Bearings in clocks

For the makers of various third party clock designs..
doc_here_
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Re: Bearings in clocks

Post by doc_here_ »

Mooselake wrote:
doc_here_ wrote: Ps the piece that I got here down under was 1 ?" x 1 ?" x 6" and cost me $30 and $25 shipping, sucks being here sometimes lol
Just went through the Sydney airport twice, to/from NZ.  Would have brought you some (if you're close to there) if I'd known.  The sort-of local guys want $6 for the Argentine variety.

Kirk
Oh if only I had known Kirk, that would have been brilliant as I'm about half an hour from the airport in Oatley.
If you're ever coming back let me know and maybe we can sort something out for the next time. Thanks for the kind thought
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Mooselake
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Re: Bearings in clocks

Post by Mooselake »

The start of a new service, the Gerotic Delivery Net?  I didn't think of it this time, but if they drag me off on another expedition.  The youngest girl (the one I owe an international trip to) is starting to hint about South America.

I can't be the only one who's wife wants to turn into a global traveler; perhaps we need a pending international request and delivery list.  Likely slower than Kickstarter but less likely to fail :)

Kirk

John T
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Re: Bearings in clocks

Post by John T »

I’ve just completed David Atkinson’s Sextus design and it is the first clock that I installed steel bearings. Although David has bearings in several locations I only installed them on the pendula. Since the escapement is a grasshopper type it is highly sensitive to the drive weight to regulate the time, I found that sufficient weight to maintain the running of the clock meant that the clock was being overdriven. By installing the bearings in the pendula I was able to use a much more acceptable drive weight, and thus more overall time accuracy.
Here is a picture of the finished clock.
6F57D4E9-DB1E-4D6F-BC4C-0233673F1B1D.jpeg
1% inspiration 99% try, try again
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ArtF
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Re: Bearings in clocks

Post by ArtF »

Hi John:

Awesome work. I agree totally with you, a bearing can do wonders for almost any work, and I
really advise using them when one can. Merry XMas and thx for showing us your work.

Art
Hessel Oosten
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Re: Bearings in clocks

Post by Hessel Oosten »

Really wonderful clock John !

Once I did read that bearings give a 70 % reduction in resistance, in comparison to fine polished (e.g. steel in bronze in clocks) pivots.

Hessel
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kit
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Re: Bearings in clocks

Post by kit »

That's a nice example of the Sextus. It's a very hypnotic design to watch!

I was surprised at how much difference there is between ball and plain bearings. Soaking them in solvent to remove any manufacturer-installed grease apparently helps as well. At the speeds we run these bearings, grease and oil simply add drag.
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