Wooden Clock Kit #10400

Assembly Instructions

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Required materials:
Hobby Knife
220 grit sandpaper
Pencil
Waxed paper
Wood Glue

Parts List:
Frame Subassembly:
1 Front
1 Back
2 Pendulum Support
2 Rear Support
2 Angle Bracket
1 Angle Bracket Support
2 Inter Plate
Pendulum Subassembly:
3 Pendulum Shaft
20 Pendulum Bob Wedges
2 Pendulum Bob Center
Pulleys Subassembly:
4 Disk, 2" dia
2 Disk 1 3/4" dia
Escape Lever Subassembly:
2 Bracket sides
4 Bracket spacers
4 Escape Lever
2 Escape Lever Crutch
4 Disk1/2"OD, 1/4"ID
1 Wood screw
Threaded Rods
4 Threaded Rod 5.25
28 Nuts1/4 - 20
Drilling Fixture
6 Disk1/2" OD, 1/16"ID
6 Disk 1/2"OD, 1/4"ID
Gear Assembly Fixture:
2 Sloted disk
3 Rectangular spacers
#10400 W ooden Clock Kit

Nut Covers
16 Disk, 5/8" w/ hex hole
8 Disk 5/8"

Subassembly, Hands
1 Minute Hand (long)
2 Disk, 1/2" OD, 1/4"ID

Winch Assembly:
6 Disk, 1" w/ notch
3 Disk, 1 1/4" w/ 2 holes

1 Hour Hand (short)

1 Disk, 1/2"OD, 1/4"ID
1 Disk, 3/4"OD, 1/4"ID

Ratchet Assembly:
2 Ratchet Gear
1 Disk,1/ 2" OD, 1/4" ID
1 Disk,1 1/4" OD, 1/4"ID
2 Gear, 48 tooth, 1/2"ID
8 Ratchet pawls
Pinions:
9 Gear, 8 tooth pinion
4 Gear,10 tooth pinion
7 Gear, 16 tooth pinion
Subassembly, 48 tooth gear
1 Gear,48 tooth, 1/4" ID
2 Disk,1 1/4"OD, 1/4"ID
Subassembly,40 tooth gear
1
2

Gear,40 tooth, 1/4"ID

Disk,3/4" OD, 1/4"ID

Subassembly, 64 tooth gear

2 Gear, 64 tooth, 1/4"ID
4 Disk,1 1/4"OD, 1/4"ID
Subassembly, Escape wheel
1 Escape wheel (30
tooth)
2 Disk,1 1/4"OD, 1/4" ID
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Beginning Notes:
This kit is for the intermediate to advanced model builder. Patience and attention to detail
are assets that will serve you well during the construction of this clock. The general
construction of the kit is deceptively straight forward, however, as a mechanical device, its
functioning depends upon your attention to mechanical and physical detail. Frictional losses
between gears is a major source of difficulty.
The clock uses the gravitational potential energy of the weights to drive the swinging
pendulum, which in turn, provides a metering function which regulates how rapidly the gears
turn. The gears are divided into two sections - the drive train, and the dial train. The drive
train gears up the motion from the winch which holds the weights. As the winch moves a
tiny bit, the escape wheel moves many rotations. The actual numbers can be found from the
ratios of the gears in the train. For each complete rotation of the winch, the escape wheel
rotates 192 times. To put this in perspective, the gear ratio for 10th gear in an average 10
speed bicycle is about 8 times. If you had the same ratio on your 10 speed bike as you have
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in the clock, you can imagine how much difference riding on smooth pavement would make
as opposed to riding on loose gravel. The point is, try to make all contact surfaces as smooth
as possible in the clock. Sand each tooth surface with 400 to 600 grit sand paper (very fine
emery boards for manicures work well too). The greatest attention should be paid to the
smoothness of the escape wheel and the escape lever surfaces, as well as the bearing surfaces
of the escape lever axle.

