Dark Lady Clock

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

Would that not be plagiarism Neil? the idea is direct from Brian Hogger's comercial plans so I cannot take any credit. All I have done is modified it to use the available materials in my scrap box.

[David lawrence 3Participant @davidlawrence3]

I use a small sawing machine motor from ebay which has a foot speed control and comes with a pulley and belt for around £ 36.00, works well for cutting clock wheels, you can put the speed control in a metal box and use a normal pot to control the speed. mount this on the back of your vertical slide for a cute system.

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Posted by john carruthers on 05/05/2016 08:09:13:

The home brew milling spindle for cutting teeth and slitting.
It needs a small motor and belt.

John,

I plan to build a similar spindle and put a request out on Freecycle for an old sewing machine motor. I was offered, quite promptly, two fully-functioning sewing machines to dismantle. It may be worth a try if it can save you a few pounds and reduce someone else's waste.

Regards,

James.

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

I found a small motor so now I just need a stretchy belt ~ 12" circumference / 3.8" dia.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by john carruthers on 05/05/2016 08:51:35:

Would that not be plagiarism Neil? the idea is direct from Brian Hogger's comercial plans so I cannot take any credit. All I have done is modified it to use the available materials in my scrap box.

I didn't recognise it – believe it or not I don't have encyclopaedic knowledge of all the designs out there!

Neil

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

I've seen several designs. Sometimes they seem to be fitted with moderately powerful motors so have always wondered how low the power can be. Compact motors other than those for sewing machines seem to be pretty thin on the ground.

I saw an interesting design for a lathe based mandrel dividing design that uses a change wheel recently. It's aimed at the Hobbymat and is in model engineer 7 Jul 1995 by a John Noakes. It seems it was spurred on by another design by a certain Michael Gillingan that was also in model engineer 20 Aug 1993. What surprised me on the Noakes design is that the worm simply swings down into a gear and isn't also tilted to match the helix angle of the thread as well. It seems to work but am not sure of the other design tilts the worm both ways. The design may be worth mentioning as Maidstone Engineering still have a few sets of the 100mm dividing plates available. I looked because the hole counts aren't stamped on the plates. I assume they come on paper with them and do have a photo of that around.

John

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Edited By Ajohnw on 08/05/2016 17:49:55

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

The Mk 1 depthing tool.
I shall fit a screw adjuster to make life easier,

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

I made one like that and made the mistake of using a bit of brass bar for the body that I had hanging around the workshop. I then found that it had a slight curvature so the axles didn't remain parallel as it was adjusted. Remade it using gauge plate (without hardening).

Russell.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Not sure if anyone is needing it but for information the Maidstone plates mentioned above are:

24 25 28 30

34 37 38 39

41 42 43 46

47 49 51 53

54 57 58 59

61 62 63 66

Not the same counts as the Standard B&S, Elliott etc but multiples of most of them and a few threads on this forum provide the calculations and programs needed.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Useful info. Bazyle … Thanks for posting.

**LINK** for anyone considering them.

MichaelG.

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

I had a go at the main arbor today, and my first attempt at 'burnishing'. I use an old 1/2" chisel rubbed sideways on a stone to put a 'grain' on it then press it hard onto the work in the lathe with a bit of spit. It's very satisfying to see the shine take across the bearing suface, still a few faint turning lines showing up in the photos

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

Preparing to cut the first wheel (80 T mod1).
They do ring, like an old fashioned door bell or phone..

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

Made the 80T wheel yesterday but there was a tiny touch of 'flat' left on the tips. I went over it again taking just a hair off, but, the fly cutter must have slipped a bit and destroyed a tooth. Lesson learned, I shall make a stop to keep the cutter square then try again.
At least the blank will come in for a smaller wheel.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

John A tiny touch of flat wouldn't have mattered as long as it is tiny

Roy ( We've all done it )

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Another way of driving one of these milling spindles is to fit up an over head drive shaft. a section of the shaft above the lathe bed can be made of wood the diameter of the required drive pulley, and a foot or so long, that way you can move the spindle along the bed without having to move a pulley along the shaft. A 1450 rpm 1/4 hp single phase motor is about right, it can be mounted on the wall, or ceiling out of the way. Ian S C

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

'Experience'
"what life gives you just after you need it".

Off to the scrap yard today to have a root around. Wonder what treasure I'll find ?

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

I found treasure in great store, 1/8" brass plate, 28mm dia bronze bar….

I then started rigging a flexy drive from the drill press to a tool post drill and thought ' this would be a better drive solution for the flycutter spindle' .
So I know what I'm doing today.

Click and spring roughed out, needs some better blued cheesehead screws and the spring hardened.

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

The flexy cable drive wasn't so good, first load applied and it writhed about like a constrictor, ok for small drilling and polishing maybe.
Luckily I found a discarded sewing machine in a layby and now have the motor from that driving the spindle via a belt.

I'm making better progress now all is secure, the wheels look right.
Made the escapement wheels and hub yesterday, looks like arbours and lantern pinions today.

[Brian OldfordParticipant @brianoldford70365]

What little experience of flex-shafts I've had seems to indicate they are OK driving a fairly constant load but take umbrage if subject to the intermittent load, as you discovered. They are also not great as drives where the rotational direct may change. It's also important that the lay of the wire strands "tighten" when load is applied. Compare a speedometer cable to a flexi-drive you'd use with your B&D drill.

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

Very true Brian, we used them extensively in the glass trade for edge grinders etc. One of my jobs was to thrash them on the bench then give them a good hammering occasinally to loosen the glass dust which set like concrete.
A bit more robust than my current drive, light duties only.

I may have a go at a pinion today.
Progress so far…

Edited By john carruthers on 17/06/2016 07:50:40

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

I made a start on the minute pinion today.

[John silverParticipant @johnsilver78232]

Greetings All

I've been building this clock over the last year or so as my first trip into metalworking

So I have had a long road including having to build a dividing head (this took 3 attempts!) and all the tools etc + having to learn using the lathe and milling machine pretty much from scratch.

I'm a fair way through and I've completed the first few chapters including the making of the main wheel assembly, main arbor, plates, second, hour wheel and escapement. I have also made the Depthing tool.

BUT I just cannot get a good even blue of the main plates ?? Every flippin' time I 'over cook the heating process and one end of the plate turns from blue to grey?? I just don't know how Brian got such an even finish – unless he used some form of Kiln.

I can easily blue the small component and once I have made the two pinions and bushes I'm ready to 'plant the train' – If I have managed to blue the main plates.

Any advice from you learned members ??

All the best

John

 

Edited By John silver on 24/06/2016 16:19:04

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

Try putting them on a bed of silver sand or brass swarf, then heat slowly from underneath.
Get the steel really clean, no grease or finger marks. I still got a small patch on one of the plates but after the third attempt said 'good enough'

[John silverParticipant @johnsilver78232]

Posted by john carruthers on 24/06/2016 16:25:15:

Try putting them on a bed of silver sand or brass swarf, then heat slowly from underneath.
Get the steel really clean, no grease or finger marks. I still got a small patch on one of the plates but after the third attempt said 'good enough'

I think you've hit the nail on the head on this I had decided that direct is the problem as it's almost impossible to evenly heat the plates with a direct flame and as you say cleanliness is very important !!

I just need some silver sand/brass swarf and something to put it in??

Many Thanks

John

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

You might find your domestic oven is hot enough to get a dark purple-blue colour.

Neil

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