Japanese pillar clock

[Dave Raffaelli]

Does anyone know where I can find working drawings to make a Japanese pillar clock? I’ve searched high and low but had no luck. Thanks.

 

[EscapeWheel]

Are you trying to make a full Japanese time piece or just a pillar case with modern movement?

I found this. It's not a lot...

Click on the orange "Sample pages of the book PDF" to see some details.

Karakuri Book -Author's Official Site- (fc2.com)

 

[Dave Raffaelli]

Are you trying to make a full Japanese time piece or just a pillar case with modern movement?

I found this. It's not a lot...

Click on the orange "Sample pages of the book PDF" to see some details.

Karakuri Book -Author's Official Site- (fc2.com)

That’s excellent. Thanks so much, I would never have found that on my own. As to whether it’s just the case (with a modified 19thC European or American movement), or both case and movement, that will depend on what I can interpret from the plans, I guess.

 

[ToddT]

More information on the book, from our own NAWCC site: Book review

There is currently a copy available on Amazon. Not cheap at $240: book on amazon

 

[Dave Raffaelli]

More information on the book, from our own NAWCC site: Book review

There is currently a copy available on Amazon. Not cheap at $240: book on amazon

Thanks so much, I’ll see what I can dowith a library. Dave

 

[wisty]

If you plan on making the movement, at lease some of them are very simple.
These are a couple of shots of the movement in mine.

A horizontal balance wheel with a verge and crown wheel escapement controlling the drum. The falling weight that indicates the time provides the power.

 

[Dave Raffaelli]

Oh Wisty, that is such a beautiful piece of kit. Thanks for sending the photos. Do you have any photos of the case? If do, I’d very much like to see them. These things are.as rare as hens teeth, how did you come by it I wonder? Dave

 

[wisty]

Pleasure to help. Photos are not particularly good, but they should help. They are fairly high resolution.

Overall height is 420mm. Height from top of hood 390mm. Hood is 107mm high. Hood is 55mm deep. Backboard behind hood is 5mm thick. Body of clock is 37mm deep. There is a key drawer ( and original key) at the bottom
Slot through which pointer moves is 220mm long. "Seconds Hand" and escape wheel rotates in 20seconds. Escape wheel has 15 teeth. Drum seems to be about 10mm diameter.
Quick math. Drop is 220mm/24 hours or 9.16mm/hour. If drum rotates every 3 hours - don't know haven't studied it that well - that implies 27.5mm drop per rev and drum of 8.75mm diameter, which is probably about right.
There are 13 moveable indicators on the front strip. three of them (Top middle and bottom) are the symbol for 6 which indicates dawn and dusk. So the clock is intended to be wound either at dawn or dusk. The other 10 are two sets of five for the intermediate periods (2 hours each).
I've had the clock for 28 years - it came from a clock shop from which I bought several others over the years. It has hung on the wall ever since, is wound every night on the way to bed and has never needed a service.
Hope this helps your design!

 

[Dave Raffaelli]

Thanks for such a comprehensive set of photos and measurements. Beyond the call of duty and made my day! With this info and the help from everyone else, I have no excuse now but to get cracking. Thanks so much. Dave from York, U.K.

 

[wisty]

No problem. A quick PS.

Last night when I wound the clock I counted the key turns. It took 12+ half turns to wind it up so abut 6 full turns for 24 hours. That suggests the barrel rotates every four hours and is about 11.6mm diameter. Allowing for half the thickness of the cord, that may be about right, although as it's the drop that measures time rather than the angular rotation it could be some close intermediate.

I don't know what the wood is. Presumably some Japanese hardwood. I do know that the wood is slightly oily and doesn't stick well with normal wood glues. The hood fell off a few years ago and the joints all cracked open. I took it to a friend who makes furniture and he repaired it, but had to use some unusual glue rather than the normal wood glue to get it to bond.

Good luck with the project.

 

[Dave Raffaelli]

No problem. A quick PS.

Last night when I wound the clock I counted the key turns. It took 12+ half turns to wind it up so abut 6 full turns for 24 hours. That suggests the barrel rotates every four hours and is about 11.6mm diameter. Allowing for half the thickness of the cord, that may be about right, although as it's the drop that measures time rather than the angular rotation it could be some close intermediate.

I don't know what the wood is. Presumably some Japanese hardwood. I do know that the wood is slightly oily and doesn't stick well with normal wood glues. The hood fell off a few years ago and the joints all cracked open. I took it to a friend who makes furniture and he repaired it, but had to use some unusual glue rather than the normal wood glue to get it to bond.

Good luck with the project.

thanks again. Will bear all that in mind. Dave