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DonCorson
[AHCI]
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A David Walter Double Pendulum Clock – Part 5, Making the Wheels

A David Walter Double Pendulum Clock
    – Part 5,  Making the Wheels

David Walter's new double pendulum perpetual calendar clock is advancing every day.
For those of you who didn't see the earlier installments of this series, you can catch up by looking here:
    - Installment 1 – Introduction and Cutting out the plates
    - Installment 2 – Making the Barrel
    - Installment 3 – The Suspension
    - Installment 4 – Invar Pendulum Parts

Today we will see how David makes the geared wheels.  The raw material is brass plate of the correct thickness.  The wheel's job is to provide unvarying torque to the escapement and to provide the reductions necessary to provide the time and other indications. 

The most important requirements for the wheels is that they be concentric so that the friction is the same no matter in which position they are, and that they be light so that their inertia does not slow down the transmission of power. 

The tooth forms are cut into the rim of the brass disk using so-called module cutters cutting one tooth at a time.  The disk is rotated the correct amount after cutting each tooth.

First the center is punched and the wheel diameter is scribed on the brass material...

… then the center hole is reamed out to size...

and the blank cut out on the bandsaw.

Here we see several wheel blanks mounted on arbors.  The bigger wheels have steel clamps to dampen vibrations while the gear teeth are being cut.

After the blank is turned round we begin cutting the gear teeth. Two cuts and the first full tooth emerges.

Here we see tooth 115 of 120 being cut.

Several wheels with their teeth cut and the 4 cutters used for the work.

Once the teeth are cut the crossings are marked out, entry holes drilled for the saw blade and the sectors cut away.

After tooth cutting, piercing, filing and polishing.

Here we see the year wheel being cut, tooth 357 of 365 using a 60° ratchet cutter.

Let's all thank David for inviting us into his shop. 

I don't know about you, but after seeing the wheels now I want to see the corresponding pinions being made.
  

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