Author Topic: Building Wildings Tower Clock  (Read 12505 times)

Offline raynerd

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Building Wildings Tower Clock
« on: November 22, 2018, 03:26:36 PM »
Hiya,
Not posted in ages. I’ve been busy with work, the kids and my house and just to keep my workshop cravings alive, I’ve been messing around buying small Cowells lathes over the last year but not really getting stuck into a project. Well, all house jobs are done, the house work is done, winter is drawing in and I’ve managed to tidy my workshop and get focused. I’m now building Wildings Tower Clock and a little way through.

So here is my progress so far. I know there will be lots of errors and improvements and as always, I post for hints, tips and of course encouragement. So here is part one to four..... progress so far....

Thanks for watching!

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2018, 03:27:01 PM »

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2018, 03:27:40 PM »

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2018, 03:28:12 PM »

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2018, 03:29:20 PM »

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2018, 07:59:38 AM »
My first error!!


Offline awemawson

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2018, 08:12:32 AM »
Bad luck Chris - wheel cutting can be a real test of concentration. My worst one was when foolishly I responded to a ringing telephone - I should just have let it ring !
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2018, 11:09:31 AM »
Yes, it was a killer. I felt sick and was storming around kicking things for a few minutes.

I was taking a video, run the cutter through the wheel, stopped the video, and spun the rotary table without withdrawing the cutter!! (Sure it didn’t do the cutter much good either).

Easy answer is not to do videos but I enjoy logging it - its part of the fun so I just need to focus more. However, it is a lot of focus for 120 teeth!!

I was more than impressed with the repair job. It looks good and solid and turned out better than expected! I’m just going to intentially keep a bit of meat on the wheel and not cross out too high up to the rim.

Chris


Offline philf

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2018, 12:57:30 PM »
Well fixed Chris - I can imagine how you felt! :doh:
Phil Fern
Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline millwright

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2018, 03:41:39 PM »
A nice save Chris, and a good vid as usual. :clap: :clap

John

Offline jb3cx

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2018, 04:50:23 AM »
First class repair chris.

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2018, 04:22:36 PM »
Thanks chaps. Wish I hadn't been stupid enough to need to repair it but I am pleased with how it turned outs.
I'm onto the ratchet wheel now.
Chris

Offline smiffy

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2018, 12:42:35 PM »
Which escarpment are you going to use?
When I built this clock I make the grasshopper . Its a  fiddle to make and get running but worth while the effort
Mike

Offline BillTodd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #13 on: December 04, 2018, 09:21:53 AM »
BTDT

Nice fix:-)

Why is the gear so thick?  is it really carrying a significant load?

Bill
Bill

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #14 on: December 10, 2018, 02:32:36 PM »
Sorry for missing the posts above...progress is slow as I’ve been busy with work.

Smiffy - now I know you’ve built this clock I’m going to be picking your brains!!! I’m going for the grasshopper. Did you get it running ok and is it still running? Any pics?

BillTodd - yes, it has a significant load on it as it carry’s the main weights.


Progress has been slow as I only managed a few evenings this last 7 days... but 8 cut the ratchet wheel:


Offline smiffy

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2018, 06:05:10 AM »
It is over 10 years ago that I built the clock . I did get it running but never installed it anywhere due to moving house some 5 years ago .It has sat in a box since then waiting to be fitted somewhere .
The grasshopper requires very careful marking out and the pivot hole to pallet anchor face is critical , also the fitting of the pin and bushing holes for both arms to pivot on must be an exact fit . The adjusting screws could benefit from a small brass pad fitted to them as they are difficult to keep exactly in line with the grasshopper arms during adjustment .
To get the clock up and running again is on my to do list but watemills. vintage cars and numerous other projects seem to get in the way  plus I have some 20 other clocks taking up space in the house
Mike

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #16 on: December 11, 2018, 10:46:38 AM »
Cracking looking clock! I now know who to come to when I get stuck.

Did you cut your own bevel gears?

Chris

Offline smiffy

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #17 on: December 11, 2018, 12:32:24 PM »
Yes I did cut the bevel gears , as they will only be very lightly loaded I cut them with a parallel tooth form using a conventional gear cutter .As the area of contact is small it works fine .
From memory I think the hardest gears to make were the lantern pinions  . Initially I started by making them in one piece and drilling through from one end to insert the wire but this proved very difficult  as the drill would wander on trying to start the  hole in the second flange .
I eventually made a flange and center shaft  with a second flange reamed to be a press fit onto the onto the center shaft . Both flanges were pre drilled before assembly.
 Mike

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #18 on: December 11, 2018, 05:07:51 PM »
Nice work.

