Making a barrell cover without a lathe

[ticktock19852004]

Hello!

I started in on over-hauling my shelf cuckoo I bought a few months ago. One of the barrel covers was so badly cracked it literally fell off of the movement. Here is what I did since I don't own a lathe yet. I used a drill press, an existing barrel cover from a Hermle movement, a machine screw, 2 washers and a nut.

1. I reamed out the hole in the existing Hermle barrel cover to fit the arbor size that was needed.
2. I sandwiched the Hermle cover and the broken cover together and used soooper glue to adhere them together. Being very, very careful to line up the arbor holes perfectly.
2. dropped a washer onto the machine screw, placed barrel covers onto screw (being very careful to perfectly center them again) put another washer on top of the sandwiched covers and tightened a nut on top of that.
3. Chucked the machine screw-barrel sandwich into a drill press.
4. While covers were rotating I used a needle file to reduce the diameter of the Hermle cover to match the cover I needed to replace exactly.
5. Finished up the edges of the newly made cover with a very fine sand paper.

Everything came out centered very nicely. It looks just like the original cover and functions correctly. Took only about 20 mins to make a new cover. Its not the best way to do this but I made full potetial of the equiptment that I do have.

Tell me what ya think guys

Thanks!

Neal

[Thyme]

Never argue with success! :thumb:

[harold bain]

Neal, sounds like you did a great job making use of what you have. As long as the cover will lock onto the barrel and stay put, it should be a good repair.

[Jeff C]

Great procedure Neal, thanks for sharing.

Regards,

[Scottie-TX]

Yeah; CONGRATS!
I can make just about everthin' 'cept a paira suspenders on a drillpress.
Much like your process, I make weight caps and covers.
Don't (do) barrel caps have a slight taper to their edge to make them SNAP in place?

[Dave B]

When I was in high school, I made a generator by wrapping wire around a pair of nails for an armature, using a round pencil as the shaft. I drove it with a model airplane engine, with a pulley in place of the propeller. I made the pulleys by sandwiching washers and filing the center one smaller, the same way you did, using a drill press. I think that is a perfectly fine way to go, if you don't have a lathe.

[Hayson]

I'll second that! Good stuff, well done!

[Mike Phelan]

A man after my own heart, Neal! :)
Skills are better than gadgets.
Using materials at hand are better than throwing money at the job.

Keep it up!

[Highpower]

A classic example of the proper use of the most important tool in the shop. Your 'noggin'. :)

MacGyver would be proud... :cool:

[ticktock19852004]

Hello!

Thank you everyone for all your speedy comments/compliments. I really appreciate them!

Scottie, you're right. Most do have a bevel edge so they will snap in place. I should have mentioned this is a small shelf cuckoo. 30 hour with a small movement. The original cover didn't have the bevel and the barrel inside diameter didn't have the "ring" for a bevel to snap into. Maybe the manufacturer presumed since the springs are not as strong as maybe an 8 or a 14 day the friction fit would be sufficient. The cover I made for this movement snap down quiet nice. It won't be going anywhere for a while. I do have a early, huge 8 day shelf cuckoo movement in the drawer If I had to make covers for that one I would have put a bevel around the cover diameter for SURE. That thing is a monster.

Thanks again!

Neal

awwww. I was lookin' for a good pair of suspenders:p

[Scottie-TX]

Yeah; For me, making parts friction fit proves to be my toughest challenge. One moment it's way too large and .001 later, falls into the bore. I failed that challenge recently, making two brocot pallets. SHEESH!

[ticktock19852004]

Hello!

I did have problems with friction fitting things until I was employed by a company that makes parts as tiny as an ants leg and sometimes smaller that have to be friction fitted and flawlessly perfect. Many, many hours of hair pulling, muttering under your breath and patience has paid off.

Thanks!

Neal