Background

Initially, the clock tower outside of Weil hall was erected with a different clock painted on each of the four faces. Tau Beta Pi first became involved with the clock tower when former TBP president, Frank Hartman, was commissioned to replace the paintings with working clocks. Hartman involved fellow TBP members, members of the civil engineering honor society, Chi Epsilon, and Dr. Dave Bloomquist, a professor at UF. The clock tower projects went untouched for many years but resurged when former TBP president, Thomas Scruggs, formed a committee of TBP members to finish the final two faces of the clock tower. Enough interest was generated so that the Florida Alpha Chapter of Tau Beta Pi voted to add the position of Clock Tower Coordinator to the officer team. Thomas Scruggs became the first person elected to the position and he maintained his position until his graduation..

How to Get Involved

If you are interested in participating, contact the project lead, Max Greene. The participants who see this project through will have their names engraved in a plaque near the tower.

Current Projects

Spring 2015 - Present Since the Spring of 2015, our chapter of Tau Beta Pi has been developing an LED clock face to replace an inoperable face on the clock tower.

Completed Projects

Spring 2011 Binary Dial Dr. Bloomquist and his students worked on the design and development of the Binary Clock Face, which lies on the side of the Clock Tower facing Gale-Lemerand Drive.

Fall 2007 - Spring 2008 Wandering Hour Dial Design Team: finished remaining parts and assembled clock face. Structural Team: mounted the clock face on the Clock Tower, facing Weil Hall. Electrical Team: wired the clock face in the Clock Tower.

Spring 2007

Wandering Hour Dial

• Design Team:
  • completed the Wandering Hour design, and parts will be fabricated by the end of the summer.
  • begun the Sun and Moon design.
• Structure Team: built the brick podium to mount the Clock Howard movement and reconditioned the movement.
• Electrical Team: continued work on tweaking the feedback/sensors.

Fall 2006

Wandering Hour Dial

• Design Team: 90% design completed and parts sent to be fabricated.
• Structure Team: base structure and replica of the steel frame housing the dial completed.
• Electrical Team: clock time feedback and pendulum sensor designed.

Photos

• Design
• Spring 2006 Work Day 1
• Spring 2006 Work Day 2
• Fall 2006 Work Day 1
• Fall 2006 Work Day 2

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