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Re: Bearings in clocks
Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 10:35 am
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
Re: Bearings in clocks
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 4:22 am
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.
Re: Bearings in clocks
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2021 5:10 pm
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
Re: Bearings in clocks
Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 12:23 am
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
Re: Bearings in clocks
Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2022 12:22 am
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.