Back in 2019, a hobbyist built a voltmeter clock that uses analog panel voltmeters instead of a traditional face to tell time. The design stayed on his office desk until he revisited it in 2024, aiming to simplify the prototype and document the process for others with detailed CAD files and firmware code.

The new version uses three off‑the‑shelf $9 90° panel meters from Amazon. After disassembling, the maker measured the faces and printed custom decals on adhesive paper, creating templates that allow 13 hour divisions and 61 minute/second divisions for continuous hand motion. The cheap Baomain 65C5 meters feature a plastic flange that was hidden with a recessed pattern.

To achieve a seamless look, the wood front and back were CNC‑milled, while the rounded side wall was bent using an internal notch template. Moistening, clamping, and drying allowed the curved panel to flex, after which it was glued to the faces with an external plywood template for a perfect fit. The finished body received a coat of nitrocellulose lacquer.

The electronics are minimal: an AVR128DB28 MCU runs off an 8 MHz crystal, driving the meters via three digital pins. Two pushbuttons set time, and a 10 Hz counter in a timer interrupt calculates duty cycles that let the meter inertia settle into accurate positions. The project’s source code and PDF templates are freely available online for hobbyists and makers.