Looking for a beginners project

Hi

Went to workshop/ garage today to finish a couple of bits and pieces, looking to start with my next project.....

Unfortunately there is no more space to build another bike, so the boxes of bits are just going to have to stay as they are,thinking what to do until I can sort more storage space where I can get the bikes out to use, Ive always wanted to build a clock, the mechanisms have always fascinated me, but I have very little knowledge of how they actually work, so, can you please recommend somewhere to start, I know many of you will advise me to watch watch youtube videos, but for various reasons I have a complete aversion to that type of media, so a good book would be ideal.

Also what tools would I be likely to need, unfortunately dont have a milling machine but have a milling attachment for my lathe

Workshop Practice series No 33. Stan Bray’s clock book.

Buy a old cheap mechanic clock on the auction sites, strip it down and put it back together ,take photos of each stage when taking apart.

I've brought a Setright bus ticket machine ,I am taking it apart taking photos, as there's no manual.

Bob

+1 for the clock strip/rebuild

The once-popular Napoleon’s Hat mantel clock is an ideal mechanism to investigate.

MichaelG.

Search Google on the 'Dark lady' clock. Well documented build with the use of basic tools (+ instructions how to make the few specialised bits you won't have).

Succesfully built by many people over the years apparently.

regards

I can heartily recommend Colin Thorne’s book Clockmaking for the Model Engineer as an excellent inexpensive beginner’s guide. This also incudes a simple clock design. Next step up would be Colin’s Simple Skeleton Clock, The book and the plans for the skeleton clock are available from Ian Cobb’s comprehensive website Clockmaking-brass. co.uk.

hth

Mike

If you go this route be careful of the springs. I would suggest for a first attempt, if you can find a time only weight driven clock it would possibly be a better starting point.

Could some of these wooden clock plans be converted to metal

Just rebuilt the pull starter on the strimmer, so wary of springs, ordered a copy of colin thornes book so looking forward to reading that, the wife likes auctions, so will set her a mission to find a cheap napoleon hat mantle clock, although that may be a bad idea, where would I put half a dozen longcase clocks?

Paul. A napoleon's hat clock is not a loncase. Also as they are usually striking or chiming clocks, I would look for a plain clock ( no strike or chime ) for a beginners progect

Roy

.

I recommended the Napoleon’Hat [sorry, I forgot to mention striking version preferred over chimes] simply because it has a ‘Goldilocks’ sort of size, and is available dead-or-alive at realistic prices. Most are mass-produced items and there is much to be learned by simply dismantling and rebuilding one.

This was, I thought, exactly the point at which Paul wished to enter the fray.

It’s what I did, on the introductory ‘evening classes’ at Stevenage College several decades ago.

Opinions obviously vary … That’s fine.

MichaelG.

I think the mention of longcase clocks was a warning that his wife might overstep the parameters of the auction search for a napleons hat clock mechanism.

regards

I realise napoleon hat clocks are not longcase , but if I sent my wife to buy a clock she would probably get "overenthusiastic " and come home with a half dozen longcase clocks. Once was watching an online auction where three motorcycle projects were up for sale was interested in buying 1 of them, liked the potential of all three, but only wanted to buy 1 I hadnt a real preference just depended on the price they went for, discussed it with her as we would have to pick it up from around 200 miles away and as it happened won the first one , thinking that was that, told my wife and said I was going for a cup of tea, did she want one, came back with the teas and shes sitting at the computer, watching this auction or so I thought, gave her her tea and she said "we got them".She'd bid on the other two as they were going for less than I had thought I would have paid. Just writing this realized the last bike I finished was the BSA A65 she bid on. Got its MOT next week, so looking forward to that, before anyone says anything I realize that as a historic vehicle it may not need one but prefer to get it checked just in case I missed something.

If there was anything like evening classes for this would be more than willing to take part but living where I do and with the scales of budget cuts we have had the nearest colleges offering any kind of courses , let alone anything interesting are well out of sensible travelling distance.

We had another thread on here a month or two back advising on a beginners clock project......
So first project is to learn to search this forum using the search engine on the home page not the one above.

Here’s a challenging, perhaps not new idea put to me years ago. Understandably, it may also attract protests from certain members, but that’s the fun that often transpires in this forum.

The idea is to rummage around for an old, relatively simple (spring-driven?) clock (or just the mechanism), that is essentially complete. If repairs are needed this might be a bonus.

Strip the mechanism having first noted (photographed) essential details such as the order of the wheels and pinions. Leave aside the plates, these will provide a guiding template for the pivot centres. Keep any other items such as pillars etc. that might still have a use.

In their correct order, rearrange the wheel/pinion train in a vertical stack. Taking advantage of transparency, I’d suggest using thin clear acrylic as temporary plates.

This is where the real challenge begins. Drawing the scrolling along the lines of something like this ...

Plates from John Stevens Skeleton Clock design. 

I can see this becoming quite a fascinating and lengthy project, with lots to learn and ample opportunity for ‘sculpting’ the front and back plates.

As a footnote, I did take steps towards making a miniature ‘replica’ of my version of John Stevens skeleton clock. Without an in-depth investigation, I simply bought an old alarm clock from the local op-shop. When I opened it, I discovered that the main spring was not captive.

Would I do it to this Wehlen mechanism?

Never! That would be vandalism.

Good luck Paul

Sam

Edited By Sam Stones on 09/08/2023 22:17:12

I too am looking for my next project and the Dark Lady clock mentioned by Mike Hurley above seemed like a good first clock project for me and as a bonus Mrs Jim Nic was attracted to it too. I found the clock designers website where the plans should be available but straight away things looked awry. The site included some information about the clock and the designer's blog but the latest entry was dated Oct 2014. There was a contact address ([email protected]) but there was no response to my e-mail enquiring about Dark Lady.

Does anyone here know if Dark Lady is currently available and a useful contact address.

Fingers crossed

Jim

You may already have reached this point Paul (& Jim). However, my search took me first to John Carruthers …

**LINK**

Then a reference to Model Engineer !!! c.2016

**LINK**

This led me to John’s thread for the Dark Lady …

**LINK**

Beware - there are nine (9) pages of posts from 1st May 2026 until 12th May 2017. I haven’t been through them.

Continuing on there was this …

**LINK**

with a nice picture of the clock

A quick video of the build. [1:38] can be found here …

**LINK**

Good luck,

Sam 

Not so sunny Melbourne

Edited By Sam Stones on 11/08/2023 21:26:39

Thank you for those links Sam. Some I had already seen and some were new to me, especially the lengthy description of the build and subsequent snag chasing by John Carruthers and John Silver. I am now keener than ever to give it a go but still have not had a reply to my enquiry from the designer. I note that the build log thread mentioned that e-mail communication between John Silver and the designer ceased in 2017.

I fear that getting a copy of the drawings and build book is now not possible. If this is the case I shall probably look for a similar clock design to have a go at.

Jim

You are most welcome Jim. Thanks for your response too.

As a one clock 'expert', I can see from your profile and albums that making and building a clock is well within your capability. Perhaps I should drop you a separate line?

Cheers,

Sam