More bits of the skeleton clock

I have posted three more pictures of my skeleton clock, as I work through towards completetion. These show a simple progression of assembly.

See album CLOCK - 4

Here are more parts for the skeleton clock.

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your valued comments which I will certainly bear in mind. They should also be of great value to others who are into fine work, and need a long-lasting source of slippery stuff.

In reality, it is too long ago to actually remember what I used to lubricate the clock. It could easily have been WD 40, or anything else to hand the first time I assembled the working parts and gave them a spin.

In hindsight, having done so much work on the clock the first time around (about two and a half years in total), I now see that I was also easily discouraged by several negative influences.

For example, an antique dealer suggested that the designer was `wrong’ in producing such a design and that I should convert the clock into a pendulum timepiece. His reason was that pendulums are an easier option when compared with a balance wheel and lever escapement. As a rank beginner I knew no better, but realise now that this was good advice. However, in my opinion, it would have been a mistake to alter anything, since the beauty of this clock is the elegant shape and the animation of the horizontal balance and escapement mechanism.

I wasn’t completely happy with the `scape pallet geometry either, which left me with further doubts about the success of the clock’s performance. Recent measurements and restructuring in CAD suggest that I may have to remake the escapement pallet. The swing of the actual lever is only about 12 to 13 degrees in total, whereas the pallet geometry is derived from a 15 degree swing. In redrawing the pallets, I’ve introduced my own angles for the impulse and locking faces. The results do however, appear to generate too much `drop’ at each impulse, and may even transfer less `energy’ than the original design. We’ll have to see!

Another issue was that the clock was incomplete anyway, lacking the essential balance spring (see my other `clock’ postings about bi-metallic balance wheels and springs). So the clock sat doing nothing other than being brought out from its place of rest as a talking piece among friends over dinner. I did win 1^st prize of $100 in a company competition, and before the tarnish really set in. I must mention here that the brass bar I bought for the fusee had an inclusion through its length. This only appeared months after cutting and polishing the fusee. I’ll have a photograph to show when I get around to cleaning this particular part, and with a bit more elbow grease, the inclusion may have been hidden.

In the interim, I intend to determine and locate the correct lubricant(s). The last time I did this in a Melbourne shop (c1975), the shop assistant tried to be smart with some inane comments about how many types of lubricant there were, etc. etc. In other words, I should have known what I wanted. He put me `right off’.

That’ll do for now.

Sam

Hi Norman,

Hi TerryD,

Thanks for your comments too! If only I didn’t let the file slip occasionally. I'm not as steady as I used to be. Mind you, using the magnifier helps a lot.

Regards to all,

Sam