In recent times, the full 3D printed clock designed by young Dutch designer Yvo de Haas — titled "Hand in Hand" — has been making waves. This unique timepiece is named "Hand in Hand" because its minute hand is seamlessly attached to the hour hand, creating a visually striking and unconventional design.
Yvo, a 22-year-old self-taught electronics enthusiast, has always had a passion for creating things using 3D printers. On his blog, he shared that he lost a clock during a move and wasn’t interested in buying a regular one. Instead, he preferred to build something unusual. He had previously made several LED clocks but wanted to try something mechanical this time.
The idea for the "Hand in Hand" clock didn’t come out of nowhere. Yvo had been thinking about it for years. He recalled that a classmate introduced him to the concept five years ago, and he had wanted to build it three years prior. With his creative vision in mind, he finally brought the project to life.
To make the clock accessible to others, Yvo released it as an open-source project online, complete with a detailed tutorial. If you're interested in printing your own version, you can visit his blog to download all the STL files and code.
According to Yvo, the most time-consuming part of the project was 3D printing. The clock consists of 16 different parts, which took around 10 hours to print, depending on the printer settings. His setup used a 40% infill rate and a 0.4 mm layer thickness.
While 3D printing might be the longest phase, assembly proved to be the real challenge. Yvo listed all the components needed in his Instructables guide, including a stepper motor, driver, Arduino-compatible microcontroller, power supply, capacitors, resistors, bearings, screws, and wires.
He emphasized that even though the parts may seem simple, following the tutorial carefully is essential. The electronic circuit can be tricky for beginners, especially when dealing with I/O ports and timing. Yvo used a StepStick A4988 driver for the stepper motor and included two buttons for manual time adjustments.
For the circuit, he opted for a prototype board instead of a PCB, so there isn’t a clear schematic to share. However, he provided guidance on connecting the voltage and ensuring proper power distribution.
What makes the "Hand in Hand" clock truly unique is how it operates. It doesn’t track time in the traditional sense but instead uses the consistent intervals of the stepper motor’s movement. While these intervals may not perfectly align with actual time, the accuracy is still sufficient for practical use.
This innovative and eye-catching clock is sure to stand out on any wall. Whether you're a hobbyist or a tech enthusiast, building your own "Hand in Hand" clock is a fun and rewarding project.
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