New Member, Norway

[Steffen]

Hello,

I've been watching the Watch repair channel on Youtube, and wanted to see what was going on here :)

My main interest is English and Swiss pocket watches, but I also have a thing for Junghans clocks and WWII chronometers.

My trade is really industrial, steel mills and such, but at some point I opted out and began as a cabinetmaker (which at the time was my biggest hobby), then I did some years as a museum window restorer, before I went back to school, first to a one-year boatbuilding class then a three-year folk art class with emphasis on woodwork.

During boatbuilding I was introdused to Blacksmithing and bladesmithing, which is now my main hobby.
I've bought quite a few broken movements, and they nearly all have broken springs. Since my hobby is smithing and I have a fascination with pre-industrial clockmaking, I'd like to have a go at making steel clock- and watchsprings myself. If you know any literature on the subject it would be most welcome.

Last year was the 300 year anniversary of the Board of Longitude, and as a fellow carpenter I wanted to recognize John Harrison in the form of a Exam project.
So I built a clock entirely out of wood and Moose antler (ok, the weight is Lead). It doesn't quite match Harrisons workmanship, but I wasn't trying to rival him just to see if I could do it.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/101898

 

[Geo]

Hi Steffen, thanks for a most enlightening introduction, I appreciate it. Your wooden clock is is a work of art as well as horology, I'm sure the clockies amongst us will have something to say. Please keep the post coming, technical or otherwise.

[Steffen]

Thanks, Geo :)

About the making of springs and literature, I forgot to mention I have George Daniels' "Watchmaking", and I've been reading it front to back several times.
Of course if anyone has a good source of spring material (steel, not the new kinds) in ready dimensions it would be a good starting point to learn how to shape, harden and temper them. All I found was bulk rolls of heavier clock springs from China.
But the literature I'm most interested in is about the rolling of spring material.
I'm unclear on how to get a uniform width. I suspect one has to start with round thread of the exact diametre to end up with the proper width at the proper rolled thickness?

[Ishima]

That is certainly one varied work background and broad collection of skills. Welcome to the forum!