wooden gear clock

[canadasgall]

i am planning on doing a wooden gear clock, but i was just wondering if they can be done in hardwood also or would this effect its performance,because all the ones i checked out are done in plywood. can just the smaller pieces be done in hardwood, like the hands and spacers? one more, can dowels be used instead of the copper for the pins?

[Rapid Roger]

I made a gear clock and I think I can help.
Use the BEST (most plys) plywood you can find for the gears. Yes, solid hardwood can be used for the hands and other parts where expansion and contraction from humidity won't effect the clock movement. DO NOT put any finish on the gears. Stain or finish on the hardwood will be OK.
If you are talking about the shafts that the gears turn on....NO! you must use brass for them. Keep the shafts clean, smooth and straight with just a very light coat of wax to keep everything free.
As far as the weight and counter weight, you can use almost anything of the appropriate weight. Wooden dowel rod is used for the pendulum and be sure to start with a full 48" (DAMHIKT) and trim it about 1/2" at a time until the accuracy is right.
Clocks are not hard to make but the hardest and most time consuming thing to do is "making it work and getting it to keep accurate time" I spent a month on that and I truly mean that. The clock took about three days to cut and assemble.
Hope that helps and if you have more questions, feel free to ask. Contact me with "e mail" if you need to.

Rog

[Rapid Roger]

Here is the clock I built.



I have more detaild pictures if you would like to see them.

Rog

[Keefie]

love the clock Rog, more pics would be nice if you have them

[canadasgall]

thanks for the info..your clock turned out beautiful..i am sure that once i start i will have more questions. i would also like to see more pics if you dont mind. thanks again i am sure i'll be talking to you again soon.

[Al W]

Nice clock, but I would vote for additional photographs as well.


Well done

[Keefie]

where did you get the plans for that clock?, I know they did some in an old scrollsaw magazine, but unless I order it from the USA and pay $9 shipping on top, I cant get a copy. none of my local newsagants will order it for me.

[Rapid Roger]

Keefie, I got the plans from Scroll Saw magazine (spring 2011 issue) and the clock was designed by Clayton Boyer. He has these and a lot of other designs on line. Go to  www.lisaboyer.com.  to view and order plans.

As for more pictures. I didn't have as many as I thought. This one is of some of the various parts as I was cutting and rounding up things for the clock.



This is one of a tempory mounting of the clock sitting on a shelf in my shop trying to get it to run. I later made the "post" stand for the clock. It is really suppose to mount on a wall perminatly. I've been keeping the clock in my shop and do not have "wall" room for it and I wanted to make it more mobil.




Rog