	Remove circuit board from back of drive, unplugging all cables. Cut away cables leading to motor.
	Remove platter(s) and separator rings from spindle. For many drive models this requires dismounting the drive head actuator and/or carriage assembly.
	Pry off rotor, stator coil, and circuit board. Use the rotor to stick notes to your refrigerator, the stator coil and circuit board are no longer needed.
	Unscrew (and keep) the screws holding the spindle plate to the chassis, remove the plate.
	Using a punch, from the back side, knock out the pin and spindle. Punch out the bearings and rings from the plate, then punch the pin from the spindle. Keep the spindle and plate, discard the rest.
	Drill out the center hole in the spindle one size smaller than the diameter of the handshaft of the clock movement, then tap the spindle for the handshaft. The clock movements I use have a handshaft 8mm in diameter with threads spaced .75mm. M8 x .75 taps are not a standard size and have to be specially ordered - at "special" prices.
	Grind the back of the plate flat. The protrusion which held the bearings and pin varies with the drive model - some are only half an inch high and all aluminum, others are over one inch high with portions made of steel. I use cut-off wheels to remove as much as possible, then an angle grinder for the rest. For 5.25" drives where large areas of the plate will not be covered by the clock movement I use an orbital sander for a smooth finish.
	Some drives require portions of the chassis to be cut away to make room for the clock movement. I use a Dremel tool with cutting wheels.
	Fasten the plate back into the chassis. On this drive I had to cut away one of the screwholes; epoxy and a clamp while it sets are a good substitute.
	Mount the clock movement to the back of the plate, securing it by screwing the spindle onto the handshaft. Make sure the spindle is centered on the plate.
	Mount the platters and separator rings to the spindle; use the original fastener if possible. Take care not to damage the read/write heads. If the actuator and/or carriage assembly were dismounted to remove the platters, replace them now.
	Mount the hands to the handshaft. Check 12:00 and 6:00 to ensure correct positioning of the hour and minute hands. Set the correct time and insert the battery.

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Making of an HDDclock

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