2025-01-25

Last modified: 2025-01-25 19:57:40

Clock

It took about 8 hours to run down, which is much less than expected. I did observe the escape wheel skipping teeth a few times, probably that was happening persistently.

At the same time as altering the escape wheel bearing block so that it holds one end bearing for the remontoire input shaft, I could integrate the adjacent-shaft bearings into the same blocks, so that the distances are always set optimally.

I think the theoretical distance between the shaft centres is 51mm, however I've measured it at 51.25mm.

I am going to make a new balance shaft out of 3mm rod.

It just needs pointy ends turning on it, and then pallets and spacers to suit.

I'm also modifying the slotted disc so that the teeth are less tall, for greater axial tolerance.

I think the 3mm shaft may be too flexible, not sure.

Seems to be working!

Using the spacer to fit the balance wheel has not worked very well, it is badly out of level.

Amplitude is about 250 degrees! Good.

I fully wound it and set it going at 14:37.

The amplitude is very erratic, I think the remontoire is sometimes not winding up when unlocked, and then it winds all the way down until the weight shaft is nudged by the balance wheel, then it winds up again.

And the amplitude coefficient is in the wrong direction. I think we want it to speed up at higher amplitude, so that when it gets warmer and the spring gets weaker and the amplitude goes up, it tends more to counteract the weakening of the spring rather than exacerbate it.

I could easily increase the amount of recoil on the pallets though. I won't worry about it for now. The erratic amplitude is a much bigger problem.