Making The Stopwork Mechanism

Hey Neel, at this stage about a week

Clickspring

when is your next video coming out? I can't wait!!

Neel Pawar

Hey Paul, I used a springy shim stock steel. It seems a bit springier than simple mild steel, but its not heat treated spring steel. The plans specify thin brass sheet, so its no less "springy" than that, and seems to maintain its spring over the required range. Cheers mate :)

Clickspring

What metal did you use for making the friction spring? It almost looked like it was just cold-rolled mild steel...but that's no good for springs, right? I didn't see any hardening process or anything done to it. Is that really enough for it to serve its purpose?

Paul Grodt

Terrific to have you on board mate :)

Clickspring

fumbled trying to machine my my own tools and prototypes. Your videos have brought back many memories and have inspired me to learn more about home machining and to try to teach my own kids some of these skills so they can have a better appreciation for what true craftsmanship, and quality are. Thank you!

Chris, my father and grandfather repaired clocks and watches as a hobby. I grew up intrigued by these mechanisms and always wondered how they were made. I also spent many years as a design engineer and

Hey Dan, terrific to hear that! I reckon you'll enjoy the next 2 projects too, I'm super excited about these. Re the screwdriver, its a sort of hack to get around the fact that I don't have a set of brass screwdrivers. I need to use a brass blade to protect the blue finish on the screws, so I use a small scrap of brass filed to the correct width and then hold it in a small hand vise. It aint pretty, but it gets the job done. Have drafted plans for a snappy set of interchangeable blade screwdrivers for clockmaking with a wide blade width range to cover clock screws, but just need find some time to make them.

Clickspring

Hey Eric, yes the next Patron Series and YT projects are in development now, in fact I'm working on a small assembly from the next Patron Series project this evening - both projects are looking good for a start once I've completed the current clock build series.

Clickspring

Amazing work Chris. I hope you're satisfied in knowing that not only have you built a clock that is truly a work of art but you've also documented that process so expertly and patiently. I've no doubt that I'll be coming back for years on rainy days to re-watch this series. A question though: that is some sort of flat head screwdriver rig you've got there. Why is it so complicated?

Dan Cowsill

So sad to hear the next video will be the end of the build. Do you have an idea of the next project?

Eric Vincent

Thank you PJ, you sure do put a spring in a fella's step!

Clickspring

Ha ha! Cheers Mike :)

Clickspring

Cheers Al :)

Clickspring

Your planning and forethought throughout this series Chris, is as awe-inspiring as All of the other facets of the production and finally made me realize the Truth of the old saying that "left handed people are in their Right Minds"! It also inspired me to think of a new saying in your case that..."ambidextrous people are in the mind of the All"! Well done Chris! P.S. The spring and washer were brilliant as the hand cut hex! Thanks a bushel of bunches. ~PJ

PJ

You do such an excellent job of transferring knowledge through a video, I just wish you could send me some of your patience as well ;) Thanks again for all your work!

Mike Michelizzi

Once again, wonderful work.

Al McKague

Cheers Paul :)

Clickspring

Yes the last video will cover the winding key as well as final polish and assembly. Cheers mate :)

Clickspring

Excellent as always! Will we also be getting a video on the final polish?

Jeremy Abel

Brilliant again Chris. Loved that video transition of the round hole to hex hole, must have taken some planning.

Paul Busby

Hey Neel, mostly by just diving in and drafting parts. There are a lot of tutorials on YT for Solidworks. Cheers mate :)

Clickspring

how did you learn to use solid works

Neel Pawar

Hey Emma, not sure I would agree that overwinding is a myth - The stopwork does 2 things, it limits the operation of the clock to the middle section of the mainspring (and thus perhaps assists isochronism), but it also acts as a physical stop to prevent an enthusiastic winder from putting in too much muscle at the end of the wind. It will cause a minor bruise on the stopwork wheels, rather than risk damaging the spring or barrel hook. There is no indication of the end of the wind, without a stopwork, so its not hard to imagine someone taking it too far and causing damage. Cheers :)

Clickspring

love this myth of "overwinding" the stopwork gives you closer isochonism maybe doesnt it? i know everyone will wind it up so tight by instinct so they feel the mainspring break, but ive never seen that happen ever. the stopwork is really only a device that gives more even power transmission.

Emmas Spareroom Machineshop

WOW that is just awesome to hear!

Clickspring

Hey Matt, not a silly Q at all, it was something I spent quite a bit of time thinking about - Basically I was a bit concerned about dropping in the hex shape way back in Ep 8 when I made the barrel arbor, just in case I trapped myself with a dimension. I wasn't entirely sure just how tight the assembly would be at the rear of the barrel, and I figured I would have a better chance of avoiding a bozo mistake if I simply left the metal on and trimmed it back when I knew exactly what was required. The added benefit of leaving it was that it would make more sense to the viewer to see the hex go in at the same time as I made the other stopwork bits and pieces. Cheers mate :)

Clickspring

I'm studying to become a watchmaker thanks to you, and I couldn't be happier. Thank you for this series!

TheRoflburger

Amazing. Been looking forward to this one as ever and you never disappoint. Just wondering though: You have had to modify parts that you made a while back, even right at the start. Is this because this part is something you have included now as a newer addition to the original design or simply because it was preferable to add at a later date? Sorry if it's a silly question but it's something that ran through my head as I was watching :-) Thanks Chris! Matt

Cheers Mitch!

Clickspring

Cheers Sondre, terrific to have your support mate :)

Clickspring

I'm almost getting a bit sentimental thinking about how it's almost over, but I'm also looking forward to the next project. I know it will be great! Thanks for the excellent videos, Chris!

Sondre Ninive Andersen

great video chris excellent work

Thank you mate! Very much looking forward to getting this one over the line.

Clickspring

By spacing the stopwork off the great wheel, you have created a gorgeous sense of depth (most especially augmented by that mirror finish). Excited as always for the next video!

Magik Eh

Cheers Fred! The prototypes for the new projects are coming along well, more info in a few weeks :)

Clickspring

Excellent work, as always. I really like the way you show the layout process for all your parts. I've learned a lot from just that part of your videos. I can't believe there is only one more left! I'm anxious to see what your next project is going to be!

Fred Zyda