End pins complete

Got out to the forge for a few hours today and I managed to finish the remaining 3 end posts.  Really starting to feel like things are moving along now.  If I am lucky, I may be able to complete the frame next weekend.  After that, get to start actually making gears!!!

End pins, 1 down, 3 to go.

After taking a break from the earlier blacksmithing, I decided to do a bit more work and managed to get the first of four end pins made and installed on the frame.  These pins are used to hold vertical frame pieces that the axles for the clock rest on.  They are just simple tabs that the end pieces will be attached to using a wedge similar to what I used for the strike arm supports.  Anyway, here is a pic of the end piece prior to cleanup.  It is the middle of the bar on the left side of the picture.  Also, the wedged strike arm support can be seen on the right side of the picture.

Some blacksmithing today...

Today I managed to attach the two strike arm supports to the frame.  This involved slitting and drifting two holes on one bar of the frame.  After I made the holes, I also had to reshoulder the tenons.  This is because the process of drifting the holes lengthened the bar.  Anyway, this is a picture of the two striking arm supports on the clock.  Notice that one of the supports is wedged so that it can be removed.  This is to allow me to make the strike arm at a latter time then put it on the clock.  Anyway, here is a pic of the frame with the support arms in place.

Another part down...

After being at the Florida Convention yesterday, I could not resist doing some blacksmithing today.  I decided to make the other strike arm control.  I made about a week ago and it came out fairly well.

 

The one I made today was the same with one notable exception.  This one would need a slot in the tab.  This is so the part is removable.  One of the two arms needs to be removable so that the part they hold (the strike arm) can be removed and worked on.  I took more photos to show the creation process.

This first picture shows using half hammer blows on the 3/4" stock to start forming the round end on the bar.  The hammer is struck so that half of the hammer is over the anvil and the other half off of the anvil.



This photo shows widening the arm to give it a slight tapered shape.



Using a square punch, a hole is made for the piece that will hold the support to the frame.



Next the piece to hold the arm to the frame is made from a piece of rectagular stock.



A tenon is formed on the stock.  A rectagular hole is punched and drifted.  Finally the piece is almost cut off but not quite so that it can still be worked with easily but when the time comes, it will be easily snapped off the stock.  Also visible is the pin that will be used to hold the piece onto the frame.



This shows the pin in the mortise.



On the round end of the piece, I start by punching a small hole.



This hole is drifted open some more...



Finally, the end is rounded up with the drift in place.  Sorry for the out of focus.



The two pieces side by side.  I will need to stretch one of them by about 1/4".  Not a big deal but it was too dark to continue working.



Both pieces need to be touched up and filed but they are pretty much done.  After the family visits for vacation, I am going to try and work more consistantly on the clock.

Florida blacksmithing convention

  This weekend was the annual Florida Artists Blacksmith Association's annual conference.  I took some pictures which I may post later after looking through them.  Some of the highlights...

  * Replenished my coal supply.  Bought close to 1000 pounds of coal.
  * Purchased a small cone mandrel and round bottom swage that both fit my anvil.  The bottom swage will help with the clock as it will help to make some of the axle parts.
  * Watched a blacksmith by the name of Elmer Roush most of the day.  He enjoys doing historical reproductions including viking locks.  I definitely enjoyed talking with Elmer.
  * Someone brought an 18th century spit jack.  A spit jack is a mechanism for automatically rotating food.  It is weight driven and dates back to the later middle ages.  Certain construction techniques on the spit jack are very similar to the clock.  I took a few photos.

  Probably won't hear much from me for two weeks.  Spending time with out of town family at Disney and the beach.

Strike Control Arm continued...

  I was able to continue to work on the strike control arm today.  I punched a hole in the top part of the support that will hold the strike control.  I then attached a small piece of metal that will be used to attach the support to the frame.  Here is a picture of the finished piece.



For sense of scale, my anvil is just 5" across the face.  The tab at the top of the photo will be put through a mortise in the frame.  It will then be peined over to attach it.  It really felt good to make a part that isn't necessary just part of the frame.  Its something that will actually be in contact with a moving part.

I also was able to try out the char cloth that I made yesterday.  It worked perfect.  I think about the third spark caught on the cloth.  It starts as a tiny red spot.  As you blow, it spreads outward in a glowing circle.  I was able to start my forge in under one minute using flint and tinder.

As I shut down the forge tonight, I produced another batch of char cloth.  This picture shows the metal container I use for the char cloth.  There are a few small holes poked in the can.  The burnoff of the impurities shows up as smoke coming out of those holes.

Char cloth

  Something else that I did while working on the forge was make a good batch of char cloth.  One of my longer term goals has been to create a truly period setup for my forge.  A while back I mentioned that I learned to start fires using flint and steel.  The material I was catching the spark with was steel wool.  Steel wool burns incredible easy.  The period alternative is char cloth.

  Char cloth is essentially cloth that has been "cooked" to remove all the impurities just like charcoal is charred wood.  I took an old T-shirt, put the pieces in a metal container and kept it near the center of the forge while I worked.  I tested the cloth late last night and it worked perfectly.  This was much better than a batch I made a little while back.

  The neat thing about char cloth is that it "catches" a spark.  You see a small red glowing spot.  As you gently blow, the red spot slowly grows into a circle.  Then when you blow a little harder, it produces enough heat to light tinder that is near it.

Strike Control Arm

Work has been way too busy and the anvil has been way too quiet...

  Today marked the first time in about 4 weeks that I've gotten to the forge.  It was only for a little over an hour but I worked fast.  I began work on two parts that need to be attached to the frame before I can permanently fasten the frame together.  These two parts are used to hold the strike control arm.  The strike control is used to connect the time keeping side of the clock to the bell ringing side of the clock.  By the way, the technical terms are the going train (time keeping side) and striking train.  This picture shows the location on the original clock.

  I started with square stock that was 3/4" x 3/4".  Work went very fast even when I had to stop to make a drift.  I stopped for the night when it started to get dark and I needed to make a new punch.  This photo shows the mostly complete part.  It just needs to have a hole punched and a little shaping.  I was really surprised how fast I made it.  Anyway, this picture shows its approximate location on the clock.  Where I am holding it is actually about an inch lower than the final position.  On the picture, you can also see the pip marks in the corner of the frame used to help me reassemble the frame when needed.