Serpentine wooden clock
This is the first model I manufactured in 2007 and 2008. Yes, it took me 2 years to get to understand the functioning of this clock and to make it operate properly. As I did not intend to create clocks series wise I also designed and built all the tools to machine the gears.
I did not design this model but purchased a set of drawings from American designer Jeffrey A. Schierenbeck. This model, called Serpentine by Jeffrey, is based on George Graham’s recoil escape mechanism. Switching from the British Imperial Measures in “inches” to metric only was a matter of calculation. From the beginning, I made a major change by replacing “bike gear” profile gears to “involute” gears with a correction for the small pinions. Just for specialists, the pinion module is of 3.2 mm, which allowed to stay close to the original model of the pendulum clock. I made quite a few other minor changes. Jeffrey recommended 2 or 3 pound (1 to 1.5 kg) weights to operate the model. My version operates with 900 grs despite numerous remaining miscalculations and manufacturing problems.
The frame is made out of a plank of walnut wood older than myself, that I had always seen when I was a kid in the attic above my room. Still not “cushioned” nor eaten by worms!
I found this first tentative encouraging and therefore felt ready to face other difficulties
