How to Cut Teeth for an American Clock Wheel / Gear
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
- I found some video clips I made last year and thought you may find them interesting. At the time I was making an American Movement from one of Steve Conover's Books. Making the Fly Cutter was the biggest challenge. After hardening and tempering it worked Great !!
I used a Taig Lathe for trueing and a Milling machine with Rotary Table and Digital Readout.
Great video. I've repaired clocks for over 40 years, professionally for the last 20. I have much machinery for creating wheels, pinions, etc. However, I always enjoy watching the art taking place and talking shop. Your videos are excellent for those just starting out. Keep up the good work. Even us old timers can learn a thing or two.
Thankyou Lester, learning the Art of Doing is my obsession. Its so much better if you have a friend with the same curiosity so that you can challenge each other. You never know what your going to try next.
Happy New Year
Al T.
In Steve Conover's book on making an American Clock he describes the process that he and Arhie Perkins developed for their clock. It was designed to be as easy as possible to make. First one took a week, next one took a couple of hours. I recomend you buy the book. search on clockmakers newsletter
In a nutschell, Cut a 1/8" diameter hardening type rod at a 45 degree angle and harden it. This creates a eliptic cutting shape, This cuts a negative tooth profile on a steel rod..
Then file down half the profile, harden and polish. This becomes the cutting bit and should last for many wheels.
You'll learn ALOT by reading his book, so I recommend that you get it.
Nice vid Al. I make gears all the time using both a wire edm to burn the gear itself or a fly cutter and dividing head on the Bridgeport. I often cut the flycuter tool on the edm for a very accurate tooth profile. I use a HSS lathe tool as the edm easily cuts hardened steel. I've been doing some clockwork recently and had some great success witha ST89L recently. Your vids are second to none. I just made some bushings to try to revive a second ST 89. I'll use the good 89 as a reference. -TM
Great Work TM,
I'll never be able to afford an EDM but I have a friend that is cutting rifled barrels using that technology. For me just cutting a rifle barrel is hard enough but I cannot imagine how that technology makes a rifled barrel. That's like science fiction to me.
Taig or a watchmakers lathe could be used to do it but would take a master watchmaker to figure it out and many other tools.
All of the watchmakers I know use parts already made to repair watches when ever possible. Just installing jewels, bezels or bushing a watch is very precision operation and should not be attempted unless you are taught by a master how to do it.
I have a unimat sl1000 and need to buy a separate milling machine. Being from South Africa, this is impossible to find. So I will have to order it from the US. Which milling machines can you recommend and where do I start looking? Ebay?
Bravo Al! Great video! I recently purchased both a Sherline lathe and a CNC Milling machine and would love to find an all Sherline video on making clock wheels. My search so far has been shall I say less than satisfactory. Are you aware of any? I am suprised that Sherline was unable to help as well.
Al, excellent vid. Have you any more details about how you went about cutting the profile of the cutter? It is the bit I`m struggling with most!
Chris
Bernard,
Here is the USA we take for granted the availability of most anything. I would normal recommend trying out different machines and settle on your favorite but this is not an option for you.
Sherline is a great lathe and milling machine manufacturer and one of the most versital. I own a taig lathe and love it for making money. But if you need one machine to do it all, I would go with the more expensive Sherline.
Have you gone to the nawcc.org message board?