To Begin:
Remove the parts from the pre cut sheets.
Use a hobby knife to cut parts free from the surrounding sheet or sand the back side of the
sheet if necessary to help remove the parts cleanly.
Use a dowel, or pencil to help poke out the center portion of gears and disks
Sand edges of parts to eliminate burrs:
Sand both faces and edges of all parts to eliminate burrs and splinters. Sand the faces of each
gear tooth with 400 grit or finer sand paper. Avoid changing the shape of the tooth, but
remove any rough surfaces that may cause unwanted drag when it comes in contact with its
mating gear tooth.

Fixture Assembly:

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Assemble the dowel drilling fixture:

Select:
6 - Disks, 1/2"OD, 1/16"ID.
6 - Disks, 1/2" OD, 1/4" ID.
Glue the stack of 6, 1/2 inch disks with the 1/16 inch hole together. While the glue is still
wet, insert the 1/16 inch diameter drill through the hole in the center of the stack. Make sure
the stack is square by setting it on the table and bringing a square edge up to its side.
Check for square on both the front and sides of the stack. Allow the glue to dry completely
before handling the stack further.
Glue the stack of 6, 1/2 inch disks with the 1/4 inch hole together. Avoid getting glue on the
inner surface of the hole through the stack. While the glue is still wet, insert the 1/4" dowel
through the hole in the center of the stack. Turn and slide the dowel through the hole to make
sure that the glue does not harden between the dowel and the disks. Make sure the stack is
square by setting it on the table and bringing a square edge up to its side. Check for
square on both the front and sides of the stack. Allow the glue to dry completely before
handling the stack further. When the glue is dry, remove the dowel.
Assemble the Gear Assembly fixture:
Select the two disks with slots and the rectangular spacers. Place one of the disks on a sheet
of waxed paper. Apply glue to one end of a rectangular spacer and insert this into one of the
slots of the disk. Repeat this for the remaining spacers. Apply glue to the top side of each
spacer, then place the second disk on top of these. Move each spacer so that the ends are
seated firmly in the slots of each disk. Press the assembly firmly together and rotate the disks
in opposite directions as necessary to insure the spacers are perpendicular to the face of each
disk. Insert a 1/4 inch diameter dowel through the center of the assembly to insure proper
alignment. Twist and move the dowel as necessary to make sure the glue will not bind the
dowel to the assembly. Set aside until the glue is fully dry. Remove the dowel and sand the
outer face of the disks to insure a flat and level surface.

Gear Assembly:
Use the gear assembly fixture as shown
to keep the gears and the gear support
disks square and true relative to the
shaft. Apply glue to the contact surfaces
of the gear and disks, but avoid getting
glue on the shaft or hole where the shaft
resides. Allow the glue to become firm,
but not solidly dry before removing the
newly glued assembly from the fixture.

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Component Assembly:
Cut dowels to length:
Refer to the following table to cut the dowels to the appropriate lengths. Sand the ends of
each dowel square and flat then drill inch deep holes in each end using the dowel drilling
fixture. It is very important that these holes be centered and parallel to the dowel axis.
Qty:

Length

Ends to drill

Used for

5.25

Center arbor

3.125

Escape arbor, 2nd wheel arbor

2.75

Drive gear arbor

1.25

Pendulum arbor

1.25

Face posts, Crutch lever pin, Dial train arbor

Assemble The Interplate:

Select the two interplate pieces, apply glue to
the back side of one piece and spread it evenly
over the entire surface. Place the second
interplate in contact with the glued surface.
Pass one of the threaded rods through the 1/4
inch hole in one end and clamp the two pieces
together by screwing nuts onto the threaded
rod from each side. Place a second threaded
rod through the other 1/4 inch hole and clamp
the two halves together in a similar fashion.
Make sure the pieces are held firmly together,
then set aside until the glue is completely dry.
Assemble the Escape Lever:
Select the 4 escape lever pieces. Glue them into a
stack and then pass a 1/4 inch dowel through the
hole in the stack to align them. Press them together
and make sure the stack is even and square, by
setting the assembly face down on a flat surface and
bringing a square edge up against the side of the
stack. Move the pieces as necessary to bring the
stack into square. Set this aside until the glue is
fully dry.
When the assembled escape lever is completely dry,
sand the tips to a tapered point as shown in the illustration. Be careful to keep the pointed
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edge as smooth and sharp as possible.

