Wooden Clock - Trial & Error

[Wood Dog]

Maybe your next hobby will be Horology?

[KtownScroller]

Originally Posted by Wood Dog

Maybe your next hobby will be Horology?

Good thing for dictionaries! So maybe clock making is in my future? I guess you never know. Of course we have to finish this one first. I did look at a CO2 laser machine that cuts wood. Wouldn't it be cool to cut the bulk of the clock on the scroll saw and have the gears cut by laser? I would say it just might be a marrying of old technology with new technology. The next problem is coming up with the funds to buy such a costly piece of equipment. Just a thought.

BTW - The clock has taken a short break. With the new saw comes a couple of small projects that need to be done to make room in the shed. I hope to get going again by next Monday.

[KtownScroller]

I cut one of the compound gears today. I hit all my marks in regard to the position of the holes and gear teeth (see template photo). I cut and glued the spacers in place. The way I went about cutting and assembling the gear should have yielded a good result. Unfortunately the brass pin portion of the gear runs out considerably. I didn't check the run out of the wooden gear, for it doesn't really matter how bad that runs out now. It looks like I wasted five hours of my life today. I don't even know if the spacers are on the proper sides, because the print does not tell me which side is which. According to the isometric view, which is a bit cryptic, I took an educated guess and placed the spacers where I though they belonged. At this point I guess it doesn't really matter.

I am really bummed out with this project. I am having too many problems reading the blueprints and figuring out what is what. This whole project is starting to be more trouble than it is worth. I may put the project on the shelf for awhile or forever. My woodworker skills evidently are not up to par.

[Wood Dog]

Geeeezzzzzz Rick that is some mighty fine cutting. Sorry to read you are having problems, but I wouldn't question your skills any. Never built one myself, but maybe someone who has, will chime in with some help for you. Bummer about the pattern and making the builder have to guess where things go. Does it give any name to contact for problems? Looking forward to pictures of a completed clock, because I know you can do it.

[KtownScroller]

After a good nights rest I took a look at the gear I made yesterday. The main problem seems to center around one pin which was drilled out of place. You can see it clearly on the template photo. Evidently I am going to have to buy a set of brad point drills. The standard drills are hard to control in that they sometimes have a mind of their own (no matter how careful you are). I cannot afford to remake 54 toothed gears. I don't mind spending the time to make the parts, but I need good results to make my work worthwhile.

Another problem is that it is raining almost every day. I can't work in the shed with the lawn mower and several other goodies in the way. I really need the sun to shine, so I can make room in the shed to work. The rain causes other problems too; it makes the grass grow out of control. Lately we have been cutting it twice a week. If the lawn mower is running then the scroll saw and assorted tools aren't.

Later today we are going bowling. While I am out I can get the brad point drills and maybe try to find some better plywood. Although I like the look of the oak gears, I also realize that the solid wood breaks easily. Not a good thing for gears.

Well this thread is labeled trial & error. Both have occurred yesterday!

[Hobbyhorse]

Rick, Cayton Boyer describes clockmaking as a masochists hobby and I tend to agree with him. The verge and foliot movement that I built sat partially completed for about 12 months at one point before I decided that I would not let the confounded thing beat me....stick with it!!

Rhys

[KtownScroller]

Originally Posted by Hobbyhorse

Rick, Cayton Boyer describes clockmaking as a masochists hobby and I tend to agree with him. The verge and foliot movement that I built sat partially completed for about 12 months at one point before I decided that I would not let the confounded thing beat me....stick with it!!

Rhys

This clock will not beat me either. I hope.

Thanks for the boost!

[jigsue]

Rick

Way to go!!! I am loving this post. A wooden-geared clock is on my "when retired" list. Please don't give up, I need the inspiration. You really are doing great so far.

Good luck

Sue

[KtownScroller]

Today it finally stopped raining... for a whole three hours!!! At least I did get some work done.

I made a couple of fixtures/jigs with some 3/4" Poplar. The new old saw is just wonderful.

I had a brainstorm over night and thought about the problems that I encountered on Sunday afternoon with the brass pin gear. Hence the creation of two new basic fixtures/jigs for the band saw and drill press. Also of great help was the addition of a new set of brad point drills.

Pic. 1 - I glued the pattern to the plywood blanks.

Pic. 2 - Rough cut the blanks into a circle on the band saw.

Pic. 3 - Finish sand the gear blanks to size on the drill press.

Pic. 4, 5, & 6 - Drill the 3/16" brass pin holes using the new fixture/jig.
(I spun the gear blank into position and drilled each hole. This method is so accurate that I could place the gear blanks on top of each other and line up the 12 brass pin holes.) Now this is what I call progress!

Unfortunately, lunch break came followed by the rains, SO I will not be able to work on finishing the gear for the next day or two. Oh well, this is how it goes. Seventeen days have gone by this month and fourteen days it has rained. UNBELIEVABLE!!!

[Haggard3230]

That is a pretty good idea Rick. I made something similar to that for my road grader wheels.