SYDNEY CLOCKMAKERS SOCIETY
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Rex Swensen’s Clocks.
First, a replica of a 1790 Long Case Clock – using Alan Timmins’ Movement Design. My Case and Dial Design. Every part made by me, metal work, woodwork and dial.
I was particularly pleased with the woodwork in the case – hood structure, moldings, and all joints.
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I finished the clock in February 2003
My Second Clock – Replica of an 1820 Vienna Regulator Wall Clock to my design
All the wooden cases are made from Australian red cedar. The timber came from an old wardrobe 100 years old. It was very battered around but planed up beautifully. Again, all the parts were made by me.
The pendulum bob shells were beaten by hand.
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I finished this clock in 2008
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My Third Clock – A Modern Style Wall Clock – stainless steel appearance throughout
Pendulum bob modelled on the Irwin Sattler clocks.
I Finished this clock in October 2016
My Fourth Clock – A replica of the Famous 1860 skeleton clock by James Condliff
Balance wheel with hairspring beats from side to side in one second. Again I made all parts myself. The hairsprings were wound by a group of SCS members from Ni span C902 wire, and heat treated. I have yet to make the glass case and wooden box that supports the whole clock and case. This will have a place for the key and documentation on a USB stick.
The Great Wheels and Springs
I Finished the Condliff in December 2022. All of the clocks shown above have a tick at a one second beat rate. They make a smooth sound in a quiet room.
CNC Machining of Clock Parts
Here is a photo of a 5 mm frame plate being CNC machined with a 3 mm solid carbide cutter in three passes on my small bench top CNC mill. I then followed this with a 1.5 mm cutter to nibble out the sharp corners. The left half of the plate has already had this second cut applied. Notice the difference, circled in red.
The shapes were extracted from an AutoCad drawing using the SheetCam CNC software. All the brass chips had been cleaned up!
A similar process was used to sink the ball race seatings for each of the pivots.
A few words about these clocks
I have made every part in these clocks, all metal work, woodwork, and dials. I start with sheets of brass, and rods of brass and steel. And of course planks of wood, from a discarded 100 year old cedar wardrobe. It is all purely a hobby. They are all destined for our family members. I intended just to make three, but when six members of the Sydney Clockmakers Society decided to each build this skeleton clock, I could not resist joining in. I assembled all equations for designing the balance wheel and hairspring, and have written a spread sheet to do these calculations.
Each clock takes about four or more years to make, but all have been built during my retirement years. Fortunately, I took an early retirement! Considerable effort is involved in making drawings using a computer aided drafting system.
I thoroughly enjoyed this time in the workshop and in the ‘drawing office’. My wife, Joan, is very supportive of my hobby, as long as I leave a bit of time for chores around the house.
I am now 89, and we have downsized from St Ives NSW to a retirement unit in Huon Park, North Turramurra. In this move I sold most of my workshop machine tools but kept one smaller lathe. My workshop days are really at an end. Fortunately, I am keeping reasonably well, as is Joan. We are thoroughly enjoying our new home, and I am getting the clocks going again after the stripping down for the move.
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By: Rex Swensen - July 2020, Updated July 2024