This is really ticking me off
December 10, 2010 2:58 AM Subscribe
How can I keep my clock from tick-tocking?
I'd like to have a clock on the wall close to my bed, so I can read the time without putting on my glasses (I am very, VERY nearsighted, not that this is overly relevant to the question.) I don't want it to emit light, I don't want it to be digital, I don't want it to cost an arm and a leg, it needs to be able to be wall-mounted (no bedside table space, that's for books and specs!) and I don't want to have to fish around for my phone every morning. I have trouble sleeping, getting to sleep, and waking up, and as such need to have a very quiet environment in my bedroom. The ticking of a clock stresses me out!
Today, I purchased a very simple $10 wall clock at Target, thinking that perhaps it wouldn't be too ticky because it's quite light, made of seemingly entirely plastic and cardboard parts. Failure! I just had to move it to the other room because the noisy ticking was stressing me out while writing this question.
Would there be any way for me to augment this clock to muffle the ticking? The noise is made, as far as I can tell, by the mechanical movement of the clock hands. Maybe the hollow nature of the clock is acting like a drum? But I don't really know the first thing about clocks so perhaps I'm wrong.
Barring tape, gum, & cotton batting style solutions, are there any clocks out there that are wall-mountable, analog, under $30, with large, clearly readable numbers on a solid background and thick hands, preferably in a simple, transitional style, that are SILENT? And, if that doesn't exist, are there any cheap digital clocks that only emit light during sunlight hours?
Thanks, skillful denizens of AskMe!
I'd like to have a clock on the wall close to my bed, so I can read the time without putting on my glasses (I am very, VERY nearsighted, not that this is overly relevant to the question.) I don't want it to emit light, I don't want it to be digital, I don't want it to cost an arm and a leg, it needs to be able to be wall-mounted (no bedside table space, that's for books and specs!) and I don't want to have to fish around for my phone every morning. I have trouble sleeping, getting to sleep, and waking up, and as such need to have a very quiet environment in my bedroom. The ticking of a clock stresses me out!
Today, I purchased a very simple $10 wall clock at Target, thinking that perhaps it wouldn't be too ticky because it's quite light, made of seemingly entirely plastic and cardboard parts. Failure! I just had to move it to the other room because the noisy ticking was stressing me out while writing this question.
Would there be any way for me to augment this clock to muffle the ticking? The noise is made, as far as I can tell, by the mechanical movement of the clock hands. Maybe the hollow nature of the clock is acting like a drum? But I don't really know the first thing about clocks so perhaps I'm wrong.
Barring tape, gum, & cotton batting style solutions, are there any clocks out there that are wall-mountable, analog, under $30, with large, clearly readable numbers on a solid background and thick hands, preferably in a simple, transitional style, that are SILENT? And, if that doesn't exist, are there any cheap digital clocks that only emit light during sunlight hours?
Thanks, skillful denizens of AskMe!
I think the term you're looking for is a "sweep" or "sweeper" second hand - that's one that continuously moves round instead of ticking round in 1 second increments.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:11 AM on December 10, 2010
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:11 AM on December 10, 2010
searching 'silent clock' on Amazon gets this among others.
posted by corvine at 5:06 AM on December 10, 2010
posted by corvine at 5:06 AM on December 10, 2010
I also hate ticking and have terrible eyesight. I solved this problem by getting a projection digital clock so I can see the time in big blue numbers on the ceiling. You can also dim the display if it's too bright, but it may still be too much light for you. It took me some time to adjust to the faint blue glow in the room.
posted by elizardbits at 5:53 AM on December 10, 2010
posted by elizardbits at 5:53 AM on December 10, 2010
Few possible options that may work:
Get a clock without a second hand.
Remove the second hand.
Get a clock with a continuously moving second hand.
posted by turkeyphant at 6:14 AM on December 10, 2010
Get a clock without a second hand.
Remove the second hand.
Get a clock with a continuously moving second hand.
posted by turkeyphant at 6:14 AM on December 10, 2010
I've had the same problem. Elizardbits has a more elegant solution. Mine was to get a teeny-tiny digital clock (not a lot of table space), and to drape a bandanna over it. I lift the bandanna when I want to peek at the time.
The target clocks will tick like crazy, too, so any clock from there isn't a solution. I learned this the hard way too. And while engineering may be fun, it could be both cheaper and easier to buy a different clock.
posted by .kobayashi. at 6:21 AM on December 10, 2010
The target clocks will tick like crazy, too, so any clock from there isn't a solution. I learned this the hard way too. And while engineering may be fun, it could be both cheaper and easier to buy a different clock.
posted by .kobayashi. at 6:21 AM on December 10, 2010
I came to say essentially what elizardbits did already. The ceiling projection display is not nearly as glaring (for those with such sensitivities) as a plain ol' digital clock on the night stand.
posted by labwench at 6:34 AM on December 10, 2010
posted by labwench at 6:34 AM on December 10, 2010
Response by poster: The problem with a ceiling projection isn't that it's too bright. It's actually that I tend to run kind of nocturnal, and my room is often quite bright! I wouldn't be able to see the time with my glasses off because the contrast between my dawnlit ceiling and the numbers would be minimal.
I will investigate this sweeper second hand business...
posted by Mizu at 7:01 AM on December 10, 2010
I will investigate this sweeper second hand business...
posted by Mizu at 7:01 AM on December 10, 2010
In my experience, the cheapo clocks from Target are the noisiest. I've got a slightly more expensive Target clock (a "decorative" one) with no second hand, and it doesn't make any noise.
However, if you want to stick it out, you can get used to it pretty quickly. The clock ticking noise used to drive me nuts (even from my watch! I'd usually have to put it in another room while I slept) but then I started sleeping in a bedroom with a noisy clock and now it doesn't bother me at all.
posted by phunniemee at 7:16 AM on December 10, 2010
However, if you want to stick it out, you can get used to it pretty quickly. The clock ticking noise used to drive me nuts (even from my watch! I'd usually have to put it in another room while I slept) but then I started sleeping in a bedroom with a noisy clock and now it doesn't bother me at all.
posted by phunniemee at 7:16 AM on December 10, 2010
Yeah I bought a $3 clock from Target and had to move it out of the room because it bothered my fiance too much.
Look for a clock that doesn't have a second hand.
posted by radioamy at 8:01 AM on December 10, 2010
Look for a clock that doesn't have a second hand.
posted by radioamy at 8:01 AM on December 10, 2010
We bought a cheap clock, probably from Target, without a second hand, hoping that meant it would not tick. It does tick.
posted by partylarry at 8:07 AM on December 10, 2010
posted by partylarry at 8:07 AM on December 10, 2010
Just having a sweep second hand is no guarantee of silence -- I used to have a clock like that and when everything was quiet you could hear the clock going "rrrr, rrrrr, rrrr" from the little motor and gears inside.
posted by Forktine at 8:12 AM on December 10, 2010
posted by Forktine at 8:12 AM on December 10, 2010
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posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:09 AM on December 10, 2010