[Sometimes psychotic]

They had some amazing orchids at the botanical garden....

[newtus]

just thought id share a couple of things.

i told you all my moms is artistic and likes to paint/make crafts/etc
here is a painting she made me. i had to draw over the part that had personal info on it.

the other two pics are part of a tradition she does for a few holidays. mainly christmas. she takes egg shells and paints them. and then cracks a hole in the bottom and puts money in it for my sister and i. they are called Cascarones. its a mexican tradition.

[The_little_didgee]

My father gave me some authentic smoked moose hide and a bunch of beautiful tail feathers from three different species of grouse. This was my favorite gift.

[Sometimes psychotic]

Having fun painting

[worthit]

See if this is readable...

[The_little_didgee]

Yesterday I took an old pendulum clock apart since it wasn't working. The movement seized up. I managed to put it back together. All the gear trains were working fine until I added the springs. Now they won't move. I'm trying to diagnose this frustrating problem.

It would be great if I could fix this old clock. I got it from my friend who tossed it in the garbage. I'm trying to give it life again.

[The_little_didgee]

I took the entire movement apart again and checked everything. After that I put the clock back together and determined the problem was due to the escapement. I adjusted it. My clock works!!!!!!! So far it hasn't fallen behind. Yay! I'm so happy. This is the first time I repaired a clock.

I learned a lot about how a pendulum clock works as I did my repair. They are not complicated devices.

[newtus]

this redbird let me take a picture of her. i think it was a her. but idk.
i took this picture with my iphone 6.
btw its not a zoomed in picture either. i took it from 3 inches away. dunno if he/she was sick or pregnant tho...

[newtus]

yea i just checked online. its a female

[worthit]

Not pregnant this time of year

[newtus]

Originally Posted by worthit

Not pregnant this time of year

oh haha thanks for clarifying

[The_little_didgee]

Yesterday my clock was giving me problems so I decided to look at it. I had to adjust the escapement. The pallets (on the escapement anchor) would regularly lose contact with the escape wheel teeth. I listened and observed. Eventually I noticed the escape wheel would slip when the top pallet came into contact with a certain tooth that was slightly worn. I moved the anchor closer to the wheel. So far it is holding and not slipping. I also had to adjust the alarm, because it was striking too fast. I learned the striking speed is controlled by a centrifugal governor. Most pendulum clocks use a fan fly. When I moved the rubber ring back the striking train slowed down.

I'm learning about engineering as I do my repairs.

[The_little_didgee]

I started a big project last week that has been keeping me occupied and away from my thoughts. My plan is to design and make a working pendulum clock out of card stock and paperboard. I'm not using any templates, which means I have to do the designing. There is a lot of know. I've been reading about horology, engineering, geometry and physics so I can pull this off. I'm determined.

The knowledge I gained from all the science and math courses I took is actually helping me with this project. I cannot believe it!!!!!

[neil w]

wow didgee your clock works are impressive. i look forward to seeing the results

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by neil w

wow didgee your clock works are impressive. i look forward to seeing the results

I'll post my progress and photos on this thread. Right now all I have are lots of notes and sketches that aren't worth posting.

Is anyone interested in horology?

[newtus]

whats horology?

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by newtus

whats horology?

From the New Oxford American Dictionary:

Horology (noun): 1. the study and measurement of time; 2. the art of making clocks and watches.

[neil w]

Originally Posted by The_little_didgee

Is anyone interested in horology?

Very much so, going back to astrolabes, water clocks and the invention of complex gearing which allowed the earliest mechanical clocks. Automata are a favourite of mine also.

[newtus]

thats really cool. that seems quite interesting didgee

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by neil w

Very much so, going back to astrolabes, water clocks and the invention of complex gearing which allowed the earliest mechanical clocks. Automata are a favourite of mine also.

Astrolabes are beautiful. I wish I owned one. A planisphere is the closest I have to one.

I'm also interested in astronomy enough so that I took two university level courses in it. The astronomer Huygens invented the pendulum clock, even though Galileo was the first to come up with the idea while he was setting in church.

What kind of gearing?

[neil w]

the invention of high torque gearing and ratchets which prefigured the escapement of mechanical clocks in the thirteenth century. Such gearing was originally invented for cranes and siege engines.

[Erti]

Me holding my god son

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by neil w

the invention of high torque gearing and ratchets which prefigured the escapement of mechanical clocks in the thirteenth century. Such gearing was originally invented for cranes and siege engines.

War seems to contribute to a lot of technological advances.

[Ollie at the end]

Why can't I join

I started my car so that it will be warm when I get in it. I made a nice lunch for work. Right now I'm enjoying a mocha with my cat attached to my hip. It's a good morning. Also, I love this new laptop I have. It's a Dell Insipron 13 7000. Best laptop I've ever had. It's like the perfect size. Hopefully after my meds kick in and I can think straighter I'll start writing more.

I also have a beautiful copy of James Joyce's Ulysses. I hope to read it soon. Again though, after my meds finally kick in. It should take about a week or two until they start to work.

Ooh This is the 300 post! I love that movie. None of you know this but I'm a philhellene. I love ancient Greek culture. Plato, Herodotus, Sapho, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides. I love it all. I call harp until the cows come home about the old Greeks who are the foundation for Western civilization, their perfectionist ideal that's worth learning. Maybe I'll share more with you guys at some point. Maybe a quote here and there, and a great example too. Gotta go to work-- Seeya!