No. 4, nearly done

[John MacArthur]

So here is the nearly final product of the clock construction I have been promising pictures of. The dial and bezel will get silvered and lacquered at the very last, after final mounting in the case. I still have to make several case and bracket screws, again after the case is made, and I know the final dimensions. I have quite a few pictures of the construction processes, which I will post in order as I make the next clock, which I will be starting soon.

Johnny

 

[WMello]

Beautiful

 

[shimmystep]

Wonderful work John, enjoyable pictures, thanks.

Can you talk me through the weight pulley at the top of the movement? Looks great, what was behind that design? As opposed to the conventional way?

 

[John MacArthur]

Thanks, Shimmy. Most regulator clocks go into tall cases, and this is how I had set out to make this one. The weight spools off the drum, and reaches to nearly the bottom of the case. When I was about half done with this one, a friend wanted it, but in a wall hanging case. So I had to add the secondary pulley so that the weight will wind completely to the top of the case, and the fall of it will extend just beyond the bottom of the pendulum. There are quite a few examples of this type of case and setup in 19th cent. English regulators, particularly by Frodsham with gravity escapements, and It was an easy "fix". The old way was to just have it ride on a shaft, as it has to move back and forth as the weight winds up and down on the drum. I added a small rotary linear bearing inside the hub, so that it adds virtually zero friction. If I had designed the clock for a wall case from the beginning, I would just have made it with a smaller weight drum, as in my No. 3 (see web page in my sig file).

Johnny

 

[shimmystep]

Thanks, Shimmy. Most regulator clocks go into tall cases, and this is how I had set out to make this one. The weight spools off the drum, and reaches to nearly the bottom of the case. When I was about half done with this one, a friend wanted it, but in a wall hanging case. So I had to add the secondary pulley so that the weight will wind completely to the top of the case, and the fall of it will extend just beyond the bottom of the pendulum. There are quite a few examples of this type of case and setup in 19th cent. English regulators, particularly by Frodsham with gravity escapements, and It was an easy "fix". The old way was to just have it ride on a shaft, as it has to move back and forth as the weight winds up and down on the drum. I added a small rotary linear bearing inside the hub, so that it adds virtually zero friction. If I had designed the clock for a wall case from the beginning, I would just have made it with a smaller weight drum, as in my No. 3 (see web page in my sig file).

Johnny

I thought that may be why, the picture's perspective doesn't show the space where the weight rises well. Superb quality build Johnny, can I see jewels in the anchor as well?

 

[John MacArthur]

Thanks again, Shiimmy. In the test stand, the weight doesn't rise all the way up to the upper pulley, like it will in the final case. Yes, you can see the jewels dovetailed into the pallets. What you can't see are the jewels in the plates at each end of the scape and pallet arbors. Here is a pic of the one in the pallet bridge, before polishing.

Johnny

 

[shimmystep]

Thanks again, Shiimmy. In the test stand, the weight doesn't rise all the way up to the upper pulley, like it will in the final case. Yes, you can see the jewels dovetailed into the pallets. What you can't see are the jewels in the plates at each end of the scape and pallet arbors. Here is a pic of the one in the pallet bridge, before polishing.

Johnny
View attachment 412215

Are all the wheels screwed onto to the arbour collets? I like that, very clean. I always feel its a shame after turning a nice new brass collet on an arbour for a wheel, that it gets riveted to fit the wheel!

 

[John MacArthur]

Yes, all the wheels and the pallet anchor are screwed onto the collets with #0-80 or #1-72 screws.

 

[Paul Madden]

Very nice John. Thank you for sharing!

 

[jhe.1973]

A few years ago my daughter and I had a chance to visit with Johnny for a few hours and we were able to view his MacArthur #3 regulator in person. It is shown on his web site, but photos really don't do it justice. I suspect that these photos of this latest creation of his may also fall short of true representation.

Angela and I were so impressed with him and his freely sharing his extensive experience that the remaining hours of our trip seemed to fly by.

I am so glad to see that he found the time to post here. Mostly for those of you who may not be regulars to this forum, Johnny's attention to detail and his input here are among the top of of this craft anywhere.

Thanks my friend!