Question for you; on the click spring, the plans say to reduce the thickness of the spoon end to about half. Why, I don’t understand why this is needed?
Chris

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #19 on: December 12, 2018, 01:38:08 PM »
Second question.....For anyone who has built this clock or anyone with suggestions...the lantern pinions call for 54 gauge pivot wire. I can not buy this new. The only option I have is 1.3mm or 1.4mm. Marginally too small or too large. Anyone know a source of 54 gauge pivot steel or any thoughts on which you would go for...to big or small. My thought is smaller side to avoid binding?


Offline smiffy

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #21 on: December 12, 2018, 02:39:17 PM »
My Zeus gives no 54 as 1.4 and that is what I used . As far as I understand it, as a lantern pinion is only suitable to use as a driven gear the critic dimension is above the addendum so dimensions below the dedendum are less critical . I am not  a expert on gearing but that is how I understand it .
The other question about the click spring is to  lower  screw head so it can not catch and snag  on the line  .The same applies to the screw in the click
I used round head screws instead. This is mentioned in the book I have 
Mike

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #22 on: December 12, 2018, 04:01:18 PM »
Sorry sorry... I can get 1.3 or 1.5mm not 1.4!! You are obsolutrly correct,  54 gauge is 1.397mm
I’ve been to Ian Cobb who can source everything and he can’t get 1.4mm...

So question back again. 1.3 or 1.5mm? I appreciate your mention about above the addendum being critical and I agree but isn’t this a worry as that suggests the diameter is the critical bit?

Offline smiffy

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #23 on: December 12, 2018, 04:29:47 PM »
I doubt if using either size would make much difference .By there very essence lantern pinons are more forgiving to a fairly wide tolerance range than a conventional gear.   


Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #25 on: December 13, 2018, 05:29:58 PM »
Great find! Thank you. I’ve ordered.

Offline Chipist1

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #26 on: December 15, 2018, 06:11:51 AM »
How about using a drawplate?


Offline chipenter

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #27 on: December 15, 2018, 03:02:03 PM »
Pinion steel is hardened and tempered to a similar hardness to alan keys .
Jeff

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #28 on: February 03, 2019, 07:04:26 AM »
Slowwwww progress! I expected to be blasting this over Christmas...I ended up playing with the kids and then being ill!


Offline Blurbillon

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #29 on: February 05, 2019, 05:30:58 AM »
Nicely done so far.

A word of warning though, all the blue steel wire that I've bought has been very hit and miss. The sizes aren't super accurate and especially the hardness varies a lot. A few hundreths of a mm won't make any practical difference in a clock this size, but I'd be more worried about the heat treatment of the wire.

A lantern pinion won't be ideal no matter what you do, but it certainly is good enough. However it is important that the wheel tooth form is corrected and the depthing done properly to ensure as smooth engagement as possible.
My projects - www.blurbillon.com

Offline WeldingRod

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #30 on: February 05, 2019, 08:29:17 AM »
Have you thought about using drill blanks for your pinion wires?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk


Offline awemawson

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #31 on: February 05, 2019, 08:49:27 AM »
Have you thought about using drill blanks for your pinion wires?


And stupidly it is cheaper to buy the actual drills and use their shanks than buy specific drill blanks  :scratch:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline WeldingRod

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #32 on: February 05, 2019, 09:04:48 AM »
If your pinion is small enough that the shank works; I don't know how much you need.

https://www.mcmaster.com/2900a219 will get you a hardened and ground blank.  I don't see anything longer, though.  Sorry!

Offline smiffy

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #33 on: February 05, 2019, 01:18:38 PM »
Drill blanks are available here https://www.drill-service.co.uk/products/drills/drill-blanks/blk-hss-drill-blanks/


Another alternative and useful source of small size quality steel is sewing machine needles
                                                                                                                            Mike 

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #34 on: October 09, 2019, 05:38:33 PM »
A small delay...but a little progress


Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #35 on: October 09, 2019, 05:39:28 PM »

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #36 on: November 19, 2023, 08:27:20 PM »
Well that was a long break - nearly four years! My wife opened a shop and with two small children as well, I ended up with no time at all for my workshop. The shop closed in summer (which is a very positive thing believe it or not!) and so I’ve been getting back into the workshop on a regular basis. I’ve finally finished reorganising and tidying (the shop stock and machining quite literally took over my workshop!) and I’ve now restarted the clock.
I’m enthusiastic and have my old spark back for machining. Hopefully there will be more updates as I intend to really push on this coming winter.
In this Part 10, I’ve drilled the frame for the main wheel and barrel arbor, made the bushes and fitted them to the frame.

