Mainspring Winder from the junk pile

[tq60]

We have been tinkering with clocks for many years, torsion type preferred as less winding.

Atmos is favorite, but 400 and 1000 day clocks can be a challenge.

Major issue is the mainspring often needs to be cleaned and relubricated.

On Atmos it is easy to wind the spring in and out, not so on others as the spring is very strong.

Commercial units are very expensive, and some hard to find.

Many use a simple crank with a ratchet and or brake to hold it still, others require one to just hold it while they slip in a retainer.

So we look in the collection of materials, we start with radio racking rail, this is gummy aluminum extrusion, 3 inch wide by about 1.25 side rails.

We picked up a bunch at an estate sale, nasty stuff to mill as it is very gummy, but ATF seems to work.

Next, we needed to make the spindle and crank, found assorted sealed bearings and figured we could make something, but we stumbled across a small worm gearbox, about 10 to 1 or so ratio, so it winds the spring easy, does require more turns, 10 times more, but a smaller lever and no brake needed make up for it.

It has bearings on both shafts so it is already a head stock.

Just need to make a shaft to drive the spring and handle to operate it

To hold the barrel springs, some winders have angled jaws that require a lot of pressure.

We made a sliding jaw device with sliding mounts made from 0.750 thick plexiglass.

We then made interchangeable jaws that attach to the mounts.

With a boring bar we bored them to fit the barrel, made a bigger area for the gear, removed material for the stud and added a pin to engage the gear to keep it from Turning.

We will need to make different sizes as needed, looking at 3D printing these, may be excuse to buy one...

Finished most of the machine work today, need to drill and tap for the screws that hold the tailstock on.

The headstock is the worm gear on a sliding carriage.

All of these interlocking or sliding parts are cut from the same length of channel.

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[wachuko]

Following…maybe, with time, we will see one

 

[tq60]

The sliding mounts are held together with some 10/24 all thread, the test parts are somewhat finished, we ne need to make the final ones.

We made some guide plates that fit on assorted parts to insure the holes are drilled in correct places.

Not too much work left on the winder itself, the difficult stuff is done, will need to make retainers and other items as well as some cleanup stuff to improve some fits.

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[tq60]

Finished all of the main machine work.

Drilled and tapped for all the screws that hold the tailstock together and to the bed.

Reversed the headstock, easier to turn with bed facing away.

Wound up our Haller barrel, measured for a sleeve, found a TV antenna mast that is close, made one and got it to fit, just a bit tight but works for now.

Cut some aluminum C to make the end holder, drilled a screw to hold an Allen wrench and this part fits on the jaws, for now.

Was able to remove spring completely and put it back.

So the winder is functional.

Now we need to make finish parts for the jaws and a few other items.

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[wachuko]

Finished all of the main machine work.

Drilled and tapped for all the screws that hold the tailstock together and to the bed.

Reversed the headstock, easier to turn with bed facing away.

Wound up our Haller barrel, measured for a sleeve, found a TV antenna mast that is close, made one and got it to fit, just a bit tight but works for now.

Cut some aluminum C to make the end holder, drilled a screw to hold an Allen wrench and this part fits on the jaws, for now.

Was able to remove spring completely and put it back.

So the winder is functional.

Now we need to make finish parts for the jaws and a few other items.

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Very cool. And no need for a microscope to see it!! Big brother version of the stuff I have seen for wrist watches.

 

[tq60]

A bit more work done, cleaned up the unit, put a coat of wax on it to keep it nice.

Was hoping to find some brass orcopper to make the nuts for the sliding mounts, no joy, found some soft steel at 5/8 diameter that worked for now.

The problem is the drill wonders, enters on center, comes out someplace else.

We need to make a few more, so maybe better next time.

Made some extra mounts.

Remembered picking up a microscope case so it will be fitted to that.

Also had a leitz optical press, adaptors will be mode so it can be used to press the barrells back together, it too will fit the case.

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[tq60]

The only thing close on the leitz is microscopes and optical stuff. It has adjustable leveing on the bottom with a stop system, so we will make adaptors to void modifications.

Made from the same plexiglass, made a recessed area so they have a snug fit.

Made one that slips in for long arbors.

The Haller barrel just fits. Worst case, we can assemble and slide in.

It presses the barrel back with a couple of taps with open palms so it will be a good addition to the kit.

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[tq60]

When we tested the unit, we made a hook from an Allen wrench held by a bracket.

This is to hold the end of the spring so you can wind it tight to get the sleeve off.

The Haller barrel we used (Haller is a very cheap clock, good for testing tools) has a poorly designed spring, the hole is Square shaped, the anchor is round, the hole should be too.

The spring cracked and started to tear due to the force in a point from the Allen wrench being in the corner.

So we determined a better method was needed.

A clamp of some sort, several ideas were bouncing as we dug through the scrap pile until a 1 x 5 x 5/16 chunk of hrs was found.

After some cleanup and cut in 1/2, it is a bit under 1 x 2 inches.

Drilled and tapped for 10-32 screws, way overkill, but better too strong than not.

The bottom jaw is threaded with pass through on top.

We tapered the bottom so it fits better.

We still need to determine how to hold it, and I also need shorter screws.

The single screw at the end goes through the hole at the end of the spring, but the clamping force is holding spring, screw is mainly a guide. If too big, and a nail can work if the hole is too small.

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[Dabbler]

nice work @tq60 !!

 

[tq60]

Thanks!

Just avoiding yard work...

All of this has been on the fly, come up ith idea, look for something to make it from, alter to match whatever we find, on to next part...

For the fun of it.

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