Using a jewelers file to finish the
surface may provide a smoother more
even surface.

Assemble the escape lever bracket:

Select the 4 escape bracket spacers
and 2 escape bracket sides. Glue the
spacers into a stack with the 1/16 inch
diameter holes in alignment. Next,
apply glue to one side of the stack
and then press the bracket side onto
the glued surface . Repeat this with
the opposite bracket side. Insert the
shank of the 1/16 inch drill through
the 1/16 inch hole to align the pieces.
Insert a 1/4 inch diameter dowel through the 1/4 inch holes in the bracket sides to bring them
into alignment. As before, insure that the stack is square by resting it on a flat surface and
bringing a square edge up to the side of the stack. Check for square along the sides and ends
of the stack. The drill and the dowel should be perpendicular to the flat surface the bracket is
resting on.
Assemble 40 tooth Gear
Select the 40 tooth gear (with 3 spokes) and two 3/4 inch disks with 1/4 inch holes. Place a
1/4 inch dowel into the gear assembly fixture and then slide the gear onto the dowel. Bring
the dowel into firm contact with the assembly fixture. Apply glue to the back of on of the
3/4 inch disks leaving the best side exposed. Slide the glued disk onto the dowel and press
this onto the gear. Allow the glue to dry before removing the assembly from the fixture. Turn
the gear over and place it back onto the assembly fixture. Apply glue to the second 3/4 inch
disk and slide this onto the dowel, pressing it firmly against the gear. Allow this to dry before
removing the gear assembly from the fixture.
Assemble 48 tooth, 64 tooth gears, and Escape wheel:
Select the two 64 tooth gears, one 48 tooth gear with 1/4 inch hole, and the escape wheel.
Select 8, 1 1/4 inch disks with 1/4 inch hole. For each of the gears, follow this procedure:
Place the gear onto the dowel in the gear assembly fixture. Apply glue to the back side of a
1 1/4 inch disk leaving the best side exposed. Slide the disk onto the dowel and press firmly
onto the gear while keeping the gear in firm contact with the face of the assembly fixture.
When the glue is dry, remove the gear, turn it over and place it back onto the assembly
fixture. Apply glue to the second disk, slide it onto the dowel and press it firmly onto the
gear while keeping the gear assembly in firm contact with the face of the assembly fixture.
When the glue is fully dry, remove the gear assembly from the fixture. Repeat this for the
remaining gears.

