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Review on Master the Art of Mechanical Construction with ROKR Building Construction Mechanical Pendulum by Ario Rojas

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Great demo model. Unserviceable watch

For a watch that runs decently, Spring has an absolute limit of about four hours. It has enough power to operate the pendulum for no more than two and a half hours. I found that the rear axle bearing on the spring sprocket was set too far back and slightly misaligned, causing the sprocket to fall off and shortening run time. I made a replacement from the leftovers of Panel A, cut off the top of the original support and super glued the replacement to the original. Make sure there is a small gap to allow the spring to move freely. I was thinking of a second spacer up front but it wouldn't include the next gear. On the top three cogs and swingarm, adjust the shims so the small gap at one end does not touch the frame. Otherwise there will be too much friction for the clock to run. You can do the same for everyone, but it matters most for the tops, as it increases friction by a factor of a hundred or more. A little white lithium grease might help on these gears, but not the others. For demonstrating how mechanical clocks and gear systems work, this is an excellent demonstration model, as well as the properties of pendulums. Follow the IKEA instructions when assembling the model. . As for the gap measurement, the numbers are accurate, the charts suggest using a tool that often gives a different measurement. Recommend needle nose pliers, practice on one of their simpler models first to understand how to assemble and work with the material. Update: after fifteen cycles it seems like most of the spring has worn out and has run out. . The last cycle lasted four hours and ten minutes. Almost reached the theoretical limit.

Pros
  • Quality construction
Cons
  • Modern