Plan of attack...

Now that I've managed to make my first gear, I needed to stop and take a look at where I am at with the project to decide how to best proceed.

The problem with building a clock like this is that the parts must interconnect with very little room for error.  In making the main gear like I did, I probably did not leave enough room for the verge, foliot and crown wheel (the medieval version of the pendulum).  I could make adjustments on the current setup but I think in the long run, it will be better to remake the gear.

Not to worry, I think next time around I should be able to make the gear over a few days.  In fact, if I am disciplined about it, about 14 work hours are needed to make the gear.  I am feeling freshly motivated to get going on the project.

So, what am I going to work on next?  I think this will be the new order...  I am mainly putting this here just as a way to force me to think about what I should work on and in what order.

* Remake the hanger for the verge and foliot.  I want to make this look more like the original one of a clock from Dover Castle.  This should take an afternoon.
* Make the bottom holder for the verge and foliot to the center part of the frame..  This is a small piece of metal that keeps the verge and foliot straight as it "ticks".  This should be about 2 hours of work.
* Create the verge and foliot.  This is essentially a "T" shaped piece of metal.  There are some things I need to figure out with it.  I am thinking about 2 sessions at the forge.
* Create the end arbor hole in the center frame.  This is a "U" shaped piece of metal that wraps around a verge and foliot and holds the end of the arbor that holds the crown wheel.  This should be an afternoon worth of work.
* Make the crown wheel.  About 2 sessions at the forge.
* Make the crown wheel arbor including a temporary placeholder for the gear that will contact the main gear.
* Remake the great wheel and arbor.
* Make the winding spindle and clutch for the great wheel arbor. (This makes sure of the spacing on the arbor).
* Make the smaller gear on crown wheel arbor that contacts great wheel.
* Make permanent weights for verge and foliot.  The weights allow for fine tuning the clock if it runs too fast or too slow.  I will use temporary weights until this point.


When all of that is done, the clock should keep time.  I know this seems like a lot.  However, after finishing this test gear over the weekend, I have renewed confidence and energy.  The only thing that will slow me down is that I can only work on weekends with the days being so short right now.