“This is another one of my clock projects this time inspired by marble clocks.
However, not wanting to replicate an existing design I created my own.
Where most marble clocks contain a large number of marbles, this design is minimalist in comparison and contains only two. Although ball bearings rather than marbles, one for hours and one for minutes.
This is my design for a dual spiral rolling ball clock controlled by a Raspberry Pi Pico using a combination of 3D printed and hand made parts in metal, acrylic and wood.
A small digital clock display is included for information, time and time setting but given that this is a marble clock the digital clock can be switched off so as not to be a distraction to the main elements.
Supplies
- Opaque Filament PLA (Black, White, Yellow and/or Glow in the Dark) or to suit personal taste.
- Neodynium cylindrical magnets 10mm (dia) x 1mm thick, 0.51kg pull - Qty 2
- Neodynium cylindrical magnets 3mm (dia) x 3mm length, 180g pull - Qty 4
- Neodynium ball magnets 3mm (dia) - Qty 2
- Brass rod 3mm (dia), sufficient to make 4 x 135mm lengths
- Brass rod 2mm (dia), sufficient to make 4 x 110mm lengths
- Brass tube, sufficient to make 4 x 12mm lengths.
- Stainless Steel tube 6mm (dia), sufficient to make 4 x 125mm lengths
- Thrust needle roller bearing 12 (Bore) x 26 (OD) x 2 (H) mm - two sets
- Flanged ball bearing 13.6(OD) x 12(ID) x 4(H), 6(Bore) mm
- Steel Ball Bearing 10mm (dia) - Qty 2
- Steel Ball Bearing 6mm (dia) - Qty 2
- M3 plastic washers - Qty 2
- M3 x 10mm machine screws - Qty 8
- M2 self tapping screws - Qty 8
- M2 machine screws
- Threaded M4 rod, sufficient to make 4 x 127.5mm and 4 x 80mm lengths
- M4 nuts - Qty 4
- M4 washers - Qty 12
- Plastic standoffs M3 thread, 5mm body, 5mm stub - Qty 8
- Standoffs M4 X 15mm - Qty 4
- Standoffs M4 X 5mm - Qty 8
- Capped nuts M4 - Qty 4
- Brass sheet
- Wood panels
- Acrylic Sheet 5mm thick - clear
- Acylic Sheet 5mm thick - black
- Pico LiPo 4MB
- 28BYJ-48 5V Stepper Motor + Uln2003 Motor Driver Board - Qty 2
- HAT-Compatible GPIO Expander for Raspberry Pi Pico
- RV3028 RTC
- Pico Display Pack 1.14 IPS LCD 240 x 135
- Passive Buzzer
- Hall effect (omnipolar) switch - Qty 2
- Toggle Switch (on/off) SPST
- Push button (push to make, release to break)
- Jumper strips Socket to Socket short
- Jumper strip Socket to Socket long
- Jumper strip Socket to Pin short
- Pin headers - Straight through hole single row
- Pin headers - Straight through hole double row
- Pin headers - Right angle through hole double row
- Micro USB plug to USB-C socket
- Clear plastic drinking bottle 70(dia) x 150(H) mm, 450ml capacity
- Black paint
- Clear laquer
- Heat shrink tubing
- Wood dye/stain
- Natural furniture wax
- Stripboard
- Hookup Wire 30AWG 1/0.2mm
Auto LED Board
- BS270 NFET
- ZTX751 PNP
- LDR (Light Dependent Resistor)
- 12K resistor SMD 1206 - Qty 5
- 1K resistor SMD 1206 - Qty 5
- 47R resistor SMD 1206 - Qty 2
- 5k potentiometer through hole 3310C-001-502L
- 10n capacitor MLCC 1206
- UV LED 3mm through hole - Qty 2
- Pin headers - Straight through hole single row
Hall sensor board
- 74HC08 (Quad 2 I/p AND) - Qty 2
- 74HC04 (Hex inverter)
- 10k resistor SMD 1206 - Qty 5
- 220R resistor SMD 1206 - Qty 4
- LED 3mm RED - Qty 4
- 10n capacitor MLCC 1206 - Qty 3
- Pin headers - Straight through hole single row
Multiplexer board
- 74HC08 (Quad 2 I/p AND) - Qty 2
- 10n capacitor MLCC 1206 - Qty 2
- Pin headers - Straight through hole single row
May prove more cost effective to buy a range of values rather than individual values unless you already have them available. Some components may also have a MOL greater than the quantity specified in the component list.”