Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 62
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default Clayton Boyer “Simplicity” build

    Here we go.
    Intending to make two clocks one as the working prototype to learn and make all my mistakes on that, hopefully if I can get it to run will keep time in my workshop and the other as a feature piece for inside our home.

    As a first step I managed to source some Baltic birch ply in 12mm and 6mm from Bruynzeel in Brookvale and I’m looking for my arbors and spacers online at the moment.



    Then I set out my plans and laid up the frame parts.





    I intend to cut the main sides on the compound mitre saw for which I have a new blade and then do the cutouts with the scroller.

    More soon!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    I have attempted to cut some of the frame pieces and made probably all the beginner mistakes.

    I’m going to open a thread in the appropriate forum, seek advice and practice before continuing.

    Basically I didn’t worry too much about sticking the template objects onto the stock square - or considering which sides of the stock were square (based on the cuts I had done by the supplier / so I know some should be “good”.

    Nonetheless I then decided to separate the various pieces with the scroll saw since it was easy as and ended up with my parts thusly:



    I then went about trying to cut the straight edges for the back frame support and started to see my problem. This piece obviously was laid out diagonally anyway but by the time it was on the saw it had wobbly edges from the scroll saw.

    I know my sled is square but that doesn’t help align these kinds of edges so I attempted one end side by lining it up with a straight edge and chopping it off so I had something to butt up on the fence. Then I used the square to try to align the first long edge.

    On the first pass I had success, but I didn’t manage as well on the second cutting a hopeless diagonal and wasting the piece.

    Basically I tried to get the piece aligned with the square and then using deeper gauges find the offset against the fence, shim it with some thin stock and push it through.

    This worked for one side but not the other.

    Witness the shame:



    My subsequent attempts to get the triangular frame supports out of the stock with the compound mitre saw net with worse results.

    Back to square one and valuable experience learned 🤬🤪


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    Now I’m making some early progress.

    Refer to my thread on fundamentals in the main forum.

    I’ve accurately created the basic cuts for the frame pieces.

    My sled is now properly trued up and cutting reliably.

    For the last couple of days I’ve turned my attention to my drill press.

    Since the wheels are very forgiving when it comes to tooth symmetry, backlash and front to back slop (on the authoritative word of Clayton) I am most concerned with being able to accurately drill centre on the drill press.

    My drill press is nothing flash. A bench top Ryobi. But with the right attention to detail and setup i know it’s capable of this work so I scoured the inter webs for self centring jigs and various table designs for it.

    In the end I played with ideas for a parallelogram centring jig on a basic table.



    But whilst this would be ideal for some of the frame pieces, it is really not so good for circles or squares.

    I ended up thinking Mathias made a good point in his video about how he doesn’t really like fancy tables and uses a flat piece of scrap as backing.

    https://youtu.be/aj3_hR7UvQs

    However, the thing I’ve always found about the metal table on mine is that it’s not that easy to adjust and very hard to clamp to.

    So I ended up with a compromise between the minimalist and the fancy which I think is pretty useful.

    It’s only two holes in two pieces of ply and two parallel rails. Then aligning them with the slots in the table I found that I could get a very usable amount of angular adjustment as well as back and forward sliding.

    Combined with the adjustments of the metal plate itself it’s very easy to be very accurate then tighten everything down with a pair of wing nuts.

    I’ve cut a top with a sacrificial slide out.









    The glue up is underway I’ll post again once finished.




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    The arbor tubes have arrived. I needed to get tubes from one supplier and the rods from another.

    I ended up going with imperial sizes for my holes, arbors and tubes because of the difficulty in getting all the combinations in Brass Rods and tubes with the right fit (I.e. ID and OD). I didn’t want to mix Stainless Steel with Brass unless specified.

    Here is a link to a useful resource for the sizes and K&S Metals part numbers for the Simplicity.

    https://www.evernote.com/shard/s40/s...9c84eb021970a7

    Drill table glue up is complete. Just have to wait for it to setup.






    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    Drill table is ready to see what else I can attach while I’m at it

    I think being able to attach my two mini vices in a convenient way would be good






  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    Drill bench is done.

    Very happy with the result.

    The insert is square so it can be rotated and flipped.

    The vice can be screwed down and allows for some wiggle.

    And I salvaged the fence from an old Ozito table saw that I’ve kept for its motor and steel and it makes a very handy straight edge to clamp down.

