# Clock - WIP



## Harbo (27 Apr 2009)

I know this is not strictly woodworking (it will have a wooden base!  ) but a few other members said I should post it.







It is a Beginners Clock I am making (on "rainy days") using my tiny S/H Unimat 3 Lathe - it came with a set of clock wheel cutters, so it seemed a shame not to put them to use? All cut from brass sheet.

Wheels still to be cut out for spokes, filed, burnished, polished etc - the red is red oxide paint to allow the marking out. 

Rod


----------



## John. B (27 Apr 2009)

That looks really interesting. :lol: more WIP as you go along please.
particularly how you cut the wheels and how you polish them.

John. B


----------



## hog&amp;bodge (27 Apr 2009)

This should be an interesting build will keep my eye on this one..
Have you any drawings of the case yet Harbo.. :?:


----------



## Rich (27 Apr 2009)

If it's not a rude question, Rod, how much did the kit cost and where from?

Regards,

Rich.


----------



## Harbo (27 Apr 2009)

Here's some pics of a clock wheel being cut:











The big perforated wheel at one end is a Dividing Plate I borrowed from a friend. It's drilled with a series of holes for different teeth numbers - one hole per tooth. The detent pin system I made myself.
The cutting wheel runs at 4000rpm and the holding mandrels I made.
That's the great thing about a metal working lathe - you can make all sorts of bits?
The milling head is supported on the cross slide and the depth of cut (0.048") checked by the dial gauge. 
That wheel has 96 teeth!!

It's not from a kit but based on a series of articles in the Model Engineer by John Parslow published last year. It is supposed to be simple? to make and can be made on a small lathe like the Unimat.
Not a quick project but interesting?

Rod


----------



## John. B (28 Apr 2009)

That's brilliant, Harbo
what sort of motor does the milling head have, is it variable?
I've got one of these, a Chester DB7 and at the moment trying to work out a way of fitting a milling head. (If I can)
With a milling head like yours I could then shape deep hollowing tool tips.


----------



## Harbo (28 Apr 2009)

It's the standard Emco Unimat 3 unit which came with my lathe.
It is the same type of motor that powers the lathe bed.
It has two electronic speeds but lots of pulleys to give range from 250? to 4000rpm. Only 90watts and belt driven so cannot take big bites!
You occasionally see them on Ebay and I think the new Unimat 4 milling attachment fits (Chronos & others sell them)?
The great thing about it is that it can be mounted either on the lathe bed or on the cross slide - giving more options.
A friend bought a small Brook Crompton motor (180watts) from Ebay for about £20 to power some auxiliary stuff on his Myford - I have seen them sold with Unimats. Replacement Emco motors go for about £165 or so Martin King tells me!

Rod


----------



## Night Train (28 Apr 2009)

This is very interesting. I'll look forward to the photos as work progeresses.

I still fancy an engineering lathe and a mill to do some model engineering but it is a bit low in the priorities right now.


----------



## wizer (28 Apr 2009)

Watching with interest Rod

There's something about metal working lathes which really interests me. I just don't know what I'd make with one :lol:


----------



## TheTiddles (29 Apr 2009)

wizer":39rpz1n1 said:


> Watching with interest Rod
> 
> There's something about metal working lathes which really interests me. I just don't know what I'd make with one :lol:



...but you're going to buy one anyway Tom?

Aidan


----------



## wizer (29 Apr 2009)

of course Aidan. Then i'm going to sell it in 6months time at a massive loss. You know the drill....


----------



## Digit (29 Apr 2009)

Let me know when you're ready to sell wizer! :lol: 

Roy.


----------



## wizer (30 Apr 2009)

Rod I just came across this on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86-xKFbd ... =rec-HM-r2

Amazing to see what's happening when you turn metal.


----------



## Harbo (30 Apr 2009)

Wow that's a clever bit of filming if it's not CG?

I originally bought my lathe to be able to make fittings for repairing tools etc. All sorts of stuff and tools can be made on one - e.g. Newt's scratch stock.
I went for a Unimat because it is small and the Mark 3 and earlier ones were made in Austria and have a good reputation - the new (Chinese) Mk 4 bits will fit, so no shortage of extras. And there's always some for sale on Ebay.

