Woodward/Wilding Gearless clock

[smfParticipant @smf]

This is another Woodard/Wilding gearless clock and my first clock.  It has a couple of variations (ignoring aesthetic changes) – ball bearing races for the count wheel, geared motion work and an endless loop/weight rewinding arrangement (lower right on the clock) for the cord instead of any maintaining work.  I’m not sure about the loop yet as the knot tends to jam up as it travels around the central arbour.  I’ve tried various knots and the current version is a ‘blood knot’, but I think the fundamental problem is that any knot is too bulky.  I could work round this, but I’d like to leave the clock alone for a while to bed in, so that I can dial in the rate a bit better.  I don’t expect to achieve regulator standards!

 

Stephen

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Very nice work, Stephen … and it’s a fascinating device.

MichaelG.

[Chris Raynerd 2Participant @chrisraynerd2]

Hello Stephen

I built this clock about 12 years ago and it’s sadly sat waiting for a repair and some maintenance! You have done a really great job – it looks smashing!

I literally posted not so long ago (I think on the NAWCC) about the thoughts on installing auto winding hoygens loop. I’m sorry for my stupidity, have you any more pictures of this setup. Where exactly is the motor ?

I also had issues with the cable slipping. What line have you used and how is it hooking on for the rewind?

 

chris

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

If you have enough patience you could try splicing the joint in the cord. I suspect a microscope would be helpful

[smfParticipant @smf]

Thanks all.  The winding is done manually by turning the large knob at the bottom right of the clock – see the second photo above.  Basically, it’s just two or three winds around a barrel with a ratchet, and that provides enough friction to hold the main weight against the jockey weight.  However, to avoid the line overlapping on the barrel, each wind goes into its own groove on the barrel and then up to a pulley (again with the line going into a groove), and back down to the next groove in the barrel, and so on for up to three complete winds  This works well.  I have to rewind the line every three/four days given the fall I have. I had thought about splicing the line, but decided to see where I got to with other knots first.  The only sticking point is when the knot reaches the main arbour, but I can ease it round manually.  I could do what I’ve done for the rewind mechanism and put another groove on the main arbour with a loop back to the bearing on the left and then operate the clock with two winds around the arbour, but I’ll leave that until I next dismantle the clock.  The line is a 10kg braided fishing line – nothing special.  Once I’d balanced the weights for the line and arbour groove, I’ve not had issues with slippage (yet).  The clock is currently running at about +2s a day.  I’ve added a small tray to the pendulum and am currently adding/removing fishing weights to improve the rate as best I can.

 

Stephen

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