    Pics!







    Made a tiny adjustment to level the table and double checked with this little number










  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    Today I began drilling the frame with the new table.

    In short it went beautifully.

    My own skills need practice.

    Especially setting depth for dowels or countersinks.



    I got all of my templated pieces pretty bang on.

    Some of the blanks I made up might be a bit of a challenge later as I switched to my thicker CD ply.



    Oh, and for anyone who has been playing along at home, noticed and cared, but was too polite to say anything...




  9. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    Well today was exciting as I have a completed frame glued and clamped.

    I did the final cuts, cutouts and half lap (using my handmade dado gauge and saw sled) then did a dry run to work out just how and where everything needed to go and dream up a suitable clamping arrangement.

    I’m so glad I’ve done a complete frame in the CD ply.

    Although it’s too thick and I have to take that into account on the plans where things line up, which will no doubt lead to grief later, it has given me a proper physical model to visualise the wheel arrangements, placement of pendulum and weight etc.

    Without this, having never seen one of these in person it would have been very difficult for some with my level of experience to visualise the places where tolerances were fine and more forgiving.

    It also allows me to see how I should go about cutting the Baltic birch I due course - considering grain, edge presentation and other embellishments I could make to the aesthetic of the design to make it truly mine.

    Overall I’m very pleased with the results, I believe it will be square and properly aligned in all three axes and just doing the glue up for experience was invaluable.

    I literally used all my clamps save one - which proves that for this project I have the perfect number of clamps. (n+1) [emoji6]

    The pics of today’s efforts.



    The rest of my arbors arrived.



    The drill press cleaned up, tuned and ready to go.



    Scroll saw used to cut out the rest of the parts.



    Dry run. The view as if from front on. The table represents the wall in the assembly.



    Considering all angles and relationships.



    Makeshift jig to get the frame parts aligned and to square up against.



    Paper laid down to prevent me from including the bench in the apparatus.



    Clamp time.

    Look at the difference between the Baltic and the CD ply from up the road.


  10. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    The clamps are off and the Simplicity frame is one.

    It is a good result and I’m sure it will serve.

    When I do the frame for the final one I think I will use hardwood and change some of my clamping as well as approach the assembly in stages.

    This way I will ensure there are no problems with levelling the top, the back frame, the front frame and getting the joints all flush.





    It’s square but the left frame bracket has crept.



    While the right is fine.


  11. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    Now that the frame is completed I have turned my mind to the cutting of the wheels and pinions.

    The Escape wheel is the only one which needs to be very precise.

    The other wheels are very forgiving in terms of tooth shape and tolerances but very unforgiving with respect to centre.

    The biggest issue I found with cutting the teeth out on the scroll saw was getting the finished tooth profile consistently.

    While it may not be critical for performance there is no question that the appearance of the wheels is essential to the finished piece and accuracy will make tuning easier.

    So I was pondering my experience making my first main wheel.

    This is the biggest wheel and I used a thicket CD ply.

    The front side can look ok but the back looks very ragged.

    I used the approach Clayton suggests. Cut to the line with the scroll saw the sand/file the line off to finish the tooth.

    I noticed that when working to the template on one face and filing it was difficult to ensure that the material was being removed in a consistent line, parallel to the profile of the wheel.

    Concentrating on the accuracy of the one face therefore only guarantees that the front will have the correct shape.

    A huge advantage of the scroll saw is its natural ability to cut vertically and evenly if properly controlled.

    So I experimented with the Olsen 5R skip tooth reversing blade and one which has sanding faces.

    These are awesome but require a Pinned scroll saw so I’ll try to get some for pinless machines.

    I found I could do a basic cut of the teeth quite close to the line but always erring on the waste side. Then I file and sand back to the line. I could also use the scroll saw blade to “chafe” or nibble away at the material which produces lines that have to be filed or sanded off but has the advantage of ensuring a parallel and perpendicular cut from face to face.

    As I thought about the problems of centring and sanding the wheels to perfect circles and getting a good way to refine the tooth profiles I decided to build a jig that would assist in front to back and tooth to tooth symmetry.

    This is what I came up with.

    I registered two boards with corner pins that slot into tubes.





    Then I drilled off centre so I could mount the wheel so it overlaps the side on one end and is contained on the others when it is sandwiched.





    I then proceeded to make two cutouts with the two pieces registered together.

