The Oakes Family

October 2006
Book - Patterns - Sawing - New Saws

November 2006
Middle Plate - Front Plate - Drilling - Filing
Pillar Testing - Drilling the Plates - Pillars

December 2006
Rotary Table - Pillars - Workshop

January 2007
Tapping and Die-Cutting - Suspension Pillar - Spacing Pillar
First Bolt - Bolts - Washers

February 2007
Bushings - Great Wheel Bearings

December 2007
What Happened?

January 2008
Bushings - Creed Cutters

May 2008
Update

FAQs

“Frequently Asked Questions” might be stretching the truth a little, but on this page I’ll try to answer some of the questions that I occasionally get asked about the build.

I’ve looked pretty closely at Sherline and Taig lathes. What do you have?
I have a Grizzly G0516 lathe which comes with an attached mini-mill head. I mounted the mill on a separate base from LMS - this gives a lot more flexibility and makes set-ups so much easier. So far I’m very pleased at the solidity and precision of this asian machine though I’m still far from an expert.

Regarding the pins for the plates, did you mean to place them through an area of the plate which will be visible in the finished item?
That’s how they are in the plans. In hindsight I could have used tabs, to be cut off later. I might cap them with blued screws, or maybe even use then to mount the dial. Another lesson learned!

Are you adopting the ‘draw-file’ technique?
I didn’t but probably should have - I instead filed at 90 degrees to the plate with frequent measuring against a straight-edge. This was much slower than draw-filing to get a straight edge.

How big are the plates and the finished clock?
The plates are about seven inches tall and six inches wide. The finished clock is usually put in a case that is five foot tall, eight inches deep and eighteen inches wide.

How do you plan to display the finished clock?
Hopefully on a wooden plaque with a glass case covering.