r/arduino • u/SamuelDePamuel • 10d ago
Look what I made! I built an Arduino-controlled mechanical flip clock with timer and stopwatch modes
I built this Arduino Pro Mini-powered flip clock as a prototype using six mechanical 7-segment flip displays.
It currently has three modes: a normal clock, a countdown timer, and a stopwatch. The rotary encoder is used to set the time and timer, and the buttons switch between the different modes.
The enclosure is still a rough 3D-printed prototype and I definitely want to clean up the design and wiring for the final version, but the main functionality is working now.
I’m also thinking about adding a few more features before I call it finished. Any ideas for things that would be useful or just fun to add?
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u/Rayzwave 10d ago
Flip segment displays normally make a very particular sound as they flip but it would be interesting to do something with synchronised sound of your own choice. And an alarm possibly but you might have that for the count down timer.
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u/SamuelDePamuel 10d ago
I already used the flip sound for the timer alarm as you can see, u mean like adding particular rhythms to the flipping? That could be cool, Thanks!
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u/Anonymous_user_2022 10d ago
Sample the sound on an OKI 9-pin printer. We used to supply one of those with our control systems, and after some time, I could hear if a restart was good or bad, just by the different sounds the status log generated.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Aide785 10d ago
Did you design it all by yourself. I’m verry interested. Are you sharing te details? Would love to make this!
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u/SamuelDePamuel 10d ago
I did, I will make a post in the future with the cad file and component list👍🏼
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u/Sea-Recommendation19 10d ago
Yesss please do! That’s the diy flipclock Project that’s small and well executed, I’d love to build it too!
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u/SoCalAlpineJoe 10d ago
Super cool! I didn’t know these displays existed
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u/SamuelDePamuel 10d ago
Yup, mainly industrial applications, low power high reliability/readability like gas pump displays. Low it is all lcd
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u/Rayzwave 10d ago
Does it have any light effects? - that would be a nice feature, backlight or light strips on the casework.
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u/privatetudor 10d ago
Nice work!
When did you get the flip segment displays?
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u/SamuelDePamuel 10d ago
A few months ago
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u/timvisee 5d ago
I am very pleased with how instant (input to screen) that looks. Well made!
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u/Lint_baby_uvulla 10d ago
I’d love to see a green or red backlight in this for low light. Would make a great darkroom tool for timing film exposures.
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u/ipx-electrical 10d ago
Great work. I did an external time/temperature display that flips every ten seconds like some giant ones I saw on the seafront in Spain.
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u/ClaireOfTheDead 10d ago
What do the electronics look like to drive these?
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u/SamuelDePamuel 10d ago
Like the display it self but pcb, communicates with arduino via i2c and they need 19 volts
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u/majorjxp 9d ago
Awesome. I need to learn how to make clean enclosures like that.
You could totally go a bit off the rails and replicate something similar to Arnold’s predator movie countdown at the end.
Also- if you’re going for super retro, you need a fat dial on the side and some grills on top.
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u/SamuelDePamuel 9d ago
Yeah, im working on the enclosure still, I’m planning to make a new one that is radio contolled and battery powered. Maybe a solar panel for indefinate functionality.
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u/davus_maximus 9d ago
Ohhh that's cool as feck! I bloody love flap displays. Bring them back to consumer tech!
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u/genericuser_qwerty 10d ago
Very cool, I really like the ticking sounds this one has! I made a 6x7 segment LED clock with edge-lit acrylic panes on an esp32 mini for work!
With WiFi it can sync to NTP servers every 6-12 hours— since the internal quartz oscillator is affected by ambient temperature and it’ll drift by a few seconds a day (unless you’re using a RTC module for timekeeping which is much more accurate, it requires its own coin cell tho). This also means as soon as you plug it in, it auto sets the current time which is super nice.
You can also do crazy stuff with wifi like fetching the weather. Or give it your GPS coords and itll know sunrise and sunset times, and automatically account for daylight savings.
Other wacky ideas are cute animation faces that smile and blink at you occasionally, or a scrolling message board for reminders.
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u/PROFFFFESOR 10d ago
Damn this is so cool! I like how you made the time setting sequnce. It so original
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u/Knitting_Dirtbag 10d ago
That is so damn cool. Where did you get the display? The clicking is amazing.
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u/coleskidmore 9d ago
WiFi for NTP sync is a big difference. I did that on an ESP32 clock and never looked back. Saves you from ever setting the time manually and handles daylight savings automatically. You could also pull weather or sunrise data if you wanted to get fancy with it
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u/_Kritzyy_ 9d ago
You might've just given me inspiration to work on my own, I've always wanted to have one of these 🫡
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u/Random_182f2565 10d ago
You could make the white part glow in the dark, and add some artificial gems just for aesthetic
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u/frogspa 10d ago
A Groundhog Day mode where it plays I Got You Babe as it flips over from 5:59 to 6:00.
It's cold out there!