What Will Makes

Tag: tools

  • Blacksmithing Techniques Used on the Dominy’s Engine

    Blacksmithing Techniques Used on the Dominy’s Engine

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    As part of my research and reconstruction of the Dominy’s wheel cutting engine, I visited the machinist, metalsmith, and conservator Daniel Ravizza. Daniel very kindly taught me the basic blacksmithing techniques the Dominy’s (or associated blacksmiths) used to make the wheel cutting engine. This included: I regret not taking more photos, but essentially Daniel would…

  • Making a Dividing Plate

    Making a Dividing Plate

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    As part of reconstructing an 18th century American wheel cutting engine I am exploring techniques used to divide and cut the teeth into gears (known in horology as wheels). Instead of quite laboriously marking out the divisions onto the wheel to be cut, as I previously explored, I am going to try using a dividing…

  • Dominy Wheel Cutting Engine Prototype

    Dominy Wheel Cutting Engine Prototype

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    For my masters thesis at Winterthur, I have chosen to research a wheel cutting engine in the Dominy collection. Made (or perhaps purchased or commissioned) in the 1770’s by Nathaniel Dominy IV, it is a tool used to aid in cutting the teeth on clock wheels. Compared to other wheel cutting engines, it has several…

  • Treadle Powered Watchmakers Lathe; or Becoming a Cyborg

    Treadle Powered Watchmakers Lathe; or Becoming a Cyborg

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    I bought a treadle or pedal powered watchmakers bench on facebook marketplace from a kind clockmaker. The bench did not come with a lathe, so I planned to use my electric powered watchmakers lathe – just without the electric motor. I drilled holes about a 1/4 inch into the table to recess the feet of…

  • Vice for Clock Wheels [Gear Wheels]

    Vice for Clock Wheels [Gear Wheels]

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    A very nice clockmaker showed me a tool I’d never seen before: a vice for holding clock wheels to easily work on them. The jaws of the vice are shaped perfectly to hold a wheel for easy access with files or polishing sticks: I set out making my own based off the pictures I took.…

  • My Toolbox [general tools] (and thoughts about tool storage)

    My Toolbox [general tools] (and thoughts about tool storage)

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    Here is an older video I made about my toolbox for general tools. I was playing around with editing, and made the video to just sort of practice video-making… but I do think the design is nifty! The mechanism is not as smooth as I hoped it would be, but it works well-enough. The trays…

  • Electrical Toolbox

    Electrical Toolbox

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    I made this toolbox in the summer of 2019 when I was working a lot on the wiring of my automaton. All these tools belong together and needed a neat little home! The main factor in design was how to accommodate the soldering iron/station. I landed on a central cavity with a recess below that…

  • Hand Tools Toolbox

    Hand Tools Toolbox

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    I have outgrown my tool roll so decided to make a dedicated toolbox for the main hand tools I use for repairing clocks. This is one post in a series about my various homemade toolboxes: so if that’s your thing, strap in! Those are all the tools I want to store and have easy access…

  • Watchmakers Lathe Toolbox

    Watchmakers Lathe Toolbox

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    I recently bought this lovely watchmakers lathe (and various attachments!) from a kind and generous man named Ray. Thanks again, Ray! Such a nice machine deserves a proper case. Here’s the lathe – an 8mm Marshall, which I set up for left-handed use – various chucks, collets, gravers, and the foot pedal. I started by…

  • Tool Roll

    Tool Roll

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    I made a simple tool roll out of some nice green canvas, to hold files and hammers. First I laid out the tools to get a rough idea of the size. Next I did some measuring and cut the piece to length. I then ironed, folded, and pinned it in place to prepare for sewing.…