I am planning to build analog clocks and watches. I've considered using a stepper motor or servo motor to run the gear train so the motor can rotate the correct amount. However, I can't find small enough stepper motors and servo motors. I can find small enough DC motors. I have considered putting a plastic ring around the shaft of the DC motor with a few pieces of metal in the ring so that when the metal pieces move to the right position, a circuit would be completed which would send a signal to a microcontroller. The microcontroller would send voltage to the motor to make it move. When it gets the signal from the completed circuit, it would stop sending the voltage until the next second begins. However, someone told me he thinks that with my plan, since the metal pieces would rub against each other every second, that they would wear out and no longer make contact. I have also thought about using a limit switch, but they say they have a lifetime of 500000 (which I assume is the number of times the switch is clicked). Since the limit switch would be pushed once per second, it would reach 500000 clicks after 5 or 6 days.
Does anyone think my plan for a completion of a circuit would work? Would limit switches likely last longer than 500000 clicks? Does anyone know where I can find small enough stepper motors or servo motors to fit inside a watch?
Does anyone think my plan for a completion of a circuit would work? Would limit switches likely last longer than 500000 clicks? Does anyone know where I can find small enough stepper motors or servo motors to fit inside a watch?