Building My Dream Digital Clock: DIY 7 Segment Display with a Cute Robot Twist! -- Episode 600

Perhaps have the e14 little blue robots either side that dance when the screen robot looks at them.

I think someone tried to replace the clockwork mechanism with a motor at one point, so there should be an exploded view somewhere already. 

Could keep the clockwork and just drive it via a clutch mechanism though. Motor via gearbox winds the spring then clutch disengages when it is time to dance. This would make it easier to mount as you could use the wind up key shaft and the lower screw. Clutch will also allow the spring to unwind fully if left to run down, so that you know how much to wind it up each time.

Simpler still, If you don't want the clutch then you can reverse the motor direction as in this case you can back-drive the clockwork mechanism and even control its speed whilst doing so.

I like the robot idea!

I know I had one here, but not sure if my kids stole it from me. I'll see if I can retrieve it back!

Just had an idea of a clock where on the hour a door opens and the little man is behind dancing away, I think that might be cool too!

The cuckoo clocks I have seen tend to be quite ornate, which is something that has perhaps been lost by going digital. No fancy weights, pendulums, bellows or carved mountain chalet style enclosures. 

A  a clock that I've always liked is the 'DCF77 Analyzer/Clock' by Erik de Ruiter
 https://projecthub.arduino.cc/edr1924/a13a0b1a-e11e-414a-91e1-0646cf5e3ec9

Nice balance between the functionality and the presentation. To me, it's the digital equivalent of leaving the covers off to see the mechanism working away inside.

You could perhaps do the weather house style clock where the 'rain man' or 'sun woman' comes out depending on the weather forecast. The animation screen could be kept behind the doors or you may want to incorporate the doors into the animation.

Was thinking about this some more and a common theme to the more traditional cuckoo clocks tends to be the incorporation of a miniature 3D diorama scene. Either scenic with trees, mountains and wildlife or with waterwheels and woodchoppers, some of which are animated.

With your current design, then you might be able to replace this idea with an edge-lit multi-layered laser-engraved scene instead. Either as a raster engraving of a more traditional scene as in a diorama piece or alternatively as simple line art graphics such as robots and electronics symbols and stuff like that. By controlling the edge lighting of each of the layers you can animate it via colour and brightness. Each layer can be comprised of separate laser-cut pieces so you could have multiple objects on each layer plane that can be illuminated separately, which would reduce the number of layers and overall depth required.

Wow, I like that idea. I've seen individual laser engraved edge lit panels, but using multiple to make a scene and making it appear animated sounds amazing.
I think I really need to try and get myself a laser cutter!

Wow, I like that idea. I've seen individual laser engraved edge lit panels, but using multiple to make a scene and making it appear animated sounds amazing.
I think I really need to try and get myself a laser cutter!

There is an example of how to make one here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrJpeASgGeQ

The different elements can then be lit separately allowing for animation

A bit more geometric line art style than scenic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kdmqn-kbJs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_iwSq78gWc

might help get some creative ideas flowing.

The 7-seg could perhaps either be cut into a higher translucent panel at the back with the transparent layers lower in front or perhaps into a surround at the front with transparent panels inside. That would allow the wiring to be hidden if you want a cleaner look. I don't think you want to be looking through acrylic to see the clock however.

Alternatively the clock goes lower down at the front with the acrylic surrounding it and going backwards. Traditionally the cuckoo clock face is either central or toward the top of the scene but lower down may work better here.

That 3D one is amazing (the first link), I really want to try it now.
Like the idea of the 7seg type display with layers, thanks for the ideas, just trying to visualise it in my head. Think it's look really cool though, separate segment on each layer, and then illuminate the layers that you need to display the current number. Also liking the idea of the robot animation through illuminating different layers, but not sure how much effect an un-illuminated layer in front of an illuminated layer would have. Think it'd be best to experiment.

Think the main issue with all of this is the fact that I really need a laser cutter!

If you want to go down the 'lixie' route for the clock digits, then there is an example here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miqN2gR1Zns

You can see the effect that 9 un-illuminated layers in front of an illuminated layer has.

Thats what I imagined it might look like when in front of each other. and why I started considering doing each segment of a 7seg on a separate panel, the illuminated portion will only ever have plain acrylic sheet in front of it as nothing would overlap

You would only need 7 layers that way, so 3 less than the lixie style.