swings to the left or right (and randomly striking the side), then randomly starts/stops for hours at a time and other times it will swing fine. Occasionally it will operate making irritating spooky creaking sounds, like a prop from a horror movie! The clock itself is not much better, sometimes keeps time and other times the second hand will happily tick away without moving the main hands. As it's an otherwise nice clocking clock, no one wants to replace it...

Seán Byrne

The two magnets help with starting and with synchronization. Each time they pass the coil they have the effect of resetting the circuit to one side or the other depending on the direction the pendulum passes the coil. The effect is like the triggering of a bistable. The pendulum tends to trigger the circuit to one side or the other. The circuit tends to kick the pendulum further to the triggered side.

Nani Isobel

Interesting. I suspect it would depend on light levels if run off solar. Too much light or too little and it wouldn't synch. The supply voltage compared to the B-E voltage would change the natural frequency of the circuit.

Nani Isobel

Could you run the unit with the LEDs so you can see if it is pulsing intermediately or just when influenced by the magnets? I also suspect he opposing magnets help with the self start as whatever field is presented it will want to skew the pendulum as one is attracted and the other repelled.

Adam Pepper

GreatScott's oscillator overview at https://youtu.be/eYVOdlK15Og has some "multivibrateur" oscilloscope shots. (TL;DW capacitor voltage is sawtooth, output voltage a square wave (the ideal form of which can be viewed as the sum of an infinite number of sine waves, which is where that silly name comes from :-))

Since Clive's videos are available in US, I suspect he cannot tell you what exactly he's put in that drink, to avoid getting sued by Gosling Brothers.

Ben Eater's videos on 555 timers explains the different vibrators pretty well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRlSFm519Bo Hooking on an oscilloscope to this circuit would be very educational, I guess.

Paul Schuur

I would totally try to build something like this including winding the coils. For so many years I was put off of winding coils because of a bad early experience; however, I've grown to appreciate the satisfaction one gets from a successful project that has as much DIY crammed into it as can be managed at that time. :D I've build several small radio baluns and a larger 49:1 transformer for an end fed half wave antenna that I use. I hope you don't get tired of people thanking you, Clive. Because thanks man!

Michael Thompson

I love any video but I especially love a bit of electro-mechanical stuff. so cool

Michael Thompson

That is crying out to be fitted with a set of the pink illuminated swinging balls, don't you think? 🤔

The Tinkering Shed

Probably self starting, simply as the same circuits are probably used in those little solar powered dashboard ornaments. Hula Dancers, Boogieing Cactus etc.. Reminds me of those dancing Coke Cans from the early 90s.

mikenco

Is "Dark and Stormy" the name of the drink, or the mood it puts you in? ;)

mikenco