John Scheele's Marble Strike and Westminster Chime

Marble Strike and Westminster Chime by John Scheele

Hi Clayton,

First off, I would like to thank you for your beautiful designs and my new re-found hobby. When I was reading your book the beginning was so much like my story when I was a kid. I took apart everything mechanical including clocks which fascinated me the most. At eight, I saved up some some money and bought a plastic cuckoo clock at the local small town department store. Put it together and it barely worked. My dad sprayed some silicone on the gears and poof, they all melted. Go figure, it was never meant to work anyway. Still obsessed, I built a grandmother clock at age fourteen. Fast forward to fifty, I found your cool plans....enough of my story.

Anyways, I am just finishing up your marble strike with some variations of course ;-). One of my variations is a completely separate Westminster marble chiming movement. I designed it in the spirit of your marble strike so they would look good side by side and drive my family even more nuts on the hour.  (BTW my wife keeps commenting that our house is going to become like Dr Emmett Brown's house in the first Back to the Future movie) How cool would that be?

Thanks again for your wonderful body of works (pun intended).

John Scheele

Marble Strike by John Scheele

Aloha John, with your interpretation of the Marble Strike, and this beautiful Westminster chime addition, you have created not one, but two mechanical marvels ~ and then got them to work in concert!  Your work is spectacular and it's truly wonderful to see such a beautiful example of your artistic and creative genius.  I was also particularly pleased to see how you incorporated so many of the Marble Strike design elements into your Westminster chime build.

Thanks for sending these pictures and video link of your magnificent achievement.  Aloha.  Clayton

Marble Strike by John Scheele

Marble Strike by John Scheele

Marble Strike by John Scheele

Marble Strike detail by John Scheele

Westminster Chime by John Scheele

Westminster Chime by John Scheele

Westminster Chime by John Scheele

Marble Strike and Westminster Chime by John Scheele

To see even more detail of John's Marble Strike and Westminster Chime, visit our web site.  On the Marble Strike page, click on the link to our Marble Strike Flickr pool.