Gear Depthing Tool

Edited By RJW on 05/04/2011 21:28:47

One of the reasons why clockmakers use depthing tools is the type of gear wheels used.

Firstly whilst Involutes are sometimes more often Epicycloids and Hypocycloids are preferred.

Secondly the clock gear wheels are very often much thinner than an engineer would use. In my English Regulator in the ‘going train’ they vary from 1/16” (1.6mm) to 3/16” (appx 4mm) wide. These wheels drive/are driven by pinions or in my case lantern wheels. A lantern wheel is two disks joined by round bars. In my case these bars also rotate in their brass disks and are held in place by hardened steel disks which acts as end stones

Edited By Richard Parsons on 07/04/2011 17:39:33

 

Edited By Mogens Kilde on 18/05/2011 15:27:29

Edited By Mogens Kilde on 18/05/2011 15:28:04

I did not want to upset anyone as you have beautiful depthing tool which would be great for clock repair as well as clockmaking however I did not want somebody thinking they need to buy or make a traditional depthing tool like yours to make a clock from scratch.
In most cases it is easier to make the pinion as separate item and then fit it to the arbor later (I use 601 Loctite retainer ). The reason being that you can cut more than one pinion at once and it is much easier to harden and temper the pinions if they are off the arbor.>>

I prefer lantern pinions on my clocks as I believe they offer lower friction but there are many that hold the reverse view so the only work in progress clock I have at the moment has lantern pinions.

Edited By Stephen Benson on 18/05/2011 16:47:12

Your vice mounting modification is a good idea - I may need to copy...

Edited By YouraT on 18/05/2011 17:02:41

Edited By YouraT on 18/05/2011 17:02:59

 

 Not any way near your standard though Morgens!!

 

 

Regards

 

Norman

Edited By NJH on 18/05/2011 19:16:15

Edited By NJH on 18/05/2011 19:17:38

Edited By NJH on 18/05/2011 19:18:04

Remember that in a clock the wheels are driving the pinions which is not how an engineer would design it but thats the way things are. Also remember that a lot of country clocks were made by the village blacksmith who by tradition wouldn't measure anything. Things were made to fit each other.

Roy