Timer Program App and Lubrication with Graphite

Simplicity by Christopher Sesco

A short time ago Christopher completed his Simplicity and sent me pictures of his wonderful build.  He was able to get his Simplicity running on 2.2 pounds (1 kg) of drive weight by substantially decreasing the internal friction in his clock, and in his email he describes what methods and materials he used to accomplish that.  Getting a Simplicity to run on such a light drive weight is an impressive accomplishment and a testament to his high level of craftsmanship.  However, in addition, he has some other really exciting information that he wanted to share with all my builders.  Below he describes how he used a free app to get the timing of his Simplicity into a truly accurate beat.

Thank you for sharing the following information, Christopher.  This is a brilliant re-purposing of the Shot Timer app.  Read on to find out how Christopher achieved such accuracy in his wooden clock...

Christopher writes...

I wanted to share with you a few things that have helped me keep her (Simplicity) running smoothly.

First, everywhere there is brass-on-brass contact I have lubricated with dry graphite. 

Next, a friend of mine informed me of a Teflon powder that piano repairmen use on piano keys. I applied a very light dusting to all wood-on-wood contact points. After a short wear in period the clock runs very smooth, on very little weight. 

Lastly,  while trying to set the clock into perfect beat, I utilized a pistol shooting timer program that I had installed on my phone. IPSC Shot timer (android) is a free app, designed for pistol shooters to record shot timing. After setting the microphone threshold sensitivity very low, it is capable of recording clock beats. This program is excellent for using on clocks. Turn it on near the clock and let it run for a moment, paying attention to the 'split time' and result table. This shows me down to the hundredth of a second each beat of the clock. 

Instead of letting her run for a few days and making a fine adjustment, I can set her in near perfect beat within a few minutes. 

It is interesting to see because you can even identify teeth that are slightly different, by slight discrepancies in the beat times. After marking and sanding down a few teeth, the clock runs beautifully.

I highly suggest this approach.

Thank you again, and keep creating your amazing designs.

Sincerely, 

Christopher 

Simplicity Tips: Mystery Dowel, Internal Friction, Wind Cord, etc.

A helpful exchange of emailed information for beginning clockmakers.  My responses are in red.

Hi Clayton,

I've been working on Simplicity for a while and I have a quick question - on page 13, the crutch. I don't understand the "drill 1/4" and glue in 1/4" wood dowel." Can you explain a little further please?

This is my first scroll saw or woodworking project, so it's great to have gotten this far. I have all the pieces cut and sanded to where the line just disappears. I just have to cut the rods and start assembly.

Thanks!

Paul Jozefek

Aloha Paul, you are not the only one. I get a question about that Crutch about two or three times a year.

The 1/4" dowel is simply glued into place cross grain to help prevent splitting of the Crutch when the Allen Screw is screwed in, and to give the Allen Screw some cross grain to 'bite' into.

That dowel helps prevent splitting of the Crutch and stripping of the hole by the Allen Screw.

Be sure to send pix when you get yours completed. I always enjoy seeing the creativity of other woodworkers.


Hi Clayton,

I finally finished Simplicity and I attached pictures. This was my first woodworking project of any kind, so it's pretty basic. I stumbled across your website one day and knew I had to build some of your clocks. I bought a scroll saw, drill press, disc sander, etc, and began to build. I cut one practice wheel, and everything else went directly on the clock.

When I first got it running it stopped every ten or fifteen minutes. There was one tooth that was sticking. I sanded it down and the next try it ran for about 13 hours and stopped. I assume the clock has too much friction somewhere. I did sand a few more teeth, and hopefully that will help some. It's been running all day, for about 11 hours now, so I'll know soon. Are there any common problems that I should be aware of? The good news is that I plan to bring it to my office, so I only need it to run during the day. Unfortunately I work in Manhattan and take the train to work. I'll bring it slowly. The weight shells one day, the pendulum another, and finally the clock. I'll have it packed well, so hopefully they'll be no problems. My company just moved to new offices and we had all the outer office walls made of glass, so everyone will see it.

I bought your Modern Times and Solaris plans, so I'll attempt Modern Times next. Solaris is my favorite of all your clocks, so I can't wait to get that far.

Thanks for creating such amazing designs and plans.

