Clock Progress – Prototyping and Finalizing

To reiterate, my project is designing a clock that is representative of art nouveau principles and explores the concept of identity through the connection to the human iris. 

As of now, my progress has been much slower than expected. I have decided to focus less on the pendulum system because of my busy schedule and other projects. Because of this, I plan to explore this portion of the project later, after it is completed for this class. 

Looking forward, I have finished modeling the clock design and will be laser cutting the prototype on Friday (Apr 11). The adjustments include the addition of the clock mechanism and how that will need to be incorporated into the design. This version of the model is smaller than the final product and made solely out of mdf to save money as it is just a prototype. 

Image Above: Screenshot of the prototype clock on laser bed. All pieces are separated into their layers.

From the beginning, I knew that I would need to test the assembly before committing to the final materials. This meant that I would need a full prototype out of inexpensive materials and of a smaller size to understand the readability of the form. This prototype is only 8 inches in diameter whereas the final clock will be 14 inches in diameter, making it a great size to hang on the wall. Additionally, if I find the prototype successful, it could be a part of a different project in the future, possibly painted and used somewhere else – this is still being debated as I do not know how successful it will be. I plan to see how the clock mechanism works with the clock layers and how it will hang on the wall before committing it as the final design. 

Outside of prototyping, I have ordered all of the materials I need. This includes the clock mechanism and the acrylic materials. The clock mechanism arrived on Monday (Apr 7) and I have been using it to finalize the dimensions for my prototype. On Friday, I will purchase the wood/mdf material and a stain for final finishings. 

The acrylic was chosen from the 2 x 2” acrylic swatches that I purchased from COHn Acrylics: https://www.cohnacrylics.com/ Upon their arrival, my pod group helped me decide which color combination to use. From all of their feedback, I have decided to purchase the frosted yellow and frosted green (which is more of a blue color). Combined, they create a gorgeous green that was my goal from the beginning. 

Image Above: Layered acrylic swatches to see the color combination (Photo by me)

With this purchase, I am just waiting for the material to arrive, which should be by the end of the week. This will be crucial in determining the outcome of the final product because my laser appointment for the final cut is on Apr 17, which is quickly approaching. I believe it will arrive on time, but I may need to consider alternatives to the final report if needed – this may include using my prototype. 

Outside of this, I am considering photographing options and possibly creating an “advertising” board to showcase the final product, but it is still to be determined what all this will include as the due date for this project is coming up. Overall, I am trusting the process and going through the fabrication portion of my process!