Author Topic: Turret clock  (Read 10307 times)

Offline smiffy

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Turret clock
« on: April 11, 2020, 05:49:32 PM »
Some years ago I started to build a turret clock as described  by J Wilding in one of his books .

This was interrupted by a house move and all manor of other things . So I thought it was about time that I finished it .

The work still be done was to make the pendulum and suspension and the right angle drive and motion work for the remote clock .

The clock is fairly small being about 16 inches by 8 inches and would drive a clock of 2 feet in diameter.
The clock is of straight forward construction using a combination of pinions on the as the driving gears and lantern pinions as the driven gears

I have fitted a Grasshopper escarpment

The maintaining work is by bolt and shutter
To place the winding handle on the winding shaft you first have to lift a interlock which has a small weight on it to drive the clock while power is removed due to the winding the main weight up

As the interlock is moved a short section of gear engages with the intermediate and provides power to the going train

This is enough to drive the clock for about 1 minuet 

  Mike

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2020, 05:56:32 PM »
The Grasshopper escarpment     


Offline philf

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2020, 04:52:42 AM »
Very nice Smiffy.

Fascinating to watch.

I think another MadModder,  Craynerd, is building the same clock.

Phil.
Phil Fern
Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2020, 05:14:17 PM »
The main work still to do is the gear drive and motion work for the remote dial .

 In most cases the main clock face would not be visible from the clock so there is a small clock face on the movement that is set the same as the main clock.
 This has a square drive on the input shaft which so can be turned to set both the small clock and main clock at the same time'
So there is no need to climb up to the main clock to set the time'
The drive  leaves the clock via adjustable bevel gears and a universal joint to another set of bevel gears which in turn drive the main clock .
 
I have made most of the clock parts and started cutting the motion work pinions and associated parts
 I cut what I can with a piecing saw a file to shape   
                                                                         Mike



Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2020, 05:41:03 PM »
Made some progress with the motion work for the main clock face .Except for the hands most of the machining work is now done.

All the small parts are very time consuming as except for the turned parts I cut and file by hand all the other parts .

The end of the minuet shaft has a 30 degree inclusive taper turned on it on to which the minuet hand flange is fitted
 
To save a lot of faffing about resetting the top slide for each part I bore the hole in the flange then to turn the shaft place the turning tool upside down and running the lathe in the same direction but with the tool behind the centre line .

This gives perfectly matching tapers  .

                                                   Mike


Offline awemawson

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2020, 05:44:47 PM »
Looking very good  Mike  :thumbup:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2020, 05:49:02 PM »
I was not happy with the escapement wheel so cut a new one and increased the the under cut from 10 to 15 degrees to make the lower pallet sit better onto the tooth
I do all the crossing out with a piercing saw and finish with a file which is very time consuming . I could do with a filing machine .
If I ever run out of projects I might make one but I do find hand filing very therapeutic.

I have also cut the main hands and finished the motion work . Just need to make a dial .

The clock is nearly finished and then I will have too find somewhere to put it ,maybe another shed as the house is full.
 

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2020, 06:00:57 PM »
The motion work and drive gear is all in place . Tomorrow I will take some different pictures of the complete clock as the ones I took tonight did not come out too well .

Offline russ57

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #8 on: April 20, 2020, 04:40:03 AM »





The clock is nearly finished and then I will have too find somewhere to put it ,maybe another shed as the house is full.

Perhaps the next project should be a turret...

-Russ


Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2020, 04:38:46 PM »
To build a clock tower will be my next project Russ.

Some years ago I obtained some oak to build a tower for a Clepsydra    https://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,11522.0.html

This is still an ongoing project .I did most of the frame but it has sat around waiting for me to pull my finger out.

The frame will be 8 feet square and 12 feet to the eaves and about 16 feet to the ridge
 
The main upright are 8 inch sq all the joints are mortise and tenon and held with oak pegs . The frame is 90 % finished .
The oak is not the best but it was cheap

I need to pour some concrete footings but due to the current situation the quarry where I usually buy ballast is closed as are most of our builders merchants.

