Cutters

[ken frewinParticipant @kenfrewin10473]

Hi, I have just bought John Wilding book Large wheel skeleton lock with the intention of building my first clock getting away from engines and boilers, It seems I will have to buy five cutters to cut the wheels, I would like to know If I could cut these with a single point fly cutter, If I could where could I find the cutter form to copy, this might seem annoyingly stupid but even trying to find proper cutters seems to be a nightmare of endless numbers that mean nothing to me, any info would be welcomed. Regards Ken.

[ken frewinParticipant @kenfrewin10473]

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

I've only made one clock but bought the cutters from Thorntons which always seems to be the name that crops up with these things.

The are not cheap but will do the job and last forever with care.

Home

No connection.

Brian

Edited By Brian H on 30/07/2019 14:37:48

[Mike CrossfieldParticipant @mikecrossfield92481]

Ken

I make all the wheels (and pinions for that matter) for my clocks using home-made cutters. I use a variation of the “button” method to make the cutters. I start out with a cutter in the form of a parting tool ground to an accurate width with a semicircular tip. I use this to cut the wheel/pinion cutter from round silver steel. The centre fixing hole is offset to create cutting clearance. After parting off, a segment of the disc is removed to create the cutting edge, and the cutter is hardened and tempered. Then away you go. Brass wheels are easy to cut in a single pass with the mill running flat out (2000 rpm). Steel pinions are harder, and I typically take 3 or 4 passes running at 200rpm, and using lots of cutting oil. I get all my cutter geometry data from the very useful table in the Meadows and Passmore catalogue

Examples of a wheel cutter, a pinion cutter, and some wheels and pinions cut for my latest clock are shown below.

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Some nice looking work there Mike, always satisfying to make the gear cutter to get good result.

Emgee

[David NobleParticipant @davidnoble71990]

Hello Ken,

I'm about half way through the Large Wheel clock. If I can help, feel free to ask. Only 2 cutters are needed if you decide to buy the pinions. I ended up making both the wheels and the pinions.

I found the J. Malcom Wilde book Wheel and Pinion Cutting in Horology a huge help in understanding how to cut the wheels and the pinions. I also had a lot of help from Sam who is a member here.

David

[David NobleParticipant @davidnoble71990]

Don't know how to edit a post so an addition to the above!

The book Wheel and Pinion Cutting also details how to make the cutters.

David

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Edit by clicking/pressing on the edit tab. It is time constrained. Opportunity has likely expired in 2 hours.

Edited to add that the ‘edit tab’ is in the green area at the top of the post.

Edited By not done it yet on 01/08/2019 10:48:03

[David NobleParticipant @davidnoble71990]

Ahh thanks, I didn't notice that.

[Author]

Posts