The Creation of a Turret Clock

Major progress...

  I started today with the lock plate only having the nail holes and the keyhole.  I started the day by cutting two vertical slots for parts of straps the will drop from the top of the chest into the lock.  These straps are what the lock actually engages with to lock the chest.  After cutting those slots, I was able to size the slide properly.  The slide part of the lock (its the piece with the cross wards) took me quite a bit of effort and headache to make so I was very careful.  Anyway, when I made the slide, I had left excess on either end to allow me a safe amount of metal to work with.

  I proceeded to shape either end of the slide to properly engage with the straps.  I won't be able to do a final shaping of these until I have the straps done.  After shaping the slide, I next punched the holes for the retainers that will actually hold the slide to the plate.  I then made the retainers but will not attach them until one of the last steps.  I also made a small "L" shaped piece of metal that prevents the slide from twisting within the lock.  I also added a small piece of metal to the top of the slide that will hook against a spring.  The spring is what the key needs to push out of the way to get the lock to work.

  Things are finally going together.  I only have a few parts left to make all of which should be fairly easy.  I still need to make the spring and that will be the last part of the lock itself.  I also need to make the straps that go into the lock.  Those should be easy as well.  Anyway, here are two pictures of how the lock looks from the back right now.  The first picture is the lock when it is in the locked position.  The second shows the slide shifted to the left in the unlock position.  Notice either end of the slide (one end is straight, the other has a "C" curve.)  When in the locked position, they will pass through small loops of metal that have pushed through from the front locking the chest.





The different shades of the metal are caused by residual moisture left over from cooling the lock.  None of the parts are permanently attached but it gives a good idea of how it works.