Anyone who's into this kind of thing would probably dig watching Clickspring: https://www.youtube.com/@Clickspring
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Making a watch from scratch
61–70 of 92 posts
Re: Making a watch from scratch
#62I can fully appreciate the amount of skill involved here. I'm currently on a journey to make a clock from scratch using traditional clockmaker's methods. I started from pretty much zero knowledge of even basic machining, let alone specific clock and watch work. I'm a couple years in now (working in my spare time between work and family obligations), and I can repair most types of issues with clocks and many watches.…
Im interested in something similar. Any good resources you would recommend? Or any communities you found?
Somewhere in my house there is a copy of "Make Your Own Working Paper Clock" by James Smith Rudolph. [1]
One day when I have stored up enough patience and a table to work on that won't be disturbed for a while I might put it together.
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Working-Paper-Clock/dp/0060...
Re: Making a watch from scratch
#63I can fully appreciate the amount of skill involved here. I'm currently on a journey to make a clock from scratch using traditional clockmaker's methods. I started from pretty much zero knowledge of even basic machining, let alone specific clock and watch work. I'm a couple years in now (working in my spare time between work and family obligations), and I can repair most types of issues with clocks and many watches.…
One of my very vague goals is to build a clock, from scratch, without looking anything up. It wouldn't have to look like a wall clock; just something that keeps 24-hour time within reasonable tolerances. (It's been impossible to avoid knowledge of all clockmaking stuff, but I still avoid watching videos on how clocks are made. This is probably going to be something I do once the child is in college!)
If you ever get to go to London... https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/clocks-timekeeping
Latitude has a "natural" definition (sphere spins around, how big around are you spinning near the poles vs. the equator?).
Longitude has no "natural" definition!? How far away are you from Mount Everest? ...only works when you have a natural sight line to the peak of the mountain... If "high noon" at London is exactly (ummm...) NOW! ...and you go 1000 miles west, how much TIME has passed between your "noon" and London's "noon"? You need a good watch... and how can you determine "high noon" on the pitching deck of a ship at sea? ...maybe not with your typical pendulum clock!
It was such a mind-blowing experience to learn that maps (and thus CLOCKS!) were first a military and trade technology! If you have a good clock, you can get a good X-coord in addition to the "free" Y-coord. If you can get good X,Y then you can make a good map. If you have a good map, you can optimize your trade / military routes, etc, etc, etc.
Highly worth going a bit out of the way for a visit, was actually one of the highlights of the trip for me.
Re: Making a watch from scratch
#64Anyone who's into this kind of thing would probably dig watching Clickspring: https://www.youtube.com/@Clickspring
Specifically this playlist where he builds a desk clock in an estimated 1000 hours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Y146v8HxE&list=PLZioPDnFPN...
The last video in the series summaries everything in 12 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU7iKNmQBIs
Re: Making a watch from scratch
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
In the world of industrial machinery it's not too surprising to have to make special fasteners from scratch, especially as replacement parts may no longer be available from the original manufacturer. Taps and dies are common tools, and single-point-threading on a lathe can also be used.
On the other hand, the world of industrial machinery seldom needs M0.6 threads. Just trying to support it properly so it didn't bend away from your single-point thread cutter would be a challenge. And imagine how easy it would be to drop the part, and how hard it would be to dig it out of the coolant and swarf!
I think the challenge with making such small screws would be mostly around
- Making your own or acquiring cutting tools that fit in such spaces, e.g. able to thread up to a shoulder at that scale.
- Measuring your progress. I'm really not sure how you'd measure pitch diameter for such a small screw without exotic measuring tools. Perhaps you would just cut it to fit the mating part, which on it's own would still be difficult to check due to the subtlety of the feel of such a small screw going in.
- Cutting internal threads. I imagine making your own M0.6 tap would be quite tricky as you'd have to grind very small reliefs after making an M0.6 screw.
Definitely not using coolant on parts this small; small amounts of lubricant if anything. Supporting the part shouldn't be much of a challenge as you would be taking requisitely small cuts with very small forces. I'm sure tweezers and loupes/microscopes are your friend when making watch parts.
Re: Making a watch from scratch
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
You're in for a treat then! Bartosz has a bunch of other insanely well done explainers on his website, with easily inspectable JavaScript too. Some of my favourites are the watch, the engine and the GPS ones, though they're all fantastic.
> easily inspectable JavaScript More amazingly, he writes it all by hand (I asked).
Indeed, very impressive!
Re: Making a watch from scratch
#67I can fully appreciate the amount of skill involved here. I'm currently on a journey to make a clock from scratch using traditional clockmaker's methods. I started from pretty much zero knowledge of even basic machining, let alone specific clock and watch work. I'm a couple years in now (working in my spare time between work and family obligations), and I can repair most types of issues with clocks and many watches.…
One of my very vague goals is to build a clock, from scratch, without looking anything up. It wouldn't have to look like a wall clock; just something that keeps 24-hour time within reasonable tolerances. (It's been impossible to avoid knowledge of all clockmaking stuff, but I still avoid watching videos on how clocks are made. This is probably going to be something I do once the child is in college!)
I did this! I got to the point of building a ticking prototype, and I considered it "cheating" to copy any clock designs. I did use an established escapement design, though. Apparently involute gear tooth profiles aren't appropriate for clocks, but I don't know how to draw the "correct" type. I spent months designing it in solidworks, creating the 3D models and plans. I then cut out the gears from baltic birch plywood with a cheap scroll saw, then sanded all the teeth, which took forever. If I do it again, I'll just have the parts laser cut. About a year later, I bought a kit [0] which was very enjoyable to build, and I saw how my bearing design was wrong.
[0]https://wooden-gear-clocks.com/ascentclock
Edit:for a point of inspiration, check out this guys creations in wood: https://youtu.be/HlJdfKYg6As
And his website: https://web.archive.org/web/20061117180507/http://flashpages...
Re: Making a watch from scratch
#68This person's build is amazing! Mostly photos, but still super cool to see how "from scratch" it is - if you're expecting "bought a few components from Swiss companies" then, yeah, it's not that! I submitted this a week ago and sadly it sank without trace (poor choice of posting time I suspect), so I'm trying again. I have no affiliation with the builder.
> Mostly photos
Me and maybe a dozen others vastly prefer this. I almost never want video.
Re: Making a watch from scratch
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
On the other hand, the world of industrial machinery seldom needs M0.6 threads. Just trying to support it properly so it didn't bend away from your single-point thread cutter would be a challenge. And imagine how easy it would be to drop the part, and how hard it would be to dig it out of the coolant and swarf!
I think the challenge with making such small screws would be mostly around - Making your own or acquiring cutting tools that fit in such spaces, e.g. able to thread up to a shoulder at that scale. - Measuring your progress. I'm really not sure how you'd measure pitch diameter for such a small screw without exotic measuring tools. Perhaps you would just cut it to fit the mating part, which on it's own would still be d…
Yeah, it was not the screw-making per se that impressed me. I know that making screws is a Thing People Do. What impressed me was 1) how freakin' tiny they are and 2) the fact that he made all the screws, including the internal screws that aren't visible in the assembled watch. That is some serious attention to detail.
Re: Making a watch from scratch
#70Anyone who's into this kind of thing would probably dig watching Clickspring: https://www.youtube.com/@Clickspring
One of the best Youtube channels in existence, fantastic work.