Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this idea for a while now, and I finally got something that I think is pretty cool. I wanted to make a slot machine watch, you know, like those things you see in casinos but on your wrist. Sounds kinda crazy, right? But I was determined to see if I could pull it off.
I started by thinking about how those big slot machines actually work. They’ve got those spinning reels with all sorts of symbols on them, and you pull a lever or press a button, and they spin around until they stop, and if the symbols line up, you win something. I figured I needed something similar, but obviously, way smaller.
My first thought was, “How am I going to get those reels on a watch?” I spent days just brainstorming, sketching out ideas on napkins, and staring at my watch collection, trying to figure it out. Then it hit me – maybe I could use tiny digital displays instead of actual spinning reels. That way, I could have the symbols change electronically, like a tiny screen.
So, I started looking into these tiny, and I mean really tiny, digital displays. I found some online that were small enough to fit on a watch face, but they were a pain to work with! I needed to write some code to control them and make them show different symbols. I’m not exactly a coding whiz, but I found some tutorials online and started learning. It was tough, I won’t lie. I spent hours just trying to get one little display to show a simple cherry symbol. There were a lot of frustrating moments, I almost gave up a couple of times. But I kept at it, learning a little more each day, and slowly but surely, I started to make progress.
After weeks of tinkering, I finally got three of these little displays working together, showing different symbols. It was such a rush to see it actually working! But I still needed a way to “spin” them. I figured I could just have the symbols change rapidly for a few seconds and then stop on a random one. It wouldn’t be exactly like a real slot machine, but it would have the same kind of effect. I found a watch that had three buttons, so I decide to make these three buttons to “spin” the digital displays.
Next, I had to design the watch itself. I wanted it to look cool, but not too flashy. I ended up going with a simple, sleek design with a black leather band. I carefully took apart an old watch I had lying around and started putting my slot machine mechanism inside. It was a tight fit, but I managed to squeeze everything in there.
Finally, after months of work, it was done. My very own slot machine watch! It wasn’t perfect, but it worked. I could press the buttons, the symbols would “spin,” and then they’d stop on a random combination. It was so satisfying to see my crazy idea come to life.
- The Build:
- Spent weeks researching tiny digital displays and learning basic coding.
- Figured out how to wire the displays to a small microcontroller.
- Wrote code to make the symbols change and simulate a “spin.”
- The Design:
- Opted for a simple, sleek design with a black leather band.
- Carefully disassembled an old watch and retrofitted it with the slot machine mechanism.
- The Result:
- A fully functional, albeit a bit crude, slot machine watch.
- Pressing the buttons makes the symbols change rapidly and then stop on a random combination.
It’s definitely a conversation starter, and it always makes me smile when I look at it. It’s a reminder that even the craziest ideas can become a reality if you’re willing to put in the work.
