Building Wilding’s Tower Clock

[Chris Raynerd 2Participant @chrisraynerd2]

Evening, I am curious to know if anyone has built Wilding’s small tower clock. I’ve started this build and I’d really like to find someone who I can draw on for the odd bit of advice…I can see some bits coming up that I’m not clear about!

Anyway, I’m only onto the Frames but I’m making progress…

[Chris Raynerd 2Participant @chrisraynerd2]

[Chris Raynerd 2Participant @chrisraynerd2]

Not sure if the YouTube links work above..

**LINK**

**LINK**

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Your Video links all work fine Chris

I look forward to following this project.

MichaelG.

[Chris Raynerd 2Participant @chrisraynerd2]

 

Building a Tower Clock Pt. 3 – Pinning the frame

Pinning the frame. Visit http://www.raynerd.co.uk

 

Edited By Chris Raynerd 2 on 15/11/2018 20:47:01

[Chris Raynerd 2Participant @chrisraynerd2]

It’s been a little while since I posted on here and this project has been my slowest yet by far!

Here is the latest little vid. I’m no clickspring YouTuber 😂 but I like logging what I’ve done:

 

[Chris Raynerd 2Participant @chrisraynerd2]

The full playlist is here as I noticed I’ve not been updating this thread for anyone interested:

 

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv5WbvR_c98mqbynm1hwv81xSekUtJGua&si=IZPFld9IWNOrFgpk

thanks for taking the time to look and if you have any suggestions or spot any errors, please let me know!

 

Chris

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

lovely to see Chris and glad someone else is making one. Amazing how two people have the same drawings but the end result is completely different. Mines been running non stop since 2018 (Electric winding).

[Chris Raynerd 2Participant @chrisraynerd2]

That looks excellent Bernard! Did you use wildings plans for the auto electronic winder? I’m going to have to do this as I’ve not got the drop long weight running.
Chris

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Th electric winder is a version of the endless chain thing that operates a tilting arm with a tilt switch that operates a relay for the motor and turns off by tilting the arm in reverse. It winds about every 30 hours.

[gerry maddenParticipant @gerrymadden53711]

Mine is still on the drawing board! I have a bunch of mods planned that are aimed at increasing the run-time on a single wind but other things keep getting in the way of finally detailing the design.

 

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Wish we had a like button.

Excellent work from Bernard.  He scores double points because it’s a Towers’ Tower Clock!

Dave

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Thanks Dave I think!!!

[Chris Raynerd 2Participant @chrisraynerd2]

A little more progress. Thank to this forum I opted for the endless chain and have managed to install this and get the electronics up and running! I also notice that since I last posted, I’ve also got the clock up and running 🙂

thanks again for everyone’s comments.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Nice to see your progress Chris and a more modern version of auto winder than mine.

[derek hall 1Participant @derekhall1]

Hi Chris, did you solve the issue with the escapement?, deadbeat escapements can be tricky to make, whereas recoil style are some what easier.

I like the auto rewind system, did I miss the part where you where testing the motor, once the power was switched off, the load (weight) was still being held by the motor — I was expecting the weight simply to cause the unpowered motor to run in reverse and the weight to fall back down, hence the use of a ratchet….

Great job so far!

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

I agree that the pallet faces are too steep but are you sure you are spanning the correct number of scape wheel teeth. Difficult to tell from the video but if the pallet arm pivot point was a little lower then there would be more space to accommodate the right hand pallet in the next gap down.

[bernard towers]

On bernard towers Said:

Nice to see your progress Chris and a more modern version of auto winder than mine.

Thank you very much. I used your concept of the auto winding endless loop in general so thank you for that!

On derek hall 1 Said:

Hi Chris, did you solve the issue with the escapement?, deadbeat escapements can be tricky to make, whereas recoil style are some what easier.

I like the auto rewind system, did I miss the part where you where testing the motor, once the power was switched off, the load (weight) was still being held by the motor — I was expecting the weight simply to cause the unpowered motor to run in reverse and the weight to fall back down, hence the use of a ratchet….

Great job so far!

I think the second video (I.e the middle one posted above or the first video of me setting up the endless loop system) shows the motor test. I can’t tell you how the motor is working but for whatever excellent reason, it does not slip back when powered off but holds its position! I was also expecting to have to fit a ratchet but it simply doesn’t need one. Could it be due to the gearing in the motor and therefore it would need much more force to reverse it. As I say, I’m pleased with this lucky outcome.

On Martin Kyte Said:

I agree that the pallet faces are too steep but are you sure you are spanning the correct number of scape wheel teeth. Difficult to tell from the video but if the pallet arm pivot point was a little lower then there would be more space to accommodate the right hand pallet in the next gap down.

I have thought this as well but there are a number of Wildings Tower Clock builds on YouTube and two of them have a nice clear shot of the escapement. I’ve paused their videos and counted and they have the exact same drop and the same span of 11 escape teeth (depending on how you are counting) that I have. The pallet frame is in two parts so that you can drop or raise the frame and I’ve enough adjustment to modify as high or low as I could possibly go and yet I get the same result. I’ve taken some angle off the pallets and now the pallet does not hit the back of the tooth. However if I move the pellets closer together (so the escape tooth drops higher up on the pallet and on the locking face), the other pallet is too far in and locks up the escapement. So whilst it feels like the pallets just need bring together for a deeper drop on the pallet, the other one can’t escape. I’ve honestly put hours into watching and adjust and I think I need a break! I might possibly remake the pallet frame and pallets from scratch and see if I can see any errors with angles or dimensions (frustrating however that everything looks right when I’ve measured it all! ). I’m just going to move on and make the final missing arbor for minutes and hours and then move back to it unless someone clearly points out the issue as I seem to be going around in circles. I’m still very pleased it is running!

Thanks for all your interest and comments.

Chris

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