The Creation of a Turret Clock

Going good...

  Today, I resumed work on the corner posts.  I'm including a pic of partway through the progress.  On the left is the first post I made a few weeks back.  I stopped partway through this post when I realized there where a few things I could do better.  On the right is the newer post.  At the time the photo was taken, I was about a third of the way through splitting off the excess material that will give the middle part of the post a thinner look.  Also in the photo is my hot set(or hot chisel) that is used to actually split the metal off.  The chisel is not used like a hammer.  It is placed on the hot metal and struck with a hammer.  It is not swung.


  If you look carefully, you will see the newer post(the one on the right) has a slight curve to the left.  That will be cleaned up once the excess material is chiseled away.

  The next pic is the other end of the posts.  You will see the older one on the left shows where I did some test filing and cutting to see if I could put the patter in the steel.  The long skinny piece on the end will be curved and capped with a finial.  I did not go all the way, just enough to make sure it would work.  The decorative pattern is based on a common motif on clocks from the 15th century.  The newer post on the right shows some prep cuts that makes it easier to chisel pieces out.



  I was able to completely remove the excess material today.  Tomorrow, I should be able to start the cleanup and maybe have enough time to start the decorative work.  I hope to have the post done by this weekend.  That includes the decorative work and quenching the steel in oil to rust protect it.  I will not be putting the finial on the post or punching holes in the post for the cross members until later.  I want to be done with all four posts before I do that.

  Finally, if you are still with me, something for the cute factor.  I have a new kitty in the house and he is already getting along with the resident cat.  Spectre the male(the kitten) and Phantom is the 5 year old female.