Best Regards,
Paul Jozefek

Great story, Paul, and your Simplicity came out great(!) - especially for a first time woodworking project.

When a clock runs for 13 hours straight, you're there! There's just a little internal friction somewhere. A good way to "break in" a clock is to pull off the pallets and just let it freewheel for a few winds. That should help remove any tiny bits of internal friction that there may be.

You can also lube up your clock wheels a couple of ways; one is to use a Crayon or candle, and just touch it to the pinion while the clock is freewheeling. A little paraffin goes a long way, so don't over do it.

Since there is no finish on your clock, you can also try simply spraying the wheels and pinions with spray silicone. That can temporarily take away a little of the internal friction, too. Had you used a finish, you would want to check to see if the propellant in the spray silicone would damage your finish before using this method.

You could also add just a little more drive weight (or subtract counterweight) and see if that helps.

Modern Times really is a wonderful mechanism. So easy to build, and she is just such a great runner.

Solaris is also my favorite of the two gravity escape clock designs, but the other one, the Model T, is my wife's favorite. Both are really interesting clocks to watch.

Thanks for the wonderful story and the great pix of you Simplicity.

Aloha. Clayton

Hi Clayton,

Thanks for the great tips. Yesterday the clock stopped in the same spot, so I investigated further. It turns out that when I threaded the pulley I got the cord tangled. It would reach that spot and stop. I untangled it and set the clock running before I left this morning. Hopefully it will make it the whole way now.

Thanks again,
Paul

You can do a couple things to correct binding of the wind cord on the wind barrel; one is to gently lift the weight while pulling down on the counterweight. That helps take the tension off of the cord being wrapped around the barrel of the wind pulley as the clock is being rewound.

The second thing you can do is to wax the wind cord. Allow your clock to run down completely and run a paraffin candle or Crayon (of appropriate color) up and down each side of the wind cord a few times to coat the cord. When you have finished, rewind your clock by lifting slightly on the weight and pulling down on the counterweight. The counterweight cord side does not need this treatment.

Bird Of Paradise by Derek Hugger

Bird Of Paradise by Derek Hugger

Derek writes:  "Hi Clayton,

I'm finished with my first woodworking project ever. Not bad if I do
say so myself ;). I'm having a little trouble keeping it running;
sometimes it goes for several hours (went for close to 12 once), and
sometimes it only runs for 5 minutes. I'm thinking it's just some
friction somewhere. Anyway, thank you again for designing these
beautiful pieces of art. Nautilus is next for me! Until then, here are
some images of the Bird of Paradise. Throw on some 3D glasses and have
a look!

Best,
Derek"

 Bird Of Paradise by Derek Hugger in 3D!

Yes, Derek, your first attempt at a woodworking project really did turn out nicely. It turned out fantastic!

It is nice to see that you did your frame in a darker wood. I don't think I'll show your pictures to my Bird Of Paradise. She'll just get jealous.

These are the first pix I've ever gotten back that were taken in 3D! I don't have 3D glasses, but I'll be on the hunt for them now, just to be able to see these unique pix you've sent.

If your clock is running sometimes for 12 hours and sometimes for 5 minutes, it could be an internal friction problem, and you might think about liberally spraying everything with silicone spray. (Do not do this, however, if you used a finish on your clock that will be ruined by the silicone's propellant.)

Spray the tooth surfaces of the wheels and pinions, and where the arbors meet the frame, and if that takes care of it, yes, there is a tiny bit of internal friction somewhere. However, more commonly, it sounds like something may be coming out of adjustment, and the most common place for that to happen on the Bird Of Paradise, and on Swoopy is where the Verge screws to the Pallet Arbor.

The Verge is that No-Named thing in the plans that has the red vertical line and the Pallets and Resters attach to.

Thanks for bringing that omission of nomenclature to my attention. I have now properly named the Verge in the BOP plans. Anyway, back to your problem...

Sometimes another Allen Screw up from the bottom of that same hole helps hold the Verge more securly to the arbor.

If these don't fix the problem, read over my FAQ's on depthing, and "Why Doesn't My Clock Run," and tweaking, because I'm sure that a clock that runs sometimes for 12 hours is soon to be a very fine runner for 24.

Aloha, Clayton