Is it possible to modify a digital alarm clock as a timer power switch?

i have an automatic pet feeder prototype that i'm trying to develop where I'd like to use an off the shelf digital alarm clock to act as the timer to start the power flow to a DC motor?

in my ME mind, the chip that is given the instruction to make alarm speaker beep should be able to somehow be modified to initiate power to the motor.

is this possible? or does a custom board or chip have to be designed?

my hope was to hand modify a few digital alarm clocks and integrate them into the prototype to save money on EE custom design costs for a small run of prototype builds, since a simple alarm clock function and LCD screen, buttons, etc. is what i need to just turn on the motor when the scheduled alarm time occurs.

any thoughts?

thanks!

garrett

It may be, so many of the type of clocks you describe are highly integrated, and access to the pins may not be possible. You may just have to buy a couple and strip them down to see what makes them tick!
Cheers,
Richard