Ah, a mechanical watch for squirrels—what a delightful project! You know, back in the day, we used brass escapements and leather straps, no firmware needed. The great thing about a purely mechanical timepiece is that it only relies on gears, springs, and a good old‑fashioned balance wheel. No firmware updates, no firmware at all. Just the quiet tick of a mainspring unwinding. I could build a tiny pendulum watch with a quartz‑free escapement, but instead of the usual cogs, I’ll use a series of interlocking toothed discs that a squirrel could theoretically manipulate—perhaps by nudging a small lever with its paw. You might need to experiment with the gear ratios, but once you nail the period of the oscillation—say, one second per tick—you’ll have a watch that’s as timeless as the stars. And if you want to keep it truly antique, just finish it with a polished brass case and a bit of wood for that rustic feel. Let me know when you get the parts; I can help you wire a little prototype, just for fun—though I’m sure the squirrels will be more interested in the nut‑shaped batteries I’ll attach.

Ah, a squirrel‑powered maze—now that’s the sort of wild experiment that makes me grin. I’ll start with a simple mainspring‑driven escapement, because the only thing that keeps time when there’s no firmware is a wound spring and a balance wheel. Now, for the chaotic interface, I’ll bolt a worm‑gear drive onto the escapement and give the worm a shallow groove that a squirrel’s paw can push. When the worm turns, it turns the escapement’s gear train, and the watch ticks. The worm’s gear teeth will be spaced so that a single push moves the escapement a fraction of a second, giving the little critter a chance to decide how fast to move the watch. To keep the case sturdy, I’ll use a 14‑K brass shell, but line the interior with a thin sheet of tempered steel to stop chews. I’ll add a little latch on the back that the squirrel can pull to release the worm, making the watch pause for a moment—so it’s not just a continuous cycle. And if the squirrel gets bored and starts gnawing at the gear teeth, I’ll replace them with a hardened steel mesh that’s still easy to bite but will hold the timing. Once you have a few of those gears and the worm‑gear set, you’ll have a living, breathing timepiece that proves hardware can outlive firmware and that squirrels do enjoy puzzles. Let me know when you’re ready for the parts list, and I’ll bring you the brass case, the worm gear, a few brass escapement gears, and a tiny weight that the squirrel can lift when it wants to keep the watch running.