Thread: Sextus grasshopper clock almost finished

nice work

i like the escapement , i haven't seen one like that before

the first navigation clocks used a similar system , but 4 of them ,too negate the rocking of the boat affect

Well that is amazing. This is the next clock I want to make. Did you buy the plans for? or did you get the hardware kit? What weight powers it?

Dean.

What can one say but WOW
This is a favorite of mine.
Add Deans question here plus whats your method of manufacturer scroll or cnc? How long to make, finish used,and all other secrets

Russell

I bought plans for the Sextus from Woodentimes in Germany for 35 euro. Wish I had done that last year as I learned a lot from building this clock. David Atkinson (the designer) offers a hardware pack as well which includes brass shafts, ball bearings and "couplings". I didn't buy these as I have a lathe and mill at home and made all the required parts. One problem was trying to buy metric brass rod in Newcastle, eventually had to use 316 stainless as only imperial brass was available.
Timber is Turpinetine and Blue Gum floor boards ripped down and glued back to back and end for ended. I would like to use plywood but i dont know how to finish plywood edges. I used white knight squirts clear enamel to finish the timber except the gear faces which are raw.
I use a 4030 cnc router and vectric cut2d and came into this hobby from making hot air engines and model planes.
The clock currently runs on 4.5 kg which is higher than designed.

Looks fantastic. One of my fav clocks from David. He sure does design some interesting ones.

Very jealous of you lot with your cnc machines! I was cutting a wheel last night and as my fingers were seizing up in a claw like position I was starting to think a few grand for a cnc isn't such a bad deal...

Fairly new to this forum and becoming more and more hooked on making wooden clocks!
So I thought I would share a few pictures of my favourite clock so far. I've used ply throughout, the gears are simply stained and the frame is treated with satin acrylic varnish.
Keeps good time and runs on 1.9kg!
I'm dead chuffed with it!

Chris,

Very nice job. I find these escapements fascinating and I enjoy just watching them.
I scored some marine ply from our club today, they are off cuts from a boat building project. Trying to decide wether to build another sextus or revisit a failed design of mine, modified with lessons learned from the sextus.
How did you finish the edges of your plywood?

Nothing special to finish the edges, a light sand and then the frame was finished with the acrylic varnish and them lightly sanded again. The cogs were just lightly sanded and stained!
I'm using aircraft ply for the cogs and a quality interior grade ply for the frame. I do think the ply and the cutter has a lot to do with the edge finish!

Chris.