9-12 Second Hourglass Timer

cults3d

This hourglass timer features a natural translucent PLA "glass" that completely encases the sand. You can view the timer in action at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmxJaU5Fkpk&feature=youtu.be. There are two versions of this hourglass design: one with a narrower neck and another with a wider opening. I utilized craft store sand for this project, which has a relatively coarse texture, so I opted to use the wider hourglass in the video demonstration. If you can find finer-grained sand, feel free to experiment with the narrow-neck version. Keep in mind that your printed hourglass's timekeeping abilities will depend on its size and the type of sand used. Interestingly, my timer consistently measured 9 seconds when the sand flowed in one direction and 12 seconds in the other. I attribute this discrepancy to the texture of the print, which may be affecting the flow rate of the sand.