How to make very fine clock hands?
 

How did 18th century watch and clockmakers produce very fine steel hands?

files, carefully applied. There was a link, or a series of posts a while
back from someone going through clock making school - look for that link and
you will find much of the answer


"David Anderson" wrote in message
...
How did 18th century watch and clockmakers produce very fine steel hands?

In article ,
David Anderson wrote:
How did 18th century watch and clockmakers produce very fine steel hands?

Do a web search on clocks and william smith.
Mr smith is well know in this field and sells numorous books on clock
making that are very well done. He is quite old now, so I recommend
buying them while they are still available.

chuck

Second that, Chuck! W.R. Smith is tops in his field. He is a master at
making small parts in a lathe. In the mid 90's Home Shop Machinist ran a
series of construction articles by Mr. Smith, detailing small lathe
accessories. One of the accessories was "A Quick Release T - Rest for the
Sherline Lathe". I built one of those. It is a top-notch piece of
equipment! Sherline sells that same rest for around $200. Smith's book,
"Clockmaking and Model Making Tools and Techniques" is also highly
recommended.

Bob Swinney


"Charles A. Sherwood" wrote in message
...
In article ,
David Anderson wrote:
How did 18th century watch and clockmakers produce very fine steel hands?

Do a web search on clocks and william smith.
Mr smith is well know in this field and sells numorous books on clock
making that are very well done. He is quite old now, so I recommend
buying them while they are still available.

chuck

In article ,
"David Anderson" wrote:

How did 18th century watch and clockmakers produce very fine steel hands?

Go swing by alt.horology and ask those dudes. Some of them either do
it, or still know how.

--
B.B. --I am not a goat! thegoat4 at airmail dot net
http://web2.airmail.net/thegoat4/

I have only about three weeks work left on W.R.Smith's Skeleton Wall Clock.
Been working on it for almost 18 months. Pix to follow if I can figure out
the dropbox.
BTW, I'm still have to make the hands. Smith has you cut them out of 1/32"
mild steel with a jeweler's saw, file them convex on the top, polish them
and then heat blue. I can't find 1/32" mild steel so I'm going to shave off
a few tenths from a piece of tool steel I have. I test blued some; it looks
fantastic.
Nok
"Charles A. Sherwood" wrote in message
...
In article ,
David Anderson wrote:
How did 18th century watch and clockmakers produce very fine steel hands?

Do a web search on clocks and william smith.
Mr smith is well know in this field and sells numorous books on clock
making that are very well done. He is quite old now, so I recommend
buying them while they are still available.

chuck

In the mid 90's Home Shop Machinist ran a
series of construction articles by Mr. Smith, detailing small lathe
accessories.

Mr. Smith sells reprints of his construction articles, condensed into
a nice booklet. In fact at least one series was never completely published
but his books are complete. Mr Smith even answers email!

One of the accessories was "A Quick Release T - Rest for the
Sherline Lathe". I built one of those. It is a top-notch piece of
equipment!

I want one, but have not found the time to make it. I would buy it
but sherline simplifed it a little to make it easier to manufacture
and I'm not willing to compromise.

chuck

BTW, I'm still have to make the hands. Smith has you cut them out of 1/32"
mild steel with a jeweler's saw, file them convex on the top, polish them
and then heat blue. I can't find 1/32" mild steel so I'm going to shave off

Mr. Smith told me to use pallet strapping metal bands. you know those
thin metal bands they use to hold things together for shipping.
chuck

is this the Smith that had a watch supply shop in the jewlery district of
downtown LA - If yes, I bought some parts from him a long time a go - quite
a character
"Charles A. Sherwood" wrote in message
...
In the mid 90's Home Shop Machinist ran a
series of construction articles by Mr. Smith, detailing small lathe
accessories.

Mr. Smith sells reprints of his construction articles, condensed into
a nice booklet. In fact at least one series was never completely published
but his books are complete. Mr Smith even answers email!

One of the accessories was "A Quick Release T - Rest for the
Sherline Lathe". I built one of those. It is a top-notch piece of
equipment!

I want one, but have not found the time to make it. I would buy it
but sherline simplifed it a little to make it easier to manufacture
and I'm not willing to compromise.

chuck

Doubt it. WR Smith lives in TN.

Bob Swinney
"william_b_noble" wrote in message
news:1110521944.73b820d9786da8b1f0fc76df89c11c9a@t eranews...
is this the Smith that had a watch supply shop in the jewlery district of
downtown LA - If yes, I bought some parts from him a long time a go -
quite
a character
"Charles A. Sherwood" wrote in message
...
In the mid 90's Home Shop Machinist ran a
series of construction articles by Mr. Smith, detailing small lathe
accessories.

Mr. Smith sells reprints of his construction articles, condensed into
a nice booklet. In fact at least one series was never completely
published
but his books are complete. Mr Smith even answers email!

One of the accessories was "A Quick Release T - Rest for the
Sherline Lathe". I built one of those. It is a top-notch piece of
equipment!

I want one, but have not found the time to make it. I would buy it
but sherline simplifed it a little to make it easier to manufacture
and I'm not willing to compromise.

chuck