Cracked Pinion repair…

[namonllor1953]

Hi guys,
Thought I’d post the cracked pinion repair. If nothing else, it might melt away any apprehensions a newcomer might have.

[namonllor1953]

Continue…

[namonllor1953]

continue on….

[arutha]

Great job Ren and nice pictures too, makes it so much easier to understand what you have done!
Paul.

[namonllor1953]

First, I would like to apologise for not having resized a couple of the photos, I must have tried to post this “how to” article a half a dozen times. I promise to do better next time.
If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask. If anyone has a better way of doing this job, post it. For me, I wanted to get the job done and decided to use the directions provided in Penman’s Clock Repairer’s Handbook. I can’t afford expensive cutters and I figured ” Hey, if it was good enough for those old timers, who am I to judge???” Low and behold, I installed the arbor into the movement and it all flows very smioothly.
I still have the problem with the verge hanging up in the escapwheel, stopping the mechanism from running…so I’m back to square one (actually one and a half).

I was a bit apprhensive about attempting this repair, but thought “what better way to learn than just doing it!!

[namonllor1953]

Thank you, Paul.

[arutha]

Have you had a look at making fly cutters? If you could have made a fly cutter it would have saved you a lot of filing work and they work great on brass.
I will now earn my keep on the forum and get those pictures sized up for you
Paul.

[chris mabbott]

Ren, that’s a nice job buddy, and remember that 95% of the job is acutally doing it, so good for you. I’m afraid I need to kick my own ass most times to do stuff but my foot won’t reach 😆
Is that a Vector chuck you’re using? Looks nice.

I agree with Paul about the fly cutters, you can pick up some good ones fairly inexpensively.

[arutha]

@Chris Mabbott wrote:

I agree with Paul about the fly cutters, you can pick up some good ones fairly inexpensively.

You make them Silver steel rod and a bit of grinding, takes practice but I have seen Daryn knock one up in about 5 minutes!

[namonllor1953]

It’s funny you guys mention flycutters because ,there’s a fellow who comes over 3 days a week to learn machining. The last two weeks he’s made a set of three fly cutters for his mini mill at home. I have about 4 different flycutters in the shop and I also have Conover’s book where he explains making the flycutter for cutting wheels. I didn’t know if the flycutter method would work on the pinion due to the thickness of the material when compared to brass sheeting.
Thanks though because I’m going to try it and see how it works out.

[arutha]

Just take it nice and easy as you go in with the fly cutter, you will soon get to know how much you can take off in a cut. Dont forget the profile will be the gap between the teeth
Paul.

[willofiam]

Hey Ren very nice job on the drive pinion, not such a big deal after all dont you think?,

I think thats what we tend to do is over-think stuff and then in our mind it becomes a huge task. At least I can do that. To get myself back to reality I try to think about the guy 200 years ago with his hunk of brass that took him a 1/2 a year to get ahold of costing at least 3 chickens, a homemade clamping system and a cheesy file, sitting in a dim candle lit area next to the fire, making really nice clock drive pinions.

In this day and age we can compile all kinds of information, ideas and advice in little or no time, buy equipment (with a plastic card) that people back then wouldnt have even dreamed about, tools that have been made so accurate that you have to be a genius to understand the process, bright lights at the flip of a switch with some nice soothing music in the background.
BUT… I wonder….could it be hindering our creative thinking? or complicating things way more than they have to be? keeping us from JUST DOING IT?
Well, besides all that, excellent job, your a inspiration Ren , thanks for sharing
William

[namonllor1953]

Thank you William,
It really was a fairly easy task from start to finish but, you’re right, I over thought it, dissected it, regurgitated it, then started convincing myself that I might have to ask someone on the forum to make it for me. Whew, what a butthead!! 😆 I can complicate a grilled cheese sandwich.
Again, you were correct because I started paging through The Modern Clock by Goodrich and thought pretty much the same thing you mention…100 -150 years ago, some old geezer (like myself) with a file, in lousier conditions than what I have and BAM!!!! knocked myself back into reality. Hey, if he could do it, why can’t I?
At any rate, thanks for the kind words,

[Bob Tascione]

Nice job Ren!
I often forget what can be done with just a file and some brain power.
Thanks for putting that up there for us and congrats on getting that job done.
Good pics too!

Bob

[bernie weishapl]

Great job Ren and well done.

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