Electric

Made of walnut and zebrawood, the Wooden Electric has “spokeless” gears, polished aluminum billet hands and a classic glass dome.

In the base is a 5-second torsional pendulum, which turns the gear train via a ratchet. (This technically makes it a”meter” rather than a “clock” since it merely counts cycles - the pendulum is not impulsed by the train.)

The ratios are such that the “going train” and the “dial train” are the same. The no-spokes gears are made with a clear plastic disc glued into wooden rims.

The electrical works can be watched through a clear section in the base.

These views - with the dome removed - show the electric works.

It works somewhat like an ATO clock: a switch, activated by the pendulum, energizes an electromagnet at just the right time to provide the impulse that keeps it going. (The black semi-circular part in the middle photo is a piece of steel, attached to the pendulum. - I couldn’t find any magnetic wood!)

I wound my own electromagnet (middle photo). The actual switch (bottom photo) is the hair-trigger receiver switch from an old telephone. the Wooden Electric

Just like my “real” ATO, this clock runs “reliably”, but keeps poor time.

As the battery voltage drops, it loses time

It also loves electricity - it eats two D-cells in about three weeks!

(I plan to fit it with an AC adapter.)