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Assemble pulleys
Select two, 2 inch diameter disks, and one, 1 3/4 inch diameter disk. Slide one of the 2 inch
disks onto the dowel of the gear assembly fixture. Apply glue to both sides of a 1 3/4 inch
disk. Avoid getting glue near the center hole of the disk. Slide the glued disk onto the dowel
and press it firmly against the 2 inch disk already on the dowel. Slide the remaining 2 inch
disk onto the dowel. Press the three disks together to insure a good glue contact between
them. Slide the assembly along the length of the dowel to make sure it will stick to the dowel
when the glue dries. Press the assembly firmly against the face of the assembly fixture and
allow the glue to dry before removing the pulley from the assembly fixture. Repeat this
procedure for the remaining pulley.
Assemble the winches
Slide one of the 1.75 inch diameter disks onto the 1/4 inch dowel as you had done when
assembling the pulley. Coat both sides of a 1.5 inch diameter disk with glue, again keeping
the glue away from the center hole, and slide this onto the dowel bringing it into contact with
the first disk. Coat one side of the next 1.5 inch diameter disk with glue and slide it onto the
dowel with the glued side facing outward, and bring this into contact with the disks already
on the dowel. Coat one side of the remaining 1.5 inch diameter disk with glue and slide it
onto the dowel with the glued side facing outward as you had previously done. Finally, slide
the last 1.75 inch diameter disk onto the dowel and slide it up to disks already on the dowel.
Press the assembly together and slide it along the length of the dowel to make sure it wont
stick to the dowel when the glue dries.
Assemble the 8 tooth pinion gears.
Select 6, 8 tooth gears. Slide one onto the dowel. Apply glue to one side of one of the 8 tooth
gears being sure to keep glue away from the center hole. Slide this gear onto the dowel with
the glue facing the gear already on the dowel. Bring the two gears into contact and spin one
of them until the teeth are in alignment. Repeat this with the last gear making a stack of 6
gears. Press them together gently to make sure you have good glue contact between the
gears, then slide the assembly along the dowel to make sure it wont
stick to the dowel when the glue dries. Select 6 more 8 tooth gears
and repeat this procedure to create two pinion gear assemblies.
Assemble the Ratchet:
Select the two ratchet disks. Slide one onto the dowel. Determine the
proper side of the remaining ratchet disk which will receive glue.
Coat this side of the disk being sure to keep glue away from the
center hole. Slide this disk onto the dowel and bring the two disks
into contact. Spin one of the ratchet disks until the teeth are in
alignment and press the disks together. Slide the assembly along the
dowel to make sure it wont stick to the dowel when the glue dries.
Assemble 48 tooth drive gear:
Select two 48 tooth gears with holes through the spokes. Place them
together so that the teeth and the spokes are in alignment. Separate
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the gears and apply glue to on of the inner surfaces. Press them together again and align the
gears by passing a 1/16 inch drill or brad through each hole in the spokes. Clamp the gears while
the pins are in place through the spokes. Use a hobby knife to remove any excess glue that may
have been pressed out between the gear teeth. Set aside and allow the glue to dry thoroughly.
Assemble the 10 and 16 tooth gears.
Select two 10 tooth gears. Follow the same procedure as you did to assemble the ratchet.
Repeat this for the next two 10 tooth gears to make a total of two assemblies.
Assemble Large Gears and Escape Wheel:
The assembly techniques for the two large
gears (64 tooth) and the escape wheel are
identical. The 64 tooth gear assembly will
be described here. Select two 1 1/4" disks
and one 64 tooth gear. Apply glue to one
side of one disk and then place it onto the
shaft of the gear assembly fixture with the
glued side facing outward. Slide the gear
onto the shaft above the disk and then
evenly apply glue to one side of the
remaining disk. Slide this disk onto the
shaft and then press the stack firmly
against the gear assembly fixture to insure
alignment of the three parts as well as the
perpendicularity of the shaft through the parts. Allow the glue to firm up enough to hold the
parts together but not dry enough to anchor them to the shaft, rotate the shaft within the
fixture to break any glue bond between the parts being assembled and the shaft. The parts
can be removed from the shaft at this point and allowed to dry thoroughly.
Special attention needs to be paid to the escape
wheel and teeth. The teeth are fragile and to help
strengthen them, brush each side of the escape
wheel with a coat of wood glue or polyurathane.
When this is completely dry, gently sand or file the
square end of the tooth until it is smooth and even.
Take your time here. This is important. Remove
enough material so that the wood appears tan and
not rough and black. The smoothness of this
surface is critical to the proper operation of the
clock.

Assemble 40 tooth gear:

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The 40 tooth gear is assembled in an identical fashion as the larger 64 tooth gears with the
exception of using 3/4 inch support disks instead of the larger 1 1/4 inch support disks.
Assemble the Dial Train Arbor:

Glue two 3/4 diameter disks to the rear side of the front frame. Insert a dowel through the
hole in the frame and use this as a guide for positioning the disks. Insert the dowel into the
hole in the gear assembly fixture and press all parts firmly together to insure the
perpendicularity of the shaft to the frame. Allow the glue to set until the assembly fixture can
be removed without altering the position of the arbor. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly.

