Wooden Clock Gears

[davewillen]

Hey I checked out your web site and like thoes clocks, very creative. How accurate are they or are they just just to admire?

When you say you got the gear pattern, and made clocks, did you vari the design and just kep the gears the same?

Thats just the type I want to make. How much were the plans?

Thanks dave

Hager
Tucson AZ

There are several websites for clock plans. A place to start would be a link to many sites. http://wooden-clockworks.com/Link.html Try Mark Headrick's pages in that list, also Gary's wooden clocks. There's enough in that list to keep you busy for about a year. It also leads to sites where they sell the plans. There are also plans you can download for free in DFX or DRW format. http://www.pathcom.com/~u1068740/dow...ale-clock.html
Hope that helps a little. At least something to get you started. That download is probably the one you will want for CNC cutting.
Dave

[epineh]

Hi Dave, the best way to see my machine is to have a look at the build log, here :

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22101

I probably spent about $1000.00 Australian (about 5 bucks American )

I realized early that it wouldn't be my last machine so I went cheap on components, threaded rod, 125 0z/in steppers, unipolar stepper drivers and so on.

Having said that, the machine is strong enough to cut aluminium, I get 1200mm/min rapid speeds (not the fastest but OK) and I have enough torque on any axis to crush body parts if they get stuck in the wrong spot.

If you wanted to keep things simple and cheap, download JGRO's plans, aimed at the smaller and cheaper end of the hobby side of things and the finished machines are terrific!!! You can use smaller steppers therefore smaller driver cards and smaller power supplies. It will be more than capable of cutting out clock gears and intarsia/inlay work, so long as it fits on the machine. His plans are free and quite good.

You have better access to cheaper/better components in your country, so shop around and check ebay often.

Good Luck.

Russell.

[davewillen]

Thanks. I looked at your machine. Pretty awesome. I appreciate your feedback.
Dave

[studysession]

Lots of great information here. Has anyone here made a clock from those plans that can be downloaded?

[epineh]

I am working on it, I want to speed up my machine a bit first, there are a huge amount of arcs in a wooden cog as you can imagine, but hopefully I get a new controller this week, fit and test so maybe late this week or next I will have something to show.

Russell.

[jimini]

I built one of Brian Law's clocks (clock #5 on his site). I have some pics of it on the other computer, I'll post them tomorrow.
If you're interested in that particular clock I'm sure I still have the gcodes for the various gears etc, although they'll undoubtedly be in a big mess.
I converted from metric to inch and allowed for bit size.
The clock will run quite well for about 7 hours between rewinds.
Lots of fun though...Jim
http://www.woodenclocks.co.uk/

[dan dimock]

I have build the first clock that Gary put out, I saw one almost like it in Fine wood working about 10 years ago, but it took me that long to get up guts to try it. It took me about a year to complete it, working some at night and on Saturdays, I cut the gears out by hand and built jigs to make sure each one would work and then put timeing marks on them so they had to go just one way to work.
It can be done.
I am looking into building a small cnc machine at this time, I too, am low on money, so it will be made with low end stuff.
I have several large stepper motors from large printers , however, I do not know what size board I need are how to wire them up. I could use any help anyone has about there items.
Thanks
Dan

[epineh]

Do you have any photo's Dan? Might give me some inspiration to build one.

As far as building a machine, read read read. Heaps of info on this site, it is overwhelming at first but you can do it. (if you built a wooden clock)

There are some great free plans to download, JGRO's and JOE2000's are a good start, but have a look at the DIY router's, some great builds there - especially mine... lol just kidding.

It will pay you to do your research, I guarantee almost any question you have has already been asked, so check out the CNC wood router pages, and good luck !!!

Russell.

[dan dimock]

Russell
I do not have a picture of the clock, but if you will go to his web site you can see a lot that other people has built.
I have been looking at plans for the past year , I am 72 and in a power chair, I have a very well equiped shop, even a metal lathe, I cannot, use my left side a lot, and cannot stand very well , but I can do a lot the way I am.
I have read every word of your build and had even started to write you a personel note a time or two. I have only had this old computer for two years, my kids got it for me for christmas at that time.
All I have done for the past year is read about the software and everything I could find to get me going. I have gears cut for a clock, They were cut on a layser machine and are dark around the gears, I do not like that, and it cannot be sanded off.
I have just about made up my mind what kind I am going to make, Hope to be able to get a way to take pictures so I can show you guys what help you have been for me.
Dan

[epineh]

Good luck with your build Dan, always good to see another CNC "addict" in the making.

Give us a yell if you get stuck, plenty of support here.

Russell.

[TonyWood]

Hi,
I have just been reading this thread, and thought you all may be interested in the attached photos. I made clock number 1 from Brian Laws excellent plans, if you ask him he will provide the plans in .dxf, after tidying them up using DesignCad I imported them into ArtcamPro and created the tool paths for the CNC machine I made using information gathered from the site. Almost all the parts were cut using CNC. The dial was made by creating 24 segments (12 light coloured and 12 dark) then placing them in a jig one at a time and cutting a negative in the light wood and a postive in the dark, the parts were then glued together and split with a bandsaw when dry. They were then glued into a ring mounted onto a wood lathe faced off, turned to a circle and polished. The clock runs for around 11 hours per wind and keeps excellent time. I have all the GCode if anyone is interested. Took around 3 Months of work to complete.

Hope you find it interesting

Tony

[thkoutsidthebox]

.....and thought you all may be interested in the attached photos

Are they invisible photos???

Edit: I see one now, and wow! What a clock. Very nice. Is it accurate? Do you have to wind or reset it often?

Try clicking 'Edit' on your post and scroll down the screen and click 'Manage Attachments' then upload them that way.

[epineh]

Nice work Tony, I'd definately like the DXF's, you guys are using metric right ?

I can scale it if not, but its so much easier (for me at least)

Cheers.
Russell.

[thkoutsidthebox]

Also, can you sell those clocks after building them or do the plans exclude that?

[davewillen]

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I'm now convinced that I will be building a machine to make clocks like yours. Thanks for sharing those pictures. I'm in awe of you and all of you who can work such magic.
Dave

[dan dimock]

I am working on a cnc machine at this time so I can make clocks, I made this one over two years ago, the old way, with my shop tools I have now and after seeing the one you made, I am going to hide mine. and it took me about a year to ever get my working, I also built one from plans that Gary has, you may want to look at his, at Gary Wooden Clocks. Again a supper job.
Dan

[TonyWood]

Nice work Tony, I'd definately like the DXF's, you guys are using metric right ?

I can scale it if not, but its so much easier (for me at least)

Cheers.
Russell.

Russell,

Yep we in the UK have been metric for many years now (still think in imperial sometimes however). I will zip up all the cleaned DXF's and post

Tony

[TonyWood]

Also, can you sell those clocks after building them or do the plans exclude that?

They do preclude selling, but I guess there is nothing to stop you developing your own design on his excellent plans

Tony

[TonyWood]

All,

As promised here are the cleaned up .dxf files, think they are all there if not let me know and I will do my best to provide the missing ones

Tony

[epineh]

Cheers Tony, I was kinda hoping you would take a while to post the dxf's, I have more projects that I can handle at the moment...

I will have a look on the weekend, I am making some alterations to my machine soon and might wait until thats done then tackle a clock, it will cut a lot faster once "upgraded".

Cheers.

Russell.