Dr. Ray L. Winstead
Professor of Biology (retired), Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Bob Wemer Metric, Wall Clock

Below is the letter I received from Bob Wemer about making a metric, wall clock based on the the Percentage Metric Clock idea.

January 16, 2017

Dear Dr. Winstead,

I finally got around to converting a 24-hr wall clock to a Percentage Metric Clock.  It didn’t turn out quite to what I was planning on, though, as I failed to realize that the clock’s movement, namely the minute and second hands would be advancing at 24 and 1,440 revolutions respectively per day instead of the desired 100 and 10,000 revolutions per day (I think I’ve got that right).  Rather than abandon the project, I removed the minute and second hands as the hour hand does show the correct percentage metric time – although only to the nearest whole percentage minute.  The clock’s movement has enough play in it that one can’t really interpolate any closer than one percentage minute

I have attached two photos of the percentage metric clock face.  I left the glass face off for the photos to prevent reflections.

I found several clocks on Amazon that claimed to be 10-hr “metric clocks” which had very nice faces.  However, the review comments were very negative because the clocks used standard 12-hr movements.  I was unable to find a true metric clock or percentage metric clock movement on the Internet.

I purchased a C. Crane 24-hr clock from Amazon:

 https://www.amazon.com/CRANE-24-HOUR-WALL-CLOCK/dp/B004GVYVO0/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1484670356&sr=8-3-fkmr1&keywords=c+Crane+24-hr+clock

I began the project by disassembling the clock and proceeding to draft a new face on poster stock.  I then got to thinking, “I wonder if there is a website that would do this?” – and there is!  Here is the link:

 http://www.blocklayer.com/circle-divider.aspx

 “Clock Face Templates” mode generates and numbers 12-hr clock faces so I used the “Circle Divider” mode.  The generator works in centimeters by default or “Imperial” below “Circle Divider” can be clicked to work in inches.  Also, click “Clock Face”, as opposed to “Protractor” on the right-hand side of page.  On the left-hand side of the page, choose the desired “Diameter”, “Total Increments”, “Tick Lines” and “Long Marks every” (I chose Long Marks every “5” increments).  Other customizations are available.  “Long Mark Numbers” will number the clock, but the numbers are printed along the radii, so I left it unchecked.

After clicking on “Calculate” and fine tuning the customization to one’s desired result, a pdf file can be printed from the bottom of the page.  Since the diameter of the face was larger than my printer is capable of, I emailed the pdf file to our local print shop and had it printed on 100 lb card stock.

 I used 1” vinyl stick-on numbers, from Walmart, and printed the center labels with a DYMO labeling machine.  I numbered the face from 1 to 10 and placed a “Multiply by 10” label on the clock face.  If I were to do the face over, I would number it from 1-100.

 The original clock face was fastened pretty tightly so, rather than destroy it, I left it in place and stuck the new face to it with a few scrapbooking photo stickers.

 I’m disappointed that I could not find a true “entire day” metric movement.  I did find this 24-hr clock that divides the minute into 100 parts but the description does not say what the second hand does.

 https://www.franklinclock.com/product/franklin-commercial-wall-clock-24-hour-metric-minutes-dial-style-q-12-quartz/

 Also, here is a YouTube video of a person who converted a 12-hr pendulum clock movement to have 10-hr days with 100 minutes per hour.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKvzUdI2qDE

I have both your digital percentage clock and Michael Jenkin’s centesimal analog clock on my computer.  The Internet cannot find the link to Steffen Thorlund’s metric clock.

Also, the link to your page on this website does not seem to be working:

 http://www.csgnetwork.com/timemetricdispcalc2.html

(Note from Ray Winstead: I contacted the webmaster of that website with the correct, updated web address.)

I will stick to your digital percentage metric clock app for the precise time.

 

Sincerely,

Bob Wemer




 
Front Page

Christian Essentials

Dr. Winstead's Blood Pressure Tracker:  Free Templates for Graphing Blood Pressure in Microsoft Excel

Dr. Winstead's Current Local and World Standard Percentage Metric Time Clock

Blue Spruce Park Chickadees

Dr. Ray L. Winstead
Direct e-mail Link: rw@raywinstead.com