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SP12 pallet

Hi Steve, I'm really excited about the SP12. My first version runs perfect. In particular, the new pallet version is an excellent optimization. Do you plan to include this improvement in SP3 and SP4 as well? That would greatly enhance and stabilize the two clocks. Best Karl-Josef

7 comments

7 Comments

120pilot

Sep 13, 2023

Here's my version of the pallet/pendulum update. The links between the pallet and the pendulum support are secured by 3 each 2.5mm screws. There are two 3mm screws that adjust the angle of the pendulum support in relation to the pallete. Also the pallet is secured to its shaft be 3mm screws. The pendulum support has one 3mm screw securing it to the shaft.

The clock is running very well now. In fact it is running to well as in I can't slow it down. Is this due to increased energy being put into the pendulum? I have the pendulum bob as low as it can go and the clock now gains 10-15 minutes a day. I can think of a few ways to slow it down:

1. Make a new longer pendulum

2. Reduce the weight of BB's in the weight shell

3. Install the 7.5 day gearset

I'm sure a longer pendulum would do it but I'd rather not have to assemble a new one if I don't have to.

Do you think the reduced energy of the 7.5 day gearset would run the clock slower? I am printing the gearset now and so I guess I will find out tomorrow when they are done. I left the length of the pendulum support the same so the total pendulum length should be the same. I'd love to hear any thoughts on why it

is running so much faster.

120pilot

Sep 13, 2023

Replying to

Steve

Sep 13, 2023

Replying to

Excellent design. I just released updates to the original design with my interpretation. Each design was slightly different and I didn't include any mechanism for setting the beat other than tilting the clock frame. The tall clocks have a good weight distribution that can allow a few degrees of tilt. The update includes adjustable height standoffs.

Several things can affect the rate of the clock. Gaining 15 minutes per day is a big change. Adding weight above the center of mass will reduce the effective length, causing it to run faster. The rate can also change if the beat changes, although it can be difficult to predict. Adding drive weight should increase the pendulum amplitude which should slow it down. It also adds friction in the "dead" portions of the deadbeat cycle which may slow it down as well. My suspicion is that the biggest effect from the pallet change is that removing slop allows the pendulum to be impulsed earlier and making it run faster.

Calculations show that the length may need to be increased by about 1cm to slow down by 15 minutes per day. The most obvious method is to build a longer pendulum shaft. A potential simple solution is to remove weights from the upper two pockets inside the pendulum bob. Possibly remove weight from four pockets.

Steve

120pilot

Sep 13, 2023

Replying to

Thanks Steve, clearly I don't completely understand the physics of pendulums lol. I will try your suggestions. If I have to I will assemble a new longer pendulum. I'm very happy to hear that you released the updates to your older designs. My next step was to draw up the adjustable stand-offs. Now I won't have to struggle with threads in Fusion 360. Thank-you so much for that!

120pilot

Aug 24, 2023

I have printed 3 SP2s. One of them was a gift for my daughter. Unfortunately, after runnng very well for a month or so at my house, it stopped soon after I hung it up at her house. I went to have a look at it and one thing I noticed was that the lower stand-offs weren't even touching the wall. Somehow I missed that when I hung it. Obviously her wall is bowed. Once I got it home I noticed that the pallet to pendulum joint was loose. I tightened it and the clock ran fine again on my wall. But the pallet/pendulum connection loosens up over time. I'm not sure why but this hasn't been a problem on the SP2 that I printed for myself. I've been thinking about how I wanted to correct these two problems for a while though I haven't gotten around to doing anything about them. Today, I was bored and decided to see if Steve has posted any new designs and I see the SP12 that directly addresses both of these problems. Being able to incorporate these into the SP2 would be a great addition. I know you are busy Steve and I totally understand that it might be awhile before these are added to the older designs. The two features are brilliantly simple. So I think for now, I will just incorporate my own version of them into my SP2s. I had a few different ideas how to fix these issues but none of them are as elegant as the SP12 improvements. Thanks for the inspiration.

James Phillips

Steve

Aug 24, 2023

Replying to

Great idea and refreshing all the older clock designs is on my list when I get a chance. The pallet fix is probably the most important for improving performance.

Keeping the frame level to the wall is important as you have noticed. An unlevel wall can cause the frame to bend and the arbors can bind. A quick fix is to add washers between the standoffs and the frame. Another solution is to scale the Z-height of the spacers to fit the wall. Adjustable spacers are the most elegant since the clock can be adjusted to any wall.

Steve

Jul 24, 2023

I probably will add the improvements to the older clocks. There are so many other projects in the pipeline that I never can predict when the updates will happen.