So, lets say your in your workshop (as most of us are 90% of the time) and you go to look at the clock but *GASP* you still only have a boring old analog clock! I've got that solved...

Say hello to my hard drive clock, now mind you i probably could of done this better (if i had known what i was doing), and if i had more time. But i had a set time, one afternoon. And i like it, it tells time, and it looks damn cool. I ripped apart an old dead 5GB hdd, a perfectly good working clock (still a perfectly good working clock) and merged the two. Now i knew i wanted to use the platter some how.. but i wasn't up for drilling through the spindle in the center and extending the clock to come up through that (didn't have the right kind of drill bit either so it woulda just burned out). But, i knew i could use the platter for something.

I decided to use it as the face of the clock, i engraved the #, 12,3,6,9, now i'm a lil anoyed cuz i shoulda taken my time doing this and made sure they' were all perfectly aligned, but i didnt and they're off just a little. no biggy. Than i used a fine point black magic marker to color in the engravement. This makes the numbers stand out.

Now i did say look cool, so i left the "needle" that reads the platter in, and added LEDs that hook up to the molex. Just 3 cheap green RadioShack LEDs, they'r actually working great. at first i didn't think they'd be bright enough but damn are they ever. so all in all, i love it, ikt works great, and im pretty happy with how it came out. what do you guys think? Oh, and in some of the pictures you'll see a switch.. i decided to take it off, and there is no face plate on it, i didn't like it it looked.
(the last link is a video of it working with the LEDs)




money shot:




www.theunforgiving.net/video/private/PICT0645.MOV

Cool mod .

I've seen ones before that don't use hands, but rather use led's to simulate holographic hands. However, this took some PIC programming and such.. over my head.

i know the one your talking about, and i've seen it and i must say its cool. But that was way over my head.. and this was done mostly for function, im not sure how easy i could just glance over at that and tell the time

Look cool, and now you can earn back some of your money on your dead HDD's. Just make some clocks and sell'm to to the geeks ........ummmm oh wait i am a geek ....... I WANT ONE

Nice mod, the idea is very cool
but u really should have taken your time for it, to make it more accurately.

Saludos, FunkyMood

Here's one of the versions that creates the "holographic hands"....

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umparek...ive_clock.html

But, you need a drive that can spin and it appears you can pretty much only tell the time in the dark. Computerman's version utilizes a non-spinning drive and you can tell time without the lights shut off.
So, in all fairness you can't compare the two projects.
Pretty cool, Computerman.

Quote: Originally Posted by HigHTecHReDNecK Look cool, and now you can earn back some of your money on your dead HDD's. Just make some clocks and sell'm to to the geeks ........ummmm oh wait i am a geek ....... I WANT ONE

I do as well!

Quote: Originally Posted by HemiCuda1970 I do as well!

if i had xtra dead hdds and LEDs i would go out and buy the clock mechanisms and make em for you guys. if you would like a tutorial i could probably right up one with some what good instructions.

First post..

OK...this is similar to what I'm trying to work out now. I know it's been done to a lesser degree, but not sure if it 's been done as far as I want to go. I'm trying to work out how to mod a drive so that it has a window that displays the platter and the arm, is LED lit, and still works. My thoughts are that I might be able to do it if I replaced the whole top panel with acrylic. I'd have to be very careful with the screw holes to get them just right. I've discovered from playing with an old drive that there's just not enough clearance over the drive arms to mount a clear window, unless you mount it on the outside of the casing, which would probably be ugly. My current thought is that I might be able to window the plates since there's lots of clearance there (been done before...), and then round and buff the edges of a small window to be mounted on the outside of the drive casing over the arms. The small window could be sealed down with a very careful application of goop or clear silicone. That might make it look acceptable. There's plenty of space in the rear of the drive to mount an LED or two in the casing for indirect lighting. I'd have to seal the area the wiring enters with silicone. I've been looking for a way to solder the wiring into the PCB on the back of the drive for power, but things are all awful close there, so I'm not sure that will work...probably easier to just power the LED off it's own molex. Anyhow, I'll let everyone know how it goes (with pics). I'll probably smoke the drive since the dust risk is so high, but it might work, so it's worth trying.

Grue

Quote: Originally Posted by grue First post.. OK...this is similar to what I'm trying to work out now. I know it's been done to a lesser degree, but not sure if it 's been done as far as I want to go. I'm trying to work out how to mod a drive so that it has a window that displays the platter and the arm, is LED lit, and still works. My thoughts are that I might be able to do it if I replaced the whole top panel with acrylic. I'd have to be very careful with the screw holes to get them just right. I've discovered from playing with an old drive that there's just not enough clearance over the drive arms to mount a clear window, unless you mount it on the outside of the casing, which would probably be ugly. My current thought is that I might be able to window the plates since there's lots of clearance there (been done before...), and then round and buff the edges of a small window to be mounted on the outside of the drive casing over the arms. The small window could be sealed down with a very careful application of goop or clear silicone. That might make it look acceptable. There's plenty of space in the rear of the drive to mount an LED or two in the casing for indirect lighting. I'd have to seal the area the wiring enters with silicone. I've been looking for a way to solder the wiring into the PCB on the back of the drive for power, but things are all awful close there, so I'm not sure that will work...probably easier to just power the LED off it's own molex. Anyhow, I'll let everyone know how it goes (with pics). I'll probably smoke the drive since the dust risk is so high, but it might work, so it's worth trying. Grue

Hi Grue

WELCOME TO PIMPRIG!

Brace yourself for the welcoming committee

As for the mod - been done, and while I don't really like pointing people towards other sites - this may just be the solution:

http://www.voidedwarranty.com/PC_Mod...2_articleid/12

Looking forward to seeing it come together!

When is somebody gonna come out with a stock windowed hard drive. I'm sure there are people who would pay a 50% premium for it probably... Doing it yourself on modern drives just doesnt work... Maybe if you had a real clean room and could cast a replacement top outa acrylic exactly to spec of the metal one.

Quote: Originally Posted by Masterp As for the mod - been done, and while I don't really like pointing people towards other sites - this may just be the solution: http://www.voidedwarranty.com/PC_Mod...2_articleid/12 Looking forward to seeing it come together!

Thanks for the linkage Master P. I figured it had been done...just hadn't had the time to search yet. Looks like it's not only been done, but it's been done well . Now it's time to see if I can do it differently I guess. No since reinventing the wheel...but if I can turn it into the Wh334l, then it's worth doing.

Thanks for the welcome.

Nice work computerman, looks pretty sweet

Quote: Originally Posted by grue Thanks for the linkage Master P. I figured it had been done...just hadn't had the time to search yet. Looks like it's not only been done, but it's been done well . Now it's time to see if I can do it differently I guess. No since reinventing the wheel...but if I can turn it into the Wh334l, then it's worth doing. Thanks for the welcome.

WELCOME TO PimpRig, grue!
As you can see this site is loaded with talented and creative folks, always willing to help.

MasterP, Nice link, bro! Bling for you, soon as the system let's me.....
I like that version a whole lot better than cutting a window into the metal cover. You can see a lot more and you have the opportunity to etch the window.
But, I'm not sure about the wisdom behind the "open in the bathroom after running a hot shower idea". I work in a clean room environment and humidity is your enemy. And I would think putting the drive in a clean tupperware container would be better than saran wrap.....
But, it looks like it worked! Very cool!

Okay, so, since SO many of you liked this and many on otehr forums did too. i decided to think about production. so i can get an idea for how many i'm gonna be making and such..
i've made a form. Now stupidly it wont let me add notes and crap. So let me explain. 20$ is the "base" the startin price. Anything that in ( ) says uv i charge a few xtra bucks (as noted) because i will add LEDs. so, if you want blue (uv) sleeving, but dont want LEDs within the sleeving to make it glow, say that in the comments area. The other thing, the stand, the stand is to hold the hard drive up right, on a slight angle. any ?s ask me here. I still dont know when i'm doing this, this is so i get an idea of how much i have to plan for.
http://mikesgrafix.com/clock/use/Clocks/form1.html
Stand-3$
stand w\uv-4$
any sleeving that has (uv) +1$

bump (just want everyone to get a chance to see it)

OKAY, THIS IS GONNA BE AT THIS FORUM AND TF FORUM. THE FIRST ONE TO EMAIL ME WILL GET THIS DRIVE.
after smashing up my DEAD MP3 player last night i saw the hdd and grabbed it, this thing is SWEET. a 20 GB but damn from the looks of it youd think it was a few MBs. actual size 4"x2.75"x.25" THATS SMALL! here are some pictures.



^^ACTUAL SIZE^^(its off a little but u get the idea)
So anyway, the first one to use THIS link (u must use this link) will get the hdd clock (i know its just a hdd now). 25$ + Shipping. Just send an email (using the link below) DONT CHANGE THE SUBJECT AT ALL. in the message box, type in your username, and your email. mail it and the first one i get i will email you back, letting you know you won, and asking what options you want. it will be shipped probably the same as the others, the week after christmas.
EMAIL HERE