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Clocks
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Serpentine by Jeff Schierenbeck |
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I have always been fasinated by mechanical items, but particularly clocks, until
now I never had the time to do anything about it.
The picture, left, is my first homebuilt clock and my first scrollsaw project.
It started life when I decided to search for a clock kit, at the time I did
not know that wooden geared clocks still existed, using Google I came across
Jeff of www.wooden-gear-clocks.com,
Jeff has lots of versions of his clock designs for sale, which cover a fully
buillt clock to a set of paper plans.
I decided to purchase a plan and gear set. This came complete with the nylon bushs
and some really good build instructions, making this a very easy clock to build,
provided you are accurate when cutting and drilling the front a rear frame so
that all the arbours are at right angles to the frame.
I admit I had two attempts to get the frame right. Something else I learnt is that
the normal ply one buys in the UK is awfull stuff and makes life difficult.
The lazer cut gears are really superb and work out of the box with minimal
sanding or adjustment.
I liked the look of one of Jeff's customers clocks made in multi coloured
perspex (right), so I decided to try a stained version made of wood. I purchased a a 12
pack of tester pots of solvent based stain from eBay. I have plenty left over
for many more clocks!
Maybe I will create my first Youtube video! |
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Inclination by Clayton Boyer
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My next clock is a design by Clayton Boyer
www.lisaboyer.com/Claytonsite/Claytonsite1.htm
called Inclination, pictures on the left and right also see the video below by
Adrian Iredale of his Inclination
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I have decided to build all of the gear wheels in solid hardwood rather than
ply, partly because when I built my Serpentine clock I found it qute difficult
to buy good quality 1/4" and 1/2" ply.
I will be using some wood I had left over from a conservatory I constructed many
years ago, this was in the form of a 6" x 2" x 8' plank, I cut this down in a
table saw, unfortunately I had to take two bites to give the depth of cut I
needed. This left me with some lengths of 1/4" and 1/2" mahogany, which was very
rough.
I don't currently own a Planer/Thicknesser, one day maybe, so I had to sand
these planks flat on a loaned belt sander (thanks John).
The plan was to then cut 600 segments which will then be glued
together to form a hexagon from which I will then cut a gear wheel.
I do not know what wood I will use for the frame, but I would like to find a
light hardwood to contrast with the mahogany, possibly Light Oak or Maple.
My intention is to create a few pages showing the build of my clock just as
soon as its warm enough to get back into my workshop!
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Own Design Clock
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I must be bonkers or just not right in the head, but I am already starting to
think about designing my own clock.
I have decided to use CAD software to achieve this, despite never having used
CAD before. I have installed Alibre designs free Express version on my PC, but
so far I am not skilled enough to draw new gear wheels, so I found another piece
of software that will draw a wheel given a few parameters then export to a .dxf
file and import this into Alibre, so far it works really well.
Again I will create some pages showing how I get on.
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