CNC Clock Build W.I.P.

[J-G]

Last week I responded to the thread asking if anyone was using CNC. The OP responded and suggested that W.I.P. could be interesting. I haven't done one previously and do understand that it might add to the time taken due to the need to take photo's and actually do a write-up.

I have however, done some groundwork and only yesterday made the first component - well a first attempt - so attached is a .PDF detailing how the project started and what has happened up to now.

Comments, Critique and Criticisms are all very welcome.

 

[Alpha-Dave]

Very interesting, thank you. As a basic CNC user I agree with you following points:
“Using CNC I’ve already found that it is wise to prepare the basic materials to closely prescribed dimensions and position the blanks accurately on the Router Table”. This setup stage is something that requires significant thought and preparation to get something right on the first try.

 

[J-G]

Second Installment attached. Not a great deal further forward as far as making components is concerned but a massive leap forward in understanding speeds/feeds & tooling.

 

[J-G]

Third - and probably last - installment attached. No, the project is no where near complete but there seems little interest with only 8 views of the second installment and only one comment from 103 views of the thread.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Somehow I managed a double post, so I will delete the text of this one and recycle it. Firstly, the level of precision here fills me with dread. I can't cut accurate mortices - I couldn't begin to understand how all these components fit together. Probably part of the facination is to look at something beyond my comprehension. The fact that you just drew all the parts required on the computer rather assumes you know clock mechanisms inside out. I view them as magic, because I have no idea how it all works.

I really don't want you to stop this WIP, but I am just not qualified to make any coherent comments. Would you mind if I just watch from afar, with much awe and monkey head scratching?

(Oh, and pdf no.3 appears to be identical to pdf no.2 - these things happen...)

 

[MikeG.]

Personally, I'd love to see images of the clock being made, but I'm not going to be opening PDFs. Why not just post photos like everyone else?

 

[Bod]

Photos would be good.

Bod

 

[J-G]

Thanks for that feedback MikeG - I did consider that the .PDF route might be a 'bridge too far' but the way I work is to write it up on-the-fly - that way I can report the 'issues' (read 'cock-ups') that come to light before I forget why they happened. I could try to turn the .PDF into a .PNG and see how that appears on the forum??? Another approach might be to 'copy and paste' the write-up text directly into a forum post and attach the images, though that may fall foul of the restriction on the number of attachments..... I'll do some tests..... It would also destroy the 'Graphic Design' but I can put up with that if it were considered more appealing and reach a wider audience.

@Trainee neophyte - you're too kind in your comments! Yes I have studied clock mechanisms ever since I became fascinated by seeing an Orrery when I was ~11 and being annoyed that it wasn't 'to scale' but I'm by no means proficient. There's nothing 'Magic' about the basic concepts of gear ratios and converting a pendulum swing of one second into a display of hours and minutes - it's just arithmetic.

As far as 'accuracy' is concerned, that is mostly down to being computer controlled. I doubt that I could make a good job of cutting a dovetail joint that would pass muster if I didn't have a suitable cutter for my milling machine I'll concede that a lifetime of thinking in terms of precision has a bearing though!

I've checked WIP-3.PDF by downloading it and it is the correct file - it's a single page whereas WIP-2 is 2 pages. Converting to .PNG I notice that I'd missed off the [Fig-N°]s so they've been added.

 

[J-G]

Well that looks 'OK' and I see that it can be viewed at an enlarged size so is still readable!

I've now converted the first two installments to .PNG (total 4 pages) so let's see if they are acceptable... They have all been attached so hopefully MikeG can see what's been done so far

 

[donwatson]

Thanks for this JG. I have downloaded but not had a look at the yet.
I am on this forum regularly and this is the first time I have seen this post. Can the moderators have any ideas on why it was not visible to me ? or am I just useless at using forums.
I will be back when I have had a look at the files.
Don W

 

[MikeG.]

Well, I can read that OK, and thanks for doing the conversion. I'm really not sure why you'd go to all the trouble with all the formatting and so on, rather than just write your text directly into the forum in a text box, inserting pictures at the appropriate places. It's the way everyone else does it.

 

[J-G]

You're welcome Mike. Creating a formatted page is natural to me as I've been accustomed to preparing text/images for Theatre Programmes and the like. As I've said, I write-up as and when I have a break from the workshop. Today I've added to a page at least 8 times over a period of 16 hours. I suppose that keeping a part completed post open all day wouldn't be a problem but with my current method I can at least [Save] the file as and when I go back to the real work

Installment 4 attached.

 

[Yojevol]

You're welcome Mike. Creating a formatted page is natural to me as I've been accustomed to preparing text/images for Theatre Programmes and the like. As I've said, I write-up as and when I have a break from the workshop. Today I've added to a page at least 8 times over a period of 16 hours. I suppose that keeping a part completed post open all day wouldn't be a problem but with my current method I can at least [Save] the file as and when I go back to the real work

Installment 4 attached.

When I do a lengthy post I compose it offline and simply copy and paste it into my post when complete.
I started this in the old system as I lost some work being unfamiliar with the Save Draft facility. The new software is much better. I tested it yesterday by starting a post then I shut everything down. I was pleased to find it still there after rebooting.
Brian

 

[J-G]

Thanks for that Brian. Much of my reticence is due to my lack of experience on the forum and my familiarity with CorelDRAW! - a bit 'old dog and new tricks' I suppose.

 

[Yojevol]

Thanks for that Brian. Much of my reticence is due to my lack of experience on the forum and my familiarity with CorelDRAW! - a bit 'old dog and new tricks' I suppose.

I know the feeling. Another good reason for posting directly into the system is that it makes life much easier for others to comment and ask questions which is a major aspect of the Forum.
Being a fellow traveller in the esoteric world of wooden clocks, with aspirations to go CNC, I might well be asking a few Q's myself.
Brian

 

[donwatson]

Thanks for the WIP JG. I understand some of the problems and fixes that you have encountered. This seems a very difficult operation to make wooden clocks and I think maybe the reason I had no great success. I will stay with this WIP as you seem capable of solving the majority of the problems I met.
Don W

 

[J-G]

Quite a bit done over the last two days -- well a lot of time spent but not a lot of product made, just fiddly small components, but the Pendulum Pivot has been proved to 'Swing'. Fifth installment (in two parts) attached as is a short Video.

 

[donwatson]

Thanks for these JG

 

[J-G]

I've finally beaten the Latch into submission so here is installment 6

 

[donwatson]

Thanks again JG