Member postings for jaCK Hobson

It seems to me that there is a lot to learn about clock design. I wanted to join a clock-making course but was advised that due to my lack of experience it would be very likely that I would be dissapointed with my choice of design by the time I finished the clock. I've been on weekly evening class since and after a couple of years I can appreciate the advice... I still know very little about clocks compared to what there is to learn.

Trying to design the perfect clock for the first build would be ambitious. I'm not convinced that is Jame's intention. A bit more about the ambitions would help focus advice: Maybe either talk of Robin and remontoire is going a bit far, or if not, then we should be talking about all the other devices used in horology to improve reliable time keeping.

Maybe a good approach would be to find a pre-existing design with detailed build guide and them maybe make some personal adjustments.

One thing to consider with the current design: a fusee on the drive will greatly extend the winding period which may be just as an important reason for introduction of fusees generally.

Thank you so much for the review. I think at least one other member here drove 140 miles and wasn't dissapointed. Albert Hindsight suggests to me that maybe I could have made a little more of the event myself but it met and exceeded all my expectations.

Sorry I didn't get to knowingly meet any of you - as Bob said, the environment was immediately inviting and engaging and anyone who made it through the front door just got sucked into the atmosphere.

In case I did meet anyone - I was sometimes on the straight line machine. I'm not going to tell people where to get on even when I find out... as I want one myself. If you want a go, then we can arrange a days course (at Soper Hall) for a small fee to give introductory instruction - drop me PM anyone interested.

Thanks for a great day.

Jack

Thanks for this. Just saved me from buying a set of 4mm I don't know how long I can hold out.

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 03/04/2016 10:02:30

I think your fish scaling is scraping, as capnahab suggests.As you say, the bump flakiing is a pattern advised for retaining oil. I've had a go at scraping to get surfaces flat and this leaves a pattern more like mother of perl.

There are lots of good resources online including a whole book on making maching tools accurate.

The pic comes from http://www.circuitousroot.com/artifice/machine-shop/surface-finishing/hand-scraping/

Some of the other terms get overused which makes it difficult to identify what someone means when they say damast or engine turning.

I personally reserve engine turning term for patterns cut into the surface on an engine turning lathe or a straight line machine. (Anyone who wants a go on a straight line machine can come to Soper Hall 9/4/2016 at the open day I've been spamming people with). The range of patterns is almost unlimited.

I use the term 'spotting' for the circular finish patterns made by abrasives - such as the rubber technique mentioned above. Snailing on wheels. Don't know what to call the finish that looks a bit line milling.

I avoid damast unless I want to enjoy an argument. It can mean any surface pattern that emulates the watered pattern on old sword. I prefer to use wootz partterns (contrast between different crystal structures within a singe metal composition) or pattern welding (contrast between layers of different metals).

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 03/04/2016 09:50:15

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 03/04/2016 09:51:20

I added a bit more info about some exhibitors and their websites here: http://slbbhi.co.uk/?page_id=1317

A good opportunity to discuss your first clock making project ;(

I read 'the lost science ... of harrison' by Laycock and came away with the conclusion that Harrisons prime concern for gear teeth was for the friction to be consistent in forward and reverse which allowed him to dismiss concern about recoil in the escapement design.

The book also shows in detail the problem with depthing errors, as suggested in the excellent linked page above, and further suggests that the usual depthng technique tends to introduce depthing errors (when driven forward, gears tend to feel better at slightly larger depth distance than therory).

I may have remembered that wrong.

I'm actually getting excited about this - just hope I have a chance to see everything.

If anyone from here comes along then ask for me and I'll make sure you get looked after.

The answer is probably 'the last one I watched'.

Someone linked to his scraping video for the 'making an accurate vice' thread but I think these are all so good they deserve a special mention in Online Resources.

https://www.youtube.com/user/dgelbart/videos

I wish I was Dan. I want a waterjet - and all the other tools he has at his disposal. So far, I have found something new in every video. I think the one that opened my mind the most, so far, is Flexures.

Yesterday, I mowed the lawn. A quick squirt of Cold Start was required. I take that risk once a year. First 20 minutes was cleaning up after a winter of dog and flushing the rubbish down the drain - yuk.

I had my eye on that. I hope it is as good as it looks.

You should be able to anneal. The current 'heat treat' may be largely a side effect of the forging and welding processes.

Once annealed, sawing and filing should be straightforward. No idea how it will behave on the lathe.

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 09/03/2016 08:37:29

I had good experience with Drives Direct, but probably 5 or more years ago. They have certainly been going a long time and have certainly sold a lot of inverters.

However, now, if I need an inverter, I take a risk on a second hand one from ebay. So far I'm up on the deal.

I hope this will be an engaging event for engineers. Two good sized halls filled with practical demonstrations (e.g. lathe work (turning a pivot staff), straight line engine turning, engraving), clocks, watches, musical boxes, turret clocks, tool sales, and information on training opportunities.

There will be interactive exhibits designed for younger visitors.

Just come and walk around for a while, or get involved in the exhibits, or talk to amateurs and professionals about clocks, watches, and associated engineering.

Free entry, free tea/coffee, 1 minute from Caterham train station. 10 mins by car north of J6 of M25.

The latest details are available on the SLBBHI (South London Branch British Horological Institue) here :

http://slbbhi.co.uk/?page_id=1317

Saturday 9th April 2016. 10am until 4pm at Soper Hall, Caterham (http://soperhall.org.uk/contact/)

I reckon there should be a good hours entertainment if you stay for a tea and have a go at engine turning or get instruction on how to use a hand-graver on the lathe.

Thoroughly deflated. Thanks

Ferric chloride is used to etch circuit boards and you can get it from Maplins. That is the accepted 'best' for etching patterns in metal.

You want a weak acid I think. Vinegar will do something. Lemon juice will reveal the pattern but may not etch deeply enough to preserve it for long. Some people claim coffee works.

The axe pic was private. It should have looked like this. Sorry.

There are different types of wrought iron and different qualities. Most stuff you find, particularly old railings, is probably puddled iron.

Some wrought can forge nicely, other examples will fall apart - cracking along seams. As an engineering material, mild steel probably has it beat for just about everything, except maybe corrosion resistance?

As an artistic material, it holds its place very well. I pick up rusty bits when I find it.

Here are some small hammers made with wrought I got from a rotten ship (the faces are 52100 and have been forge welded on). The pattern is revealed by etching in ferric chloride:

The end grain on that right hand hammer is spectacular. However, it doesn't always work out so well. I just spent a day making tiny draw pulls in wrought iron hoping they would look cool after and etch. This is all I got,

Here are a couple of bits I squashed last week at orange heat. You proabably want it screaming hot before forging this stuff. The big one is off the ship, the small one is a railing I found while walking the dog.

This was going to be my coolest axe ever. A wrought iron (railing) wrap with a carbon steel edge. So close, but it fell apart in the heat treat

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 01/01/2016 15:11:37

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 01/01/2016 15:21:22

Edited By jaCK Hobson on 01/01/2016 15:26:11

Makes me wonder if we are talking about the same stuff.

HSS is always very stiff under the hammer. Doing a neat job of bending the tip over could be a challenge.

Some people are better at skipping noise and tolerating. If you want to train yourself, spend some time on reddit or 4chan then come back here for a rest and focussed content.

If a post annoys you, re-read it and try to assume the best from the post. There have been obvious cases of people getting upset by misinterpretation of a posters intent i.e upset over nothing.