Building a Tower Clock - pt10 Main Wheel Bushes and Fitting the Main Wheel Arbor


Offline philf

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #37 on: November 20, 2023, 04:38:22 AM »
Welcome back Chris!
Phil Fern
Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline Joules

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #38 on: November 20, 2023, 05:07:01 AM »
Never mind the clock and the rest of lifes BS, it's just nice to see you back Chris.
Honour your mentors, and pay it forward.

Offline vtsteam

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #39 on: November 20, 2023, 10:15:47 AM »
Hi Chris!  :wave:
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sDubB0-REg

Offline BillTodd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #40 on: November 20, 2023, 12:13:14 PM »
Sometimes a break is good for productivity....

that's my excuse ;-)

Bill

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #41 on: November 20, 2023, 04:06:38 PM »
Thanks a lot PhilF, Joules, BillTodd and vtsteam!

Nice to see some of the old names still posting on here. Glad to be back and glad to be more relaxed and doing what I enjoy. I’m still rubbish and learning as I go but it’s all good fun! I’ve just build a new World of Ward rotary divider module so I’ll post about that when I get chance.

Chris

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #42 on: November 26, 2023, 05:10:12 PM »
I decided to go ahead with the CNC machine to cut the flat stock parts. So whilst I was on the machine I drew up quite a few and got them all done. I used v-carve to draw the parts which took a long time for me - probably others would have done this much faster. Many of the holes are cut for location and I’ll cut these to size later. I ended up doing the pendulum support brackets, quadrantal plate, back cock and bearing cocks.
I’ll move to working on the bearing cocks next, turn the bearing bushes and make some of the arbours. Quite a bit to do to make the next instalment I expect. Thanks for watching:

i=jrvYx0tgpzpSxit2


Offline philf

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #43 on: November 26, 2023, 05:42:13 PM »
When did you get that CNC Chris?

I use Vectric Cut 2D for parts like that - drawn first in 2d in Autocad.

Did you leave a small (0.1 or 0.2mm) cut to finish the edges? Cut 2D lets you leave whatever you like for a final cut. You tend to get a really nice finish with a climb-cut clean-up cut.
Phil Fern
Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #44 on: November 28, 2023, 12:52:47 PM »
Hi Phil

No - that would be an excellent plan. I’ll check but I'm not sure how I’d do that in v-carve other than generate separate vectors to follow and account for the finishing cut in the measurements.

What cutter do you use on brass. I’ve realised that picking the appropriate cutter is more than half the battle. I used a single cut 4mm cutter for most of the work and it ended up with a half decent finish but it will need hand polishing. The finish is better than I expected. It’s quite a big CNC machine and didn’t expect it to cut as well as it did. Most of the work I’ve been doing on it was plastic over covid. We purchased it then when my wife was struggling with her work and it paid off at the time. Now it’s just another tool in my workshop. Although in a small workshop it does take up a lot of space but I wouldn’t be without it. Are you still using the converted machine / was it a pantograph? I knew it blew me away when you used it to cut those wheel cutter profiles!


For anyone who has built this clock, @smiffy or anyone else. Have you any pictures of the back of this clock, the pendulum assembly and back cock, crutch? I appreciate it’ll be against the wall but any pics would be really helpful even at an angle if it is against the wall and you can’t get directly behind it.


Thanks a lot
Chris 


Offline philf

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #45 on: November 28, 2023, 02:40:00 PM »
Hi Chris,

In Cut 2D there's an Allowance Offset setting which will leave whatever you enter for a final cut. Or there is a Do A Separate Last Pass setting which does more or less the same thing but (bizarrely) doesn't work with lead-ins and lead-outs. (I queried this with Vectric and they did try to explain why but I couldn't for the life of me understand their reasoning.)

The lead-ins and outs mean that you don't get a witness mark where the tool plunges into the work.

So I leave an Allowance Offset of say 0.1 or 0.2mm and then do another toolpath with zero Allowance Offset.

With free cutting brass you may ne better with straight fluted cutters. I haven't got any except for woodworking router cutters.

Yes - I'm still using the converted pantograph engraver. I'll be doing some engraving of badges and trophies for our cycling club in the next week or so. Over the years I've saved them £100s.

Phil.

Phil Fern
Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline smiffy

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #46 on: November 29, 2023, 03:07:08 PM »
A few pictures of my Wildings turret clock

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #47 on: December 03, 2023, 07:28:39 PM »
Thank you so much for the pictures! Really helpful.

Another question for you. Is the lantern pinion on the 2nd wheel arbor fixed on with loctite. I presume so as I can’t see how else it’s attached and I’ve read the book countless times. I’m certain it must say it somewhere but I’m missing it!
Chris

Offline raynerd

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Re: Building Wildings Tower Clock
« Reply #48 on: December 08, 2023, 07:50:38 AM »
Afternoon all, I’ve just been working on the lantern pinion and 2nd arbor:

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