 

[John MacArthur]

Thanks so much for the kind words, Jim. If I get away towards PHX in the next couple of weeks, I'm hoping to drop in.
Johnny

 

[John MacArthur]

Progress on the case:
The Plan

The Frame:


We'll be fitting wood soon.
Johnny

 

[dandydude]

So here is the nearly final product of the clock construction I have been promising pictures of. The dial and bezel will get silvered and lacquered at the very last, after final mounting in the case. I still have to make several case and bracket screws, again after the case is made, and I know the final dimensions. I have quite a few pictures of the construction processes, which I will post in order as I make the next clock, which I will be starting soon.

Johnny

View attachment 412005 View attachment 412006 View attachment 412007

Really Beautiful!!!

 

[John MacArthur]

Thanks, Dandy -- more coming soon.
Johnny

 

[tkmc37]

Truly amazing work, thanks for sharing !!

Tim

 

[John MacArthur]

Progress to date:

 

[Allan Wolff]

John,
That case is going to look amazing. I cant wait to see it finished!!
Allan

 

[John MacArthur]

Thanks Allan. I can't wait either - this part has been quite a "head-scratcher", with a few do-overs!
Johnny

 

[Paul Madden]

I really like the design and combination of wood and brass. It will look amazing, and like Allan, I can't wait to see it when its all polished and completed! Thank you for sharing your work with us John.

Paul.

 

[John MacArthur]

Thank you for the kind words, Paul. We did the final fitting of brass frame to wood today. The individual frames are shipping to FL on Monday for beveled glass. Hopefully, the rest won't be too arduous, and pics will follow.
Johnny

 

[John MacArthur]

Well, it has been quite a fight getting this to completion. It took 4 (that's FOUR!) tries to get that front panel of beveled glass here intact. At any rate, it's done, and I'm extremely relieved that it's behind me.

Johnny

 

[John MacArthur]

Here's a quarter pic:


Johnny

 

[Allan Wolff]

John,
Your work is amazing! The case really shows off the clock works and is a piece of art in itself. Sometimes the case is more work than the clock! Excellent job and thank you for sharing it with us.
Allan

 

[John MacArthur]

Thank you Allan. The case definitely was a lot of work, more than I had anticipated. Getting the glass back broken 3 times was very frustrating and time-consuming. But after all that, I'm quite happy with the way it turned out.
Johnny

 

[MartinM]

Sometimes I find myself wondering if I shouldn't send the shipper the proper shipping materials because they often have not acquired a grasp of simle physics.

 

[John MacArthur]

I started a conversation with them about exactly that, and got the reply: "You do your job at your end, and we'll do our job at our end". Finally had it done in Albuquerque, and picked it up in my Cadillac.

 

[MartinM]

Now I just have to know...
What do they feel "your job at your end" entails/ed?

 

[tom427cid]

Now I just have to know...
What do they feel "your job at your end" entails/ed?

Obviously does not include braking stuff!
tom

 

[John MacArthur]

Now I just have to know...
What do they feel "your job at your end" entails/ed?

Sounded rhetorical to me.
Johnny

 

[MartinM]

Really. It sounded like pure blamestorming on the part of the first cutter to me. If you've shipped it twice and it broke both times, you're not very good at your job. I don't blame you for cutting them loose.

 

[jhe.1973]

Hi Johnny,

WOW! Broken three times.....I'd be frustrated too. As you say, relieved that it is behind you..........

Thanks so much for sharing such inspiring work with all of us. I am sure that all of us here are looking forward your showing us the steps you will be going through as you complete number 5.

 

[John MacArthur]

Hi Jim - Thanks for your kind words. I'll be proceeding with No. 5 soon, have some restoration work I'm finishing, and some autumn farm stuff, and maybe a short trip to see an old friend who is not well. I'll post when I have something to show.

Johnny

 

[sharukh]

I hate sending out a "me too" message (no, not the type that's raging just now) but I just have to say that this is a super piece of work.

A tip of the hat sir.

Someday, someday ..... I too shall.

Sharukh

 

[John MacArthur]

Thank you Sharukh -- you'll get there. It took me many years.
Johnny