Kinetic Clock: Zodiac

My grandparents had a Jefferson mantle clock when I was a kid, and I was always fascinated by its mysterious movement. When I saw this on sale at Wood Trick, I had to order it! It is challenging to build, but when you get it working, it's well worth it! I'm still making adjustments, but I'm already satisfied with the design. Of all the laser-cut kits, Wood Trick has the most difficult instructions to follow, but they're not impossible. There were only a couple of spots I had to rework. And Part 20 (2x) were actually too big at one end to properly fit in the backward curve, so have your sandpaper handy! (There are spares, in case disaster strikes.) Advice: When you see the directive to wax/lubricate a part, wax everything that part touches, as well. That's a general suggestion for any mechanical wooden puzzle, but especially true for this one: the motor isn't strong enough to overcome friction - it's a timepiece motor, after all. If you've done any of these before, And on p. 6 (of my instructions) there's place that tells you to turn the hour hand 30 times: do it at least 30 times; don't skimp! This is critical - that turning reduces friction your waxing might have missed, and that part MUST move freely; it's the key to everything! I've done more difficult models as well as easier ones, but this is truly worth the trouble! I love it!

Looked great, however: 1. I've been building models (Robotime, Rokr, Nooktales, etc., for years and never had to order replacement parts that broke and especially pay for them. 2. I'm meticulous and patient when building wood products together and follow the directions carefully - despite that the clock worked once for an hour and since has not worked again using batteries or the USB. 3. Minutes control does not work, period. 4. Some of the instructions also were incomplete - especially when placing the plastic parts.

Great item