In the Maker Shed: Gakken Gravity Clock kit

In the Maker Shed: Gakken Gravity Clock kit
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Here is another cool Gakken kit from the Maker Shed. This time, no pun intended, it’s the Gravity Clock kit. As with all Gakken kits, it is a really well made kit with great pictorial instructions. I’ll be making this kit over the next week and I’ll post a video when I’m done.

Build your own beautiful gravity clock, customize it using own counter weight! Instructions are in Japanese but features highly detailed assembly pictures, sorry no English translation at this time. Easy to build. Made of high impact plastic.

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This kit comes with an issue of the Gakken magazine. Yes, it’s in Japanese, but it’s still a lot of fun to flip through. You can always find some really interesting pictures and products from Japan.

More about the Gakken Gravity Clock kit

12 thoughts on “In the Maker Shed: Gakken Gravity Clock kit

  1. annoyingmouse says:

    This post reminded me of this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Your-Working-Paper-Clock/dp/0060910666/

    I’d love to have one of these but I know I just end up going crazy trying to get it just right.

  2. woyzeck says:

    For the clock lover/maker, check out this blog:
    http://www.northcoastimports.com/press.htm

  3. Michael Kucher says:

    I built this very well designed kit, which was great fun.

    But I wonder, has anyone had success in calibrating it to within an hour a day? If so, please post some pointers.

    1. Marc de Vinck says:

      I haven’t finished mine yet, but when I do I will I will post an update, including any tips on calibration.

  4. Rory Johnston says:

    Problems with this clock: there is no minute hand, and unless you have a long string, very high walls and a tall ladder it will not run for a day without winding. These make it not a usable clock. Next, very small screws with Phillips heads going into tough plastic – the slots wear rapidly. Two of them I could not get to go in all the way. And this may be a design error: while you are winding it the hour hand moves backwards, so every time you wind you have to reset the clock.
    I tried using a Coke can full of water as a weight, but when the string unwinds to the inner side of the drum the can rubs against the wall.
    When I first got it going it ran to within 16%. Regulating by screwing the two weights in and out seems feasible. I wonder if adjusting the main weight affects the timekeeping.
    I wonder what some of the Japanese says. For instance, what’s with the CD?

  5. DJGuy says:

    You can download a pdf of the Japanese instruction from the same website from which you ordered the clock. Then you can cut and paste the Japanese into an online translator. I found Yahoo Babelfish to be a little better than Google, though both are a little odd (understandably, since Japanese is very different from English).

    The screws are self-tapping according to the manual. I’ve used these before and never liked them. Maybe a little WD-40 is helpful as a sort of cutting oil.

    For us (my son and me), the clock runs, but stops after several minutes. I suppose it might need more weight. We’re guessing that it’s supposed to tick once per second, but I couldn’t find anything in the manual about that.

    Regarding the “CD”, here are two translations:
    [Yahoo Babelfish}
    If the letter board the original work is done, you turn quickly to the original clock. It will do threely-dimensional, will use the personal computer, will use those of appearance, probably will enjoy freely.
    [Google]
    If you own the Dial, a quick change to the original clock. Or sterically, or using a PC, or with personal belongings, enjoy freely.

    The best I can figure, there was a previous version of the kit which required you to print out the clock face.

    Marc de Vinck, did you ever finish this?

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