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Make Your Own Working Paper Clock

Make Your Own Working Paper Clock

List Price: $16.95
Your Price: $11.53
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Building a clock out of paper is an AMAZING feat!
Review: As promised, this book comes with everything but the glue and a few paperclips to build a working clock made entirely out of paper. While it seems like an absurd concept, it actually is quite fun and really functions quite well. The author's story of how the original plans were discovered is an added bonus. Very entertaining! Not for kids under about 12, though, as it requires precise assembly.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Provides insight into working of clocks
Review: As the author claimed, you cut the book into about 160 peices then glue and assemble them into a working clock. I just finished making my clock. It didn't work. The pinions and gears just didn't mesh right. There must be tricks to get the precision of alignment necessary for the clock to run, but the author revealed none of them. Lining things up by eye, and being very careful just isn't enough. I was surprised to read other reviews where the clocks worked. Even so, I was amazed at the engineering of these paper parts, and am considering ordering a couple more books from which to re make parts (the author recommends this from the start). At the very least, reading this book, and making the clock from it, will leave one with a very good understanding of how such clocks work, but not necessarily an understanding of how to make clocks that work.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Provides insight into working of clocks
Review: As the author claimed, you cut the book into about 160 peices then glue and assemble them into a working clock. I just finished making my clock. It didn't work. The pinions and gears just didn't mesh right. There must be tricks to get the precision of alignment necessary for the clock to run, but the author revealed none of them. Lining things up by eye, and being very careful just isn't enough. I was surprised to read other reviews where the clocks worked. Even so, I was amazed at the engineering of these paper parts, and am considering ordering a couple more books from which to re make parts (the author recommends this from the start). At the very least, reading this book, and making the clock from it, will leave one with a very good understanding of how such clocks work, but not necessarily an understanding of how to make clocks that work.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: This book is no good!
Review: Dont buy this product unless you are very pateint and dont get frustrated easily. I personally found this paper clock to be good for one thing and one thing only and that was kindling and I used the rest of the book as toliet paper. If you want a clock by one from Wal Mart for three bucks, but dont buy this clock.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I had fun building this clock but it doesn't run.
Review: I enjoyed building this clock but it doesn't run. I finished it in less than a week while on vacation. The diagrams are hand drawn and result in gears that don't mesh and won't keep time. My father hung the clock on his wall, it's a good conversation piece.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Patience, patience, patience...
Review: I got one of these books as a gift in 1985 (I was 14) and built it over Christmas break. It was very time consuming, and patience and precision were key. It ran quite well at first, but after about a week, the paper started to wear enough that the friction caused it not to keep time anymore. Eventually, it started binding and quit running altoghether.

It's almost 15 years later now, and I found it in a box. Wow! It doesnt run anymore of course, but it's still a great conversation piece. I think I just may get another one of these and give it another go round...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Typo on p. 35
Review: I have an older copy of the book, and the recently purchased copies
have the following typo. On p. 35 there are two + symbols defined in
step E. The first is the one which ought to have dots accompanying
it, to indicate that bearnings are needed at that point. (You can see
this symbol on the pieces of the clock, such as part #49, #50 etc.)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Typo on p. 35
Review: I have an older copy of the book, and the recently purchased copies
have the following typo. On p. 35 there are two + symbols defined in
step E. The first is the one which ought to have dots accompanying
it, to indicate that bearnings are needed at that point. (You can see
this symbol on the pieces of the clock, such as part #49, #50 etc.)

Donna Dietz

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A great project - even if it doesn't work
Review: I just finished making the clock - in an overly hasty fashion, but as accurate as I could possibly do it. It will click for about 4-5 "seconds" and the pendulum will slowly stop swinging. I've adjusted every wheel and axle 50 times but can't figure out what's holding up the mechanism. It was still worth it, though. What I found to work for the bearings instead of beads, which would be hard to find the exact right size, was to use small aluminum tubing from the hardware store. I brought along a piece of wire and the knitting needle and tried two sizes that fit very well - 3/32" and 1/8" worked well. For the main wheels, the tubes are pushed all the way through (and cut closely, pinching the ends back open after cutting with wire cutters) and will spin very well. Also, the cork idea in the minute hand did NOT work - I spent 5 hours on the damn part, only to realize that the needle would always slip around the cork piece and turn crooked. I tried sponge too, but eventually just used a little longer needle and made up a piece on the very front tip to allow the end to enter, and glued. All the pieces work, but I agree with other reviewers that more precision is needed in determining the center of circles - you can adjust wobble, but it's very difficult to find out exactly which way to adjust it. I might try again in a few years! Also - pennies work well in the weight - so you don't have to go buy lead shot.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Time consuming and requires patience, but really fun!
Review: I just finished the main gear and clutch mechanism last night, and was pretty satisfied with my work until I read all of these reviews saying how precise it should be if I expect it to work. In any case, it is a lot of fun... if you have the patience. I have already put in about 50 hours, and am only on piece 50 (out of 120'ish). As most people have written, I purchased 2 from the start, but glad to say that I have not yet opened the second book! Good luck.


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