Anyone interested in clock making?

[tmuir]

I'm slowly gearing myself up to first try and repair some clocks then have a go at making one, in-between fixing / building all my steam engines.
If anyone here interested enough for me to post my progress about it as I go along.
I've got a few more months of making tools before I will be actually set up, but if anyone is interested I will post my progress.

The next major tool I've got to make is a main spring winder.

 

[CrewCab]

I'd be happy to follow your progress Tony 8)

CC

 

[RobWilson]

Go for it Tony ;D just remember th_wwp .main spring winder ? th_wwp

 

[tmuir]

Go for it Tony ;D just remember th_wwp .main spring winder ? th_wwp

I'm happy to take pictures.
The main spring winder is gooing to be a reasonable sized project for me as first I need to make myself a flycutter so I can attempt to cut the ratchet on my mill rather than by sawing and filing.

On large clocks the main spring can be an inch high and up to 1mm thick. A spring that big if let go can take out an eye or slice off fingers so you need to have a tool to safely remove them from the clock barrels for cleaning and to be used to safely put them back.
You can buy main spring winders but at a cost of over $200 I would rather spend a bit of time and make it myself.

 

[joe d]

Tony

Another vote here for posting your clock-making adventures. After all, they are just a spring driven engine that (if all is adjusted as it should be) turns at 1 rpm :big: (You'll win the "how slow can they go" competition!). Is it expensive to get those Aussie clock-faces with the 12 at the bottom?

Cheers, Joe

PS Just in case Rob forgot to mention it, th_wwp.

 

[zeeprogrammer]

I wanna see too. I wanna see too.
Clocks came before engines. So they're related aren't they?

 

[arnoldb]

Tony, I second... uh third... uhm no fourth... - well, just sign me up as well !
If Rick agrees, that is.
Regards, Arnold

 

[CrewCab]

turns at 1 rpm :big: (You'll win the "how slow can they go" competition!). Is it expensive to get those Aussie clock-faces with the 12 at the bottom?

Well said Joe ;D :bow: ;D

CC

 

[Cliff]

Hey Tmuir

Go right ahead I have been interested in and worked on Clocks sense the late 60's and ran a store where along with my wife where we sold and repaired clock's for almost eleven years had to close it a couple of years ago because of health reasons and the passing of my wife. But the love and interest in clocks is still there.

Cliff

 

[Maryak]

Tony,

I've had a hankering to build a clock for some time now but due to a total lack of knowing how to begin, let alone finish it's...................................................??????????????????????????????????????????

Will be very interested in a clock build.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[dwentz]

I would be interested also. I have always found mechanical clocks fascinating. I have built many digital clocks, and took apart a few mechanical ones. I have always thought it would be a fine project to build a simple mechanical clock myself.

Dale

 

[zeeprogrammer]

...engine that ... turns at 1 rpm :big: (You'll win the "how slow can they go" competition!). Is it expensive to get those Aussie clock-faces with the 12 at the bottom?

Rof} Rof}
That was great. Thanks.

 

[vlmarshall]

I'm VERY interested in this one. Please share if you have time. ;D :hDe:


Edit: didn't realize it was Punday. Adjusted accordingly.

 

[RobWilson]

IT WILL HELP PASS THE TIME ;D :hDe:

 

[ChooChooMike]

I thought about it, but decided I'd didn't have the time......

:big: :hDe:

 

[Noitoen]

This one should be easy enough [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bTtpXuORq8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bTtpXuORq8[/ame] :hDe:

 

[PhiberOptix]

Yes Please count me in too

Andy

 

[tmuir]

Whilst your waiting for me to ctually make something interesting. (I'm just finishing off the clock moevement clamps at the moment which I will post pictures of) Have a look at this website.
Rite Time Publishing
http://www.ritetimepublishing.co.uk/

At the moment I'm making a lot of the tools from the book "Tools for the Clock Maker and Repairer' in the repair section and once I'm tooled up and have fixed the two clocks I have to repair I am going to have a go at making the '16th Century Style' clock from the wall clock section.
I decided on this clock for a few reasons.
No main spring to worry about, only has an hour hand so it simplifies construction and most importantly of all I got this book cheap off ebay. :big:

I'm still getting the 'feel' of my milling machine and every time I use my lathe I learn something new but isn't that part of all the fun?

 

[lathe nut]

Clock repairs have been something that I would love to learn about and have for some time been interested in learning, at 58 my wife tells me that I have enough irons in the fire but I don't think so yet, just need more hours in the day, I wanted to but a fellow out in the small town that we moved from but at the last minute he changed his mind, had some books and old parts but he would not even loan the books, think that he had some videos, did not want to even try two in the same small town, but now I am in a different area would like to try, where does on start looking, learning is there any money to be made in it for the investment, just the fun of working on them and maybe a little spending money, like to learn more about it, share please, thanks, Lathe Nut

 

[tmuir]

Restored old clocks can sell for a lot of money so if you reach the stage of being good enough to repair old clocks or buy broken ones fix them and onsell them you could make some money but I'm not personally interested in doing it to make any money. Great way to ruin a hobby by making it a job.

The British Horological Institute offers long distance learning course as do a few places in the US and probably other countries.
http://www.bhi.co.uk/
I've not signed up for any yet as they are expensive and I would like to have atleast some basic skills before outlaying money for the courses.