I also have a full size turret clock which I originally intended to put in the tower so i might end up with 2 clocks
 

Offline awemawson

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2020, 04:48:35 PM »
Wickes are still delivering Jumbo bags of ballast - I had on the other days for the base of my external Oxy-Acetylene cage.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #11 on: April 20, 2020, 05:02:34 PM »
Thanks Andrew unfortunately we dont have a Wicks near here  Both my local Jewsons and Travis are only delivering to account customers  I normally buy from a local quarry at about £22.00 a ton if I collect . I have just looked on there web site  and it would seem that a local Tarmac quarry is still open .
If not as a last resort I could go to the next door farm where my son works and they have a section of disused railway .
The track balast is long gone but there is still some ballast there that is just about OK at a push 

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2020, 04:59:37 PM »
The local quarry is open again so collected 2tons of ballast and dug out and made 4 small footing for the clock tower.

Started to get the frame ready .I started this about 4 years ago and due to many other project it has sat around..

I have quite a lot of stone so I will try and build a small wall at the base of the tower .Some of the stone is carved and looks like part of a window frame

I was given a length of bronze line so fitted it to the clock and made a pulley from a old cast iron handle from a water valve and a bit of scrap brass

Offline awemawson

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2020, 05:13:00 PM »
That's going to keep you busy for a few days  :clap:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2020, 04:55:14 PM »
I have made one of the roof trusses today
All the wood that I have used to build the main frame was rejected  by the saw mill and I brought it as fire wood ,some of the quality  is not good but it is fine for this job . Tomorrow I hope to get the main frame up .but will need to find some more wood to finishes the  other roof truss and make some purlins .


Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #15 on: May 15, 2020, 03:22:08 PM »
Managed to make some progress with the clock tower after having lots of problems like my poor old tractors starter motor throwing a tantrum. Not that much of a problem in its self but removing it with the loader arms down is another story. 
And I used to work on tractors for a living .glad that I gave it all up

The main reason to build the tower is to house my turret clock and a water impulsed clock that has a 12 foot long pendulum

THe other reason is we have fine views over the Shropshire hills and Black mountains  but we need to be a little higher to see them over the hedge .
So the top part will have a platform where to partake of the view while consuming a glass of red wine and admiring the stunning sun sets we get at this time of year
Still got to build more of the roof and infill the wall
 I also  have a large bread oven to install at ground level

Offline awemawson

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2020, 03:36:55 PM »
Wow that's going to be a local landmark for navigation  :clap:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #17 on: May 15, 2020, 04:45:11 PM »
 Yes Andrew it is quite large .Fortunately it can not be seen from the road but it is 19 feet tall so a fair size .

I cut some oak dowels to hold the mortise and tenon joints together . These will be cut to length and tapered . I bore the hole in the tenon about 5mm towards the shoulder so when the dowel is hammered home it pulls the joint tight . As all the wood is only rough sawn all the joints are scribed   when all the dowels are in it should become a very ridge structure .
All the timber framed houses were built like this . No metal nails or fixings are used

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #18 on: July 09, 2020, 03:38:11 PM »
I did not like the tower where I first built it as it looked odd so moved it about 15 feet to a place where it fits in with some trees .
The main work is nearly finished I need to clad the walls .
 The 2 rear most walls I shall weather board as its cheap and quick to do . The infill for one side I will try and do in cleft chestnut
but I am having a problem to find suitable wood that is straight enough grained and long enough . The front I shall leave open at the moment .
The bread oven is in place and today  I fired it for the first time .
 The roof is western red cedar shingles
The next part will be to  install the clock . I am still going for a water implused free pendulum design similar to the one made by the Earl of Meath in 1906
 

Offline awemawson

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #19 on: July 09, 2020, 04:26:51 PM »
That's quite an undertaking Mike, and looking good - I thought that I was the only crazy person on this forum  :lol:

Will the clock chime when the food is ready  :clap:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline smiffy

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Re: Turret clock
« Reply #20 on: July 10, 2020, 05:13:17 PM »
Thanks Andrew but I think your undertakings are quiet a bit more complex than mine .

I tried to keep the construction of the frame as traditional as possible .It is all assembled with mortise and tenon joint and wooden pegs . The only steel fixings are 3 timberlok screws used in each roof truss.
The only problem with building a wooden frame that way is if you forget a piece it is impossible to add it later, and I should have fitted more braces

Tonight had pizza cooked in the oven but forgot to take any pictures, but the view from the upper deck was good