Very good weekend

This weekend was productive. I was able to remake the Crown Wheel arbor (axle). I am typing this on my phone so I will write more with photos when I get a chance.

Working some over the Holiday

I've worked off and on over the past few days and I've made some good progress.  Chiefly I remade the verge and foliot.  I am going to try re-making the Crown wheel and its arbor hopefully tomorrow.  Pictures and possibly videos to follow.

Hopefully some real progress coming soon.

  So I am ending my current job to go on to a better job.  My current job ends tomorrow but my new job doesn't start up until a week from Monday.  Also, no plans for Thanksgiving (not that big of a holiday to me) so wife and I are going to stay home.  What that means is that I hope to have a week to work on the clock.  My goal, and its going to push me, is to have the clock actually ticking.  It is a lot of work but doable.  If I can get the clock ticking, then it will be incredible motivation to push forward.

Tool day...

  Was going to work on the verge and foliot assembly yesterday but after a small mistake, I decided I needed to take a step back and make some tools.  So today, made a trip out to pick up some tool steel.  Made several punches and a bending fork.  Not exciting but it was related to working on the clock.

Here's the video...

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw7MCwZrIDY]

Rather than make excuses or give explanations, lets just say I'm working on the clock again.

So, seems like a broken record but I'm finally back to working on the clock.  And now we have video!  Anyway, I've been working on redoing the part that holds the oscillating verge and foliot.  Like so many parts in the past, I'm having to redo them.  I'm pretty happy with the results.  So, without further ado, some pics....

What you are looking for here is the attachement that comes off of the top of the clock and is used to hold the vaguely T shaped piece hanging by the wire.  I've made this part several times before but I think I'm finally happy with it.  The T shaped piece (the foliot) will be remade or reworked eventually but I'm pretty happy with the results.  I have some video and as soon as I upload it, you will have a better idea how it works.

Back to work and a good day

  After taking several weeks away from the forge to let my elbow rest(bad tennis elbow), I was back on the forge yesterday.  My arm held up well and I think that part of the problem was that I was using the wrong length hammer handles.  I had bought a new handle that had a better fit and found myself using a 3 pound hammer all day when in the past I've had trouble with using the 3 pounder for more than half an hour.

  Anyway, I got back to work on a post that helps support the verge and foliot.  The smithing work is now done on the post and I am doing cleanup work with files.  I didn't take any new photos but this is a photo of the old post to give you an idea of the part I am talking about.  Look for the piece that is just to the left of center of the photo..  It is coming out of the top of the clock.

 

  I remade this piece due to some issues with it not fitting quite right and partly because I could have done better with the overall appearance.

  I am switching to doing more file work for the cleanup on the pieces.  In reality, that was the mistake I frequently have made in the past.  Because file work can be slow and tedious, I tended to avoid it.  With this project I can't do that.

  I did finish the forge work on the piece and then I tried something new.  I let the piece soak in muriatic acid (basically, hydrochloric acid) for about 30 minutes.  This helps to break apart any scale on the surface of the piece and makes it easier to file.  For any other smiths reading this, muriatic acid is nasty stuff.  If you don't want to work with it, you can also use vinegar but you need to let it sit overnight.  I started in on the file work and I'm happy with the results so far.  I promise new pictures soon.

  With the time change last weekend, I will now have another hour of daylight in the evenings.  What that really allows me to do is get on the forge after work more easily.  I hope to get this moving.