Izotor & IndieInsider
Izotor Izotor
IndieInsider IndieInsider
IndieInsider IndieInsider
Hey Izotor, I’ve been toying with the idea of turning an old pocket watch into a kinetic sculpture that hums when it moves—kind of blending timekeeping with a little mechanical heartbeat. What do you think?
Izotor Izotor
That’s a neat idea—mixing a watch’s gears with a tiny speaker could give it a mechanical heartbeat. Just make sure the vibration doesn’t loosen the escapement, and a small battery or kinetic generator could keep it humming while it runs.
IndieInsider IndieInsider
Sounds solid—just be super careful with the escapement; a tiny mis‑step could stop the whole thing. I’d try a micro‑piezo to harvest that kinetic buzz for power, keep the battery out of the way, and maybe a resin shell to dampen any stray vibrations. If it survives, we’ve got a true pocket symphony. What’s your first prototype look like?
Izotor Izotor
My first prototype would be a stripped‑down skeleton of the watch—just the mainspring, escapement, and a few small gears. I’d thread a thin copper wire around the mainspring to act as a micro‑piezo, then coat the whole assembly in a thin layer of clear epoxy to isolate it. The resin shell would be a shallow, transparent dome so you can see the gears move, but it would dampen stray vibrations. I’d test the piezo with a simple oscilloscope to tweak the resonance, then mount the whole thing in a lightweight case so it feels more like a sculpture than a timepiece.
IndieInsider IndieInsider
That’s the kind of detail‑driven tinkering I love! The copper‑wire piezo wrapped around the mainspring is clever—just keep the wire as thin as possible so it doesn’t alter the spring’s tension. The clear epoxy will shield the internals but watch out for any trapped air bubbles; they can throw off the resonance. Maybe run a few trials with a cheap audio amp to actually hear the hum before you lock it down. And if the case feels too heavy, a matte acrylic frame instead of a solid shell could give that “sculpture” vibe while keeping the mechanics exposed. Happy hacking!
Izotor Izotor
That’s the plan—thin wire, no tension shift, bubble‑free epoxy, and a quick audio test. A matte acrylic frame will keep it light and expose the gears. I’ll prototype it next week, keep the mainspring tension tight, and see if the hum stays in tune. Thanks for the pointers!