    One was to provide access to the sandwiched wheel and provide angles to file front and back tooth faces across. Having the board back and front will prevent tear out and make getting the face square and even much easier.



    Finally I cut a set of “template” teeth which the sandwiched wheel that is being finished can be compared against as it is rotated through all stations.







    Time will tell if it helps. But it was fun to make.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    What I’m going to try and do next is put the rest of the wheels and pinions on the one template. So I’ll have a “Simplicity template”.



    Each gear will have a portion of the outer edge to project beyond to do the radius sanding and then a neighbouring tooth profile for fine tuning.

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default Clayton Boyer “Simplicity” build

    Cut out the remaining wheel template teeth and one pinion.

    Then I properly finished the three Escape teeth.

    Took a long time but was a great learning experience with the scroll saw, files and sanding.




  14. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    I am finding this very interesting. This is something that I would love to do. Having seen a lot of these clocks whilst down in Tassie last year. I bought a book on making these, but confess I have hardly read it. I've been too busy making guitars and boxes. But having called in to the Leura woodwork shop a couple of weeks ago and seen the ones there for 19 and 14 grand, got me all keen again. Having said that the gears were mainly done in brass.

    I would naturally want to make this from proper timber, but I guess the problem there is movement/warp etc. I really have that much timber now I will never use it in my lifetime.

    Oh yes, and I don't possess a scroll saw.

    Paul

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Australia, Sydney
    Posts
    110

    Default

    Hi Paul!
    You know I’ve been watching Chris on his Clickspring channel machine a clock in Brass and it’s truly amazing. Too much cost associated with the mill and the expertise needed is beyond me.

    From what I understand if you want to use hardwood successfully you need to either do glueups of wheels in say 36 10° wedges and then cut the profile, or try homemade lamination.

    The stability of the wheels as humidity and temperature changes is very important. The running train is very forgiving when it comes to backlash, mesh and even axial play but any variation across the the face which effectively causes the Pitch Diameter (PD) to go out of round will stop the clock. So changes in weather will do this to any solid timber but lamination provides the necessary stability with the mixing of the grains and glue. I’ve seen some wheels which are warped a lot but apparently run fine since the centre is true. They don’t look so good though obviously.

    A lot of people who use hardwood for the frame turn to handmade laminate so they can match the timber colour and grain.

    I think I’ll be making my frame pieces out of hardwood and try to build a contrasting element into the finished look. I’ll probably go with dark Merbau and light Tassie Oak in the hands and dial ring etc, which will hopefully compliment the Baltic Birch.

    The click gear is also recommended to be out of a high quality (AA or AB) ply for strength too. Clayton mentions this specifically as the whole weight of the movement is on each click and hardwood can break too easily.

    What is the book you got? I’d be interested to know - I’ve bought Clayton’s Practical Guide which goes through the process of design and layout in a very clear manner.

    It’s available along with the plans at his site.

    People cut teeth/wheels with bandsaws and routers, and even with drills and then finish with files but a scroll saw is obviously a practical way to go. I got the 139$ Ryobi and it was fine for my first experiments but two I had developed a problem so they both went back. I think If they hadn’t played up I’d still be happy with the Ryobi. It takes pinned and pinless blades and has a big enough bed.

    Best,
    Will
    Last edited by notch; 1st May 2018 at 09:32 AM. Reason: Extra detail

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    geelong
    Age
    88
    Posts
    773

    Default

    I made a wooden geared clock in 2006, all the wheels (gears) were cut from Satin Box kiln dried and a few years old. One piece not segmented , never had any major troubles , the clock is still operating. John.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by nine fingers; 1st May 2018 at 12:00 PM. Reason: wrong date

Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Clayton Boyer Clocks
    By jon ward in forum CLOCKS
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 28th April 2017, 08:12 PM
  2. Simplicity of life's issues
    By John Saxton in forum WOODIES JOKES
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 12th April 2014, 03:55 PM
  3. Lubrication simplicity or silliness?
    By nadroj in forum THE HERCUS AREA
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 5th April 2014, 10:44 AM
  4. Boyer A Class cat
    By woodeneye in forum CLASSIC BOAT RESCUE & ADOPTION
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 19th April 2011, 02:31 PM
  5. Inclination a clock designed by Clayton Boyer
    By Hobbyhorse in forum CLOCKS
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 29th July 2009, 06:19 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •