A project details the construction of a custom clock using vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs) salvaged from old electronics. The build involves designing a driver circuit, microcontroller integration, and a custom enclosure to create a functioning retro-style timepiece.
A hobbyist salvaged vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) tubes from an old calculator and built a custom clock. The project involved reverse-engineering the tube pinout, designing a multiplexed driver circuit with a MOSFET and microcontroller, and using a 32.768 kHz crystal for accurate timekeeping. The finished clock was mounted in a CNC-milled wooden enclosure.
The article describes building a voltmeter clock where the design focus was as much on the wooden enclosure and aesthetics as on the electronics, highlighting that circuit design can be as much about craftsmanship as engineering.