Scroll saw advice

[michael mParticipant @michaelm]

No Derek, I doubt that many would treat the concept with disdain and why should they? A handless clock is not a unique idea where purely mechanical clocks are concerned. I earn my living as a clockmaker and out of the thousands of clocks I've repaired over the years there have been a number of purely mechanical clocks without hands. There have been 19th century French clocks using bands and 20th century digital display clocks in which the mechanism flips over numbered cards behind the glass front. Some of the latter were traditional mechanical, some driven by synchronous motors though I must admit it's been a number of years since I've seen either. With the advent of digital electronics and LED/LCD displays they're museum pieces and curiosites. Even back in the 18th century a certain John Joseph Merlin, a remarkable inventor and engineer designed and built a hybrid clock which incorporated a traditional dial and hands together with a time display of engraved circular bands to indicate the time. So you also are doing something different and innovative and so no cause for disdain there. Your mechanical workmanship looks first rate, surely in the best tradition of top class clock makers. As an aside to workmanship my own experience over the years has been that so many longcase (grandfather) clocks, despite having attractive cases very often, have movements that are best described as agricultural, whereas I've been amazed by the quality of a lot of early bracket clocks and watches which display remarkable workmanship, even on the bits that aren't seen. They achieved these results with what we may look back and regard as rudimentary equipment. They certainly had no CNC, CAD, Aciera milling machines, Hardinge lathes or precision Swiss Jig Borers and predate the work of engineering visionaries and inovators such as Whitworth. I sometimes wonder if there's an object lesson there. I look forward with great interest to seeing your finished clock. Incidentally I've also found Meadows and Passmore piercing saw blades to be perfectly satisfactory.

Regards, Michael

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

I was first introduced to the piercing saw by a lady about 45 years ago She taught me that when doing very fine or intricate work to turn the blade round so that the teeth face me whilst cutting That way you can see the blade and the line clearly I must say it woks for me She had been a piercer by trade in the Birmingam jewelry quarter

Roy

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Interesting idea, Roy

… Must try that.

Thanks

MichaelG.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Michael G She also told me she had to buy her own blades and when working on precious metals

her boss used to weigh the sawdust and scrap having first weighed the original piece she worked on deductions were made for much discrepancy

She used to wear a washleather apron fastened to the bench to catch the waste

Happy days ?

Roy

[magpieParticipant @magpie]

John ( RJW ) I first had the basic idea for this clock in 1980 but had no time or means to do anything about it, i did however ask many "clock men" over the years if they could come up with a suitable mechanism to drive the thing. Non could ( or would ) and knowing nothing about such things myself i eventualy went for the synchronous motor in the hope of making it before they put me 6' under

Michael M, I have seen many of the clocks you describe and i agree with your appraisal of them. What i was realy trying to say, in a very clumsy way was that i did'nt have to make any hands for my effort. The only other clock i know of that shows the time in a similar way is John Taylors Chronophage. On Mr. Taylors clock the previous lights go out as the next one comes on, but on my clock the lights remain on for the full cycle, if that makes any sense. The main difference however is mine is made allmost entirley of scrap, whilst Mr. Taylors cost over one million quid !!!!!

Thanks to you both for your comments, and just out of interest i have just updated my photos.

Cheers Derek.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by roy entwistle on 03/02/2013 22:07:30:

She also told me she had to buy her own blades

Roy

Roy,

That's a very good way of learning not to break them !

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by roy entwistle on 03/02/2013 22:07:30:

… when working on precious metals her boss used to weigh the sawdust and scrap having first weighed the original piece she worked on deductions were made for much discrepancy

She used to wear a washleather apron fastened to the bench to catch the waste

Happy days ?

Roy

Roy,

At Gold's current price of about £1,000 per ounce, I'm sure this arrangement continues.

… and here is a cautionary tale … caveat emptor

MichaelG.

[Richard MarksParticipant @richardmarks80868]

Gentlemen

There is a story of a jeweller who took up the carpet in his workshop and then lifted the floorboards and hoovered out what he could, all this and the carpet was sent away to the refinery and what he got back from the sale of precious metals left in the carpet and what fell through the floorboards took him and his staff on a round the world cruise all expenses paid, oh and he bought a new carpet, anyone ever seen Paint your Wagon?

Dick

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

A jeweller will often clean a customers gold jewellery with a cloth called a, 'Selvyt' This is filled with jewellers rouge and as it cleans it takes some gold into the cloth. Later the cloth is burnt in a crucible and the gold recovered.

This is very common in the Orient so beware.

Clive

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