I was very fortunate in that mine came with lots of extras including the milling attachment and extra motor. It was also a local pick-up and the previous (deceased) owner used to make clocks - so it came with lots of other bits including 3 clock wheel cutters. These now cost £65 each, so it seemed a shame not to use them?  
My friend and neighbour who has a Myford 7 has been collecting tools for clock making for about 20 years but has never actually made one!
He has lots of books on the subject and the article on the Beginners Clock.
I have triggered him into action and we are both jointly making a much larger Skeleton Clock on his Myford - it's just as easy to cut several wheels at once as just the one.
If you look on Ebay you will see lots of tiny Watchmakers lathes - most of the work being done with a hand held graver on a tool rest - just like woodturning!! - amazing?

Rod


----------



## wizer (30 Apr 2009)

yeh very clever. One day I think. I like the idea of making tools. I'm just getting into a bit of that. I'd like to make up some custom tool handles with replaceable collets. We do have access to metal lathes at our woodturning club so that's a sure way to get me infected


----------



## Harbo (13 Jun 2009)

Here's a bit of an update though very slow progress:











To the left is the Mainspring barrel (bottom photo partially assembled).
The other shiny piece is the ratchet wheel (spring winding) with square hole still to be filed. Escapement wheel to its right with 3 No. 10BA holes drilled for securing collets (the acrylic is a jig made to align holes). 10BA screw shown.
Spokes marked out and holes drilled ready for cutting out with Piercing Saw (Hegner in my case) - not looking forward to that!
Then they have to be filed, burnished and polished!!
If it was going into a competition the screws would have to be machined again (even the flats on nuts), polished then blued - madness!

Rod


----------



## craynerd (1 Nov 2012)

Hello there....I do appreciate this has been 2 years since a last post but I was wondering if anyone knew if this had been finished or even Harbo was still about and could give us an update. 
I`ve just registered as I`m very interested in this clock! I know this is mainly woodworking forum, but I`m into clocks and metalworking having just finished Woodwards gearless clock - raynerd dot co dot uk (new memeber can`t post direct link presume for spam reasons)

Hope this was finished. I`ve just ordered the book and hope it to be my next project!
Chris


----------



## Harbo (1 Nov 2012)

Still here but slow progress


----------



## craynerd (2 Nov 2012)

Wow, thank you for the update! 

I think your latest pictures have answered my question. I was going to ask if you have made your own wheel cutters but since they have many points, I presume they are commercial wheel and pinion cutters. What are they, pp thornton?

Despite my massive interest in clocks, I still feel reluctant to spend £80+ on one cutter and am determined to make my own cutters! That said, ater several attempts I`m still struggling form anything useful! 

What is your overall pinion cutting setup? 

I ordered the book from Ian Cobb yesterday so I`m just waiting for it to arrive now! 

Chris


----------



## craynerd (2 Nov 2012)

Just another question (sorry, lots asked)... what are the two files (?) shown in the picture of the wheels being crossed out.


----------



## Harbo (2 Nov 2012)

The gear cutters are Thorntons - I was lucky they came with the Unimat.
It maybe worth considering buying ready cut pinions and wheel blanks from Ian Cobb because I think you need 3 different cutters?

Here's a pic of the overall pinion cutting using a dial gauge on the cross slide to check depth of cut:







Here's a filing rest I made to file the tiny flats on the Minute Hand/Hour Hand Bush:











This is two tubes - one inside the other and when made up gives this train (hands not connected yet)






The two files are in fact scraper/burnisher for polishing the brass.

Good luck

Rod


----------



## craynerd (2 Nov 2012)

Hi Rod... thanks for the info.

QUOTE: "It maybe worth considering buying ready cut pinions and wheel blanks from Ian Cobb because I think you need 3 different cutters?"

I couldn`t live with myself if I did that!! I`ll get there, even if I end up filing them to shape!!! 

Chris


----------



## PeterBassett (5 Nov 2012)

Definitely would like to see more of this project Harbo.


----------



## brianhabby (11 Nov 2012)

I've just watched a video, loaned me by a friend, that is a profile of watch casemaker Martin Mathews. I wasn't sure I was that interested until I started watching but it's a fascinating look at this dying trade/skill. If you get the chance to watch this then you should do so. 

Check this link:

http://www.bdvideos.co.uk/horology.html

regards 

Brian


----------

