Wednesday 12 September 2007

Time machines. Part I

Time.



Why does it exist?
Where did it come from?
Why do we measure it?
So precise?

Anyway.
I want to measure it too.
Build a machine to measure it.
Watch it, show it.
Passing.
Flowing.

Understand it?
No.

Just build a time measuring machine.

Or 2...
Huygens, pendulum, weight, movement.
Problems.
Gears...
Very complicated.
Drew something up...



That should work, I think.
Have a pendulum.
Make it out of Quartz so you get rid of all temperature problems at once.
Luckily there is one of the last quartz factories in Switzerland.

Make the blob.
A friend of mine has a lathe.



and make some more parts.



Connection things to fix the blob to the quartz rod.
Fine adjustment blobbies..
A big solid threaded cylinder to close it all.



And it looks cool too!
Now had to find a frictionless system to fix it to something solid.
Like a house or so... or a mountain...



Used some very thin stainless steel.
Cut it out with a water jet



And the holder



That did it.

Adjust the whole lot to the local gravity.
I calculated g at 9.805613002
Now just detect the movement of the blob.
Use that signal to count seconds.
And if the amplitude gets too small, pull a bit with a magnet.








It works!
I can see seconds!
Count them too.
Can't tell the time yet.
Does it matter?


Long time no time....

Had to find a cool way to show the measured units.
And calculate to indicate comprehensible sub measures.

Seconds........................................................
Minutes..........................................................
Hours.......................
Russian NIXIES.


Then mount the whole lot on a nice oak cabinet.
With the electronics hidden behind.
And the wires too. A lot of wires....

Pendulum holder

Magnet with second counter...


And it works!!!!
Beautifully!!
next clock.
There is more time to measure!