Sub-Assemblies:
Position the gears on the arbors in these approximate locations. Do not glue them in place until
you assemble the frame and mount the arbors because some minor adjustments may be
necessary.
The Center Wheel Arbor:

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The Second Wheel Arbor:

The Escape Wheel Arbor:

The Escape Lever and Bracket:

Test the fit of the escape lever dowel in the holes through the escape lever bracket. This
should fit easily without much friction, but it should not be excessively loose. The goal is to
have this dowel rotate easily within the hole, but not wobble. If necessary, lightly sand the
inside surfaces of these holes with 220 grit sand paper until the proper fit is achieved.
Evenly apply a small about of glue to the interior surface of the hole that passes through the
center of the escape lever. Allow this to dry completely, then test the fit on the escape lever
dowel. The dowel should fit tightly in the escape lever.

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Test the width of the escape lever between the

arms of the bracket. This should fit loosely
without interference. If necessary, sand the sides
of the escape lever to reduce its thickness.
When you have achieved the proper fit, place the
escape lever inside the arms of the bracket as
shown and press the dowel through the bracket
and lever arm. Test the motion of the escape lever.
It should move freely without interference.
When the proper fit is achieved, drill a 1/16 inch
hole through the mid point of the escape lever and
through the dowel axle. Press a toothpick into this
hole, and trim flush with the front of the escape
lever. This pins the escape lever to the axle and
prevents the lever from slipping.
The Drive Wheel and Ratchet

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Begin by placing a 1 1/4 inch disk on the gear assembly fixture. Next glue two inch disks
to this. Allow this assembly to dry thoroughly without sticking to the dowel in the fixture.
Next place the double thickness 48 tooth gear assembly over the inch disks. This should be
a snug fit, but the gear should turn freely on the inch barrel disks. Next, place the ratchet
disk on the dowel and press this against the face of the gear. Make sure the ratchet disks
contact the inch barrel disks without the gear interfering. If the gear thickness prevents the
ratchet from contacting the inch disks, remove the 48 tooth gear and sand the face of it to
reduce its thickness slightly. When you are satisfied the thickness of the gear is appropriate,
place the gear over the barrel disks and then apply a layer of glue to the surface of the inch
barrel disk. Next, slide the ratchet over the dowel making sure the step or barb of the
ratchet is on the left or counterclockwise side as shown in the diagram. When in action, the
ratchet should turn in the clockwise direction. When the orientation is correct, press the
ratchet onto the inch disk trapping the 48 tooth gear between the two disks. Allow the glue
to dry but turn the 48 tooth gear occasionally to keep it from sticking to the barrel.
When the glue is thoroughly dry, apply a layer of glue to the round end of one of the ratchet
palls. Using a brad or the shank of the drill provided, pin the pall to one of the spokes of the
48 tooth gear. Press the thin end of the pall against the ratchet disk and rotate the gear until
the pall sits firmly and squarely against the step of the ratchet. Allow the glue to dry. Repeat
this procedure for the remaining ratchet palls.
Finally, apply a thin layer of glue to the outer surface of the ratchet and then slide the winch
assembly onto the assembly fixture and press it firmly against the ratchet. Allow the glue to
dry thoroughly while occasionally rotating the dowel to keep it from sticking to the
assembly.
Assemble the Hour Hand and Gear:

Place a dowel in the gear assembly fixture and then slip the 16 tooth dial train gear onto the
dowel. Apply a layer of glue to the support disk on the rear side (side you want facing away
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in the finished clock) of the 48 tooth gear, slip this onto the dowel and press it against the 16
tooth gear. Next glue three 3/4 inch disks onto the support disk of the gear as shown. Then
glue a inch diameter disk to the top of the stack of 3/4 inch disks. Allow the glue to dry,
but rotate the dowel occasionally to keep it from sticking to the gear assembly. When the
glue is dry, place the hour hand over the disk and make sure that it is free to spin around the
disk. The fit should be snug, but not tight. If the fit is too loose, apply a thin layer of glue to
the inner surface of the hole in the hour hand and allow it to dry thoroughly. This will make
effectively reduce the diameter of the hole making the fit tighter. Place another 3/4 inch disk
on top of the hour hand and make sure it contacts the inch barrel disk beneath it. If it
touches the hour hand first, remove the disk and hour hand. Sand the face of the hour hand to
reduce its thickness slightly. Try the fit again. When youre satisfied that the hour hand does
not interfere with the glue joining between the 3/4 and inch disks, apply glue to the face of
the inch disk being careful not to get any glue on the hour hand, then slide a 3/4 inch disk
onto the dowel and press the assembly together until the glue is dry. While the glue is drying,
occasionally rotate the hour hand around the dowel to make sure it is not glued in place.
Assemble the Second set of Dial Train Gears:
Place the 40 tooth gear assembly on the gear assembly fixture with the best side facing
outward. Apply a layer of glue to the back side of the 10 tooth gear assembly. Slip the 10
tooth gear assembly onto the dowel and press firmly against the 40 tooth gear. Allow this to
dry without sticking to the dowel. When the assembly is thoroughly dry, check the fit of the
dial train arbor within the hole. This should be a loose fit without friction, but not sloppy. If
its too tight, roll a piece of sandpaper into a small cylinder and lightly sand the inside
surface of the gear assemblys hole.

Assemble the Winding Key:

Glue up the stack of hex disks on the gear assembly fixture as youve done before. When the
glue is dry, remove the stack and sand the faces of the stack so they are smooth and even.
Replace them on the gear assembly fixture, then glue the stack of disks with hex center holes
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around them. Allow the glue to dry enough to hold the disks together, but do
not allow the two stacks to stick together. Remove the outer stack as soon as is
practical. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly. Next, glue the two disks with slots on
one end of the stack and allow to dry. While this is trying, glue the two handles
together. When all the parts are dry, apply glue to the end of the key and insert the
handle into the slots in the end of the stack of disks. Allow this to dry completely.

Assemble the Pendulum and Bob:

Start by laying out some waxed paper on a flat surface. Place one of the 2 inch
diameter disks on a stack of two smaller disks (shim the larger disk 1/4 inch above
the table surface). Select one of the wedge pieces and apply a layer of glue along
the shorter curved end. Press this against the side of the disk and allow the glue to
dry. It may help to tape the two pieces together while the glue firms up. Continue
in this fashion until the bob is assembled. Be sure the notched wedges are on
opposite sides of the disk. Repeat this procedure for the second half of the bob.
When both halves of the bob are completed, sand them smooth an sand the rim of
the cup shape on a flat surface to make a flat mating surface to glue the two halves
together.
Before gluing the two halves
together, place them together
and then slide the pendulum
shaft through the notch. If the
pendulum shaft holds the two
halves apart, file or sand the
inside portion of the notch until
theres enough clearance so the
pendulum passes through the
notch with some friction. Next,
glue a washer to the inside
surface of each half for added
weight, as shown in the
diagram. Finally, apply glue to
the rim of one half and then
tape or rubber band the halves
together. Slip the pendulum
shaft through the notch to make
sure both halves are in
alignment before the glue dries.
Assemble the pendulum shaft by laying out a length of waxed paper on a flat surface that
will hold the entire length of the pendulum (approximately 3 feet). Have a straight edge on
hand and a handful of weights (soup cans, or soda bottles) to hold everything flat. Apply glue
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to the edges of the sockets and then lay the parts out on the waxed paper. Wiggle the
segments around a little bit in their sockets to make sure the glue is contacting all surfaces.
Finally, press the straight edge against the side of the joint and then weight the neighboring
sections down with the cans or bottles. Repeat this with the second joint.
When the glue is completely dry, sand both sides and edges of the pendulum shaft. Using the
gear assembly fixture, glue 3/4 inch disks to each side of the shaft at the top.
Sew The Weight Bags:
When sewing up the weight bags, we will be working with the bag inside out. When all of
the sewing is done, then the bag will be turned inside out to expose the good side of the
fabric. To start, select one strip of fabric. Fold back approximately inch of the short end of
the fabric rectangles toward the back or wrong side of the fabric. Stitch each side
approximately 1/4 inch from the fold. Fold the fabric strip in half, bringing the newly
hemmed seams to one end with the wrong side out so that the newly stitched hem is visible.
Stitch along each side of the bag approximately 3/8 inch from the edge. When both sides are
sewn, turn the bag inside out. Repeat with the procedure for the second bag. After filling the
bags with the appropriate amount of sand. The top can be tied shut using a short length of
string. A metal hook can be attached to this string to make hanging the weights and
removing them easier.
Always remove the weights before winding the clock!
Assemble the Numbered Dial:
Select the 4 arcs that form the numbered dial. Lay waxed paper on a flat surface and lay out
the arcs in the proper order with the numbers facing upward. Apply glue to the joints as you
did with the pendulum shaft. Use the front frame of the clock as a template to make sure the
holes in the numbered dial line up with the holes in the front frame. When the alignment
looks good, hold the pieces in place with weights until the glue is dry.
When the glue is dry, sand both sides and edges of the dial to remove any excess glue and
smooth the surfaces.
Flip the numbered dial over and glue 3/4 inch disks over each hole. Use the gear assembly
fixture to make sure the disks are aligned and square with the dial.
Insert the 4, 1.25" long dowels into the holes in the dial and glue in place.
When the glue is dry, the dial can be mounted to the front frame of the clock. Insert the ends
of the dial support dowels into the corresponding holes in the front frame. Do not glue this
in place until you are finished with the final assembly. Sometimes its handy to remove the
dial when fitting gears and getting through the refinement stage of the clock assembly.

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Final Assembly:
While assembling the frame, bolt the parts together loosely to begin with. When you position
the gears and arbors in the frame, you may need to adjust the spacing between the front and
back frame so that the arbors neither bind, nor are too loose. When you are satisfied that
everything fits appropriately, then you can tighten the bolts to firmly hold the frames in
place.
Screw the escape lever bracket to the front side of the rear frame using the wood screw. The
escape lever axle should protrude through the hole in the center of the rear frame.

Using the 1/4-20 threaded rod and nuts, bolt the rear support to the rear frame buy
sandwiching the wood between two nuts. Then bolt the inter-plate to the bottom two
threaded rods in a similar fashion. Finish by bolting the front frame to the threaded rods.
Insert the gears and arbors between the front and rear frame pieces. Pin the gear arbors in
place by inserting a brad through the hole in the frame and into the hole in the end of the
dowel.
Adjust the position of the gears on the arbor so that mating gears are centered from front to
back. When all gears are positioned properly and everything looks like its meshing
appropriately, the gears can be glued in these positions to their corresponding arbors.

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Adjusting the Escape Lever:

Adjust the position of the escape lever relative to the escape wheel by loosening the wood
screw that holds the escape lever bracket to the frame. Pivot the escape lever bracket as
necessary until the escape lever engages the escape wheel as shown in the diagrams below.
Make sure there is no interference as the lever rocks back and forth, to allow the teeth of the
escape wheel to move past, one at a time.

When the proper position is achieved, tighten the screw holding the escape lever bracket.
Press the crutch lever onto the escape lever axle. Rotate the escape wheel gently by hand and
gently swing the crutch lever from side to side. You should hear and feel the tick and
the tock of the escape wheel as it contacts the escape lever. This sound should be evenly
spaced. This happens when the pendulum moves an equal distance to either side of center. If
it is not evenly spaced, reposition the crutch lever on the axle until it is evenly spaced.
Adjusting the weights:
This is a trial and error procedure. Begin with approximately 5 pounds of weight on each
side of the clock. Start the pendulum swinging and listen to the ticking. It should sound even
and strong. Allow the clock to run for 10 or 15 minutes. If everything is functioning well, try
reducing the weights by 1 pound each and try again. Keep reducing the weights until the
clock no longer runs then increase the weight to the previous value that kept it running
reliably.
Reduce Friction:
The two most critical places to reduce friction is between the drive wheel and the center
arbor, and between the escape wheel tooth and the escape lever.

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The escape wheel:

Make sure the ends of the escape wheel teeth are filed smooth and flat. Also, make sure
the escape lever comes to a smooth edge. This can best be done by using a fine jewelers
file instead of sandpaper.
The Drive Wheels:
Make sure the teeth do not interfere when
rolling together. If they are interfering, you
can often hear a clunk sound as the teeth
begin to mesh while the clock is running.
When this happens, the clock may also stop
running. If you experience this, sand the tops
of the teeth round and make sure the faces
of the teeth are sanded down to clean wood.
Be cautious, because removing too much
material is as bad as not removing enough!
The drive wheels can be lubricated with
ordinary bar soap. Using an artists paint
brush, dip the brush in water then swirl the
brush against a dry bar of soap to pick up
some soap. Brush the soap onto the face of
each tooth being sure not to leave clumps.
A little lubrication is a good thing, but Do Not apply soap to the escape wheel! The
forces between the wheel and the lever are so small that soap lubrication may actually
hinder its operation.
Mounting the Hands and Dial Train Gears:
The gears mounted on the dial train arbor are held in place by a small washer (" OD)
that maintains a friction fit on the arbor. To make this washer fit snugly, it may be
necessary to shim it slightly with a thin strip of paper. Simply place the strip of paper
over the end of the arbor and then slip the washer over this trapping the paper between
the inner surface of the washer and the arbor. Trim any excess paper away from the
washer if desired.
The same procedure is used to fix the minute hand on the center arbor shaft.
Mount Hex Shaft on Drive Gear Arbor:
Slip the hex shaft that mates with the winding key onto the drive gear shaft. When it is
flush with the end of the shaft, drill a 1/16 inch hole approximately 1/8 inch from one
end of the hex shaft perpendicular to and through the hex shaft and the drive gear shaft.
Pin this in place with a round toothpick. Drill a second hole approximately 1/8 inch from
the opposite end of the hex shaft and rotated 90 degrees from the first hole. Pin this with
a round toothpick.

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Theory:
Friction:
Friction is directly proportional to the contact force between the gear teeth. Therefore, the
drive gears are most affected by frictional forces even though they move very slowly.
At the other end of the drive train, where the escape wheel contacts the escape lever, the
contact forces are small, however, the potential energy of the weights has be leveraged so
high (192 times) that it only takes a very small amount of force to counter balance the drive
weights. Imagine having a lever 193 meters long and placing the fulcrum one meter from the
end which is holding the drive weights (say 1 kilogram). To counter balance this lever, it
would only take 1/192 kilogram (about 5 grams!) attached to the other end of the lever!
Thats not much weight
Timing:
The timing of the clock is determined solely by the length of the pendulum. The pendulums
period is determined by the distance from the pivot point to the pendulums center of mass.
The weighted bob allow one to adjust the position of the pendulums center of mass. Moving
it upward, shortens this distance and decreases the period of oscillation (making the clock
run faster) moving it downward lengthens this distance and increases the period of
oscillation (making the clock run slower). The bob can be held in position by wedging a
toothpick between the bob and the pendulum shaft. Do not glue the pendulum to the shaft as
it may be necessary to readjust the bobs position depending upon weather conditions
(humidity and temperature).
Trouble shooting:
You will spend a good portion of time refining the performance of your clock. You may find
that it runs for short periods of time and then stops. Pay attention to the position of the gears
when this happens. Look for places where friction or interference may be occurring. You
may find it helpful to lightly mark the teeth that are in contact between mating gears along
the drive train. This will help identify a sticky tooth on a particular gear should it stop
repeatedly at the same spot.
Be sure the clock is properly leveled. If it is not level, you will hear an uneven beat as it
ticks.
Make sure the drive gears are lubricated with a light coating of ordinary bar soap. Also make
sure the contact between the escape lever and the escape wheel is as smooth and even as
possible.
Avoid using more than 6 or 7 pounds of weight in each sand bag. If you find it needs this
much weight to run, you need to go back inspect the gear tooth faces for possible sources of
friction or interference.

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