Have you ever wanted to make something with your own hands that will outlast you, perhaps by hundreds of years? How about something that will be passed on within your family for generations to come?
A mechanical clock is just such an item, and I have started to make my own from raw metal stock. Its a challenging project with many dozens of intricate parts to be made, and many special tools to be fabricated. I am making everything; the gears, dial, brass frames, even all of the washers and screws.
The entire process is being recorded in detail on video. Follow along with the construction progress at the Clickspring Youtube channel.
More info: youtu.be
The Chapter Ring
The etched brass chapter ring, with wax filled numerals, and a custom machined brass bezel.
Heat Blued Screws
Machined from raw steel, the screws were then heated over an open flame to give them a distinctive blue color.
Freshly Polished Pinion
Cut from steel, hardened and then polished to a mirror finish, the pinions mesh with the larger wheels.
The Large Main Wheel
The ornate 290 tooth wheel that is the center piece of the clock mechanism.
The Frames
Pierced from raw sheets of brass, the frames are the supporting structure for the clock.
The Pillars
Turned from brass rod on the lathe, the pillars separate the plates, and make the clock frame rigid and strong.
The Center Wheel
This wheel rotates once an hour. Watch a video of it being made at the Clickspring Youtube Channel.