The miniature tall case clock by Frank Matter

Here is the tall case clock from that miniature house built in the 1950's, the house was mentioned in this thread. The clock case was made by Frank L. Matter and the Jager-LeCoultre movement supplied

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/showthread.php/need-help-tracking-down-192275.html

This clock is only 1 5/8" tall as can be seen next to a #11 x-acto knife blade....


Here it is in the room in the little house for which it was made.... this photo was taken in 1958 or 59.....



Now this guy needs some work.... it is missing some molding and the finials... and the clock does not run...... so I get to take it apart!!!!!




The amazing thing about this is the clock keeps time with a mechanical movement that just happens to be the smallest type in the world!!!!!! It was designed in 1929 and they are still being made after 80 years......... read all about them..... they are amazing!

http://www.luxist.com/2009/08/11/jaeger-lecoultre-calibre-101-smallest-mechanical-watch-movement/

http://www.gregoryswatches.com/watches/lecoultre_cal101.html



and here it is under the microscope.....



Now one of the reasons it did not work is someone lost the Winding Crown Screw p/n# 5912....... believe it or not of the one part listed on Borel's material site this was the part the computer showed they had.... but of course the drawer was empty when I ordered it!!!! So I need a screw....... this screw is a 0.8 mm LEFT hand thread about 2 mm long..... and that is a die I do not have...... anyone have one? Larry?

On a side note I was at a friends yesterday (I am back east for the holiday) and we looked through his collection of dozens of watchmakers screw plates..... most marked "B" or "L"...... I always thought the "L" was left hand..... it was not.... so what does "B" & "L" on screw plates mean?.....

By the way someone later had tried to epoxy a right hand screw into the hole.... that was a mess to clean up....... the movement now runs but on of the hands is dragging a little..... and I just have to come up the right screw...... and the molding and finials are also fixed........ the wood of the case is Bulletwood or Beefwood or Bloodwood..... very hard, interesting grain but also very brittle.... not the easiest stuff to work in.....

Enjoy!

And here is the drawing the designer did of the movement in 1929..... it has 98 parts and this thing is only about 1/4" wide!!!!!!

Wow!

screw is a 0.8 mm LEFT hand thread about 2 mm long

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I guess LHT to allow it to be made with single point tool on a lathe, while working away from the head (?)

I have the lefthand tap and die set :-)



/Niels
PS I sent you a private mail "how to bootstrap a lefthand tap or die from a righthand tap or die"

Niels.... I still have not received your pm........ can't wait to see this..

BTW I had this movement looked over by a gentleman who got his Master Watchmaker Certificate in 1955 and had messed with one of these before........ nothing like having someone with experience helping out........

/Niels
PS I sent you a private mail "how to bootstrap a lefthand tap or die from a righthand tap or die"

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Niels, Please share that here. It sound interesting

Truly incredible. And we think our modern age is the pinnacle of human development?

If I have seen farther than others - it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.

Isaac Newton.

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Joe

rivett608 said:

And here is the drawing the designer did of the movement in 1929..... it has 98 parts and this thing is only about 1/4" wide!!!!!!

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I'm suspecting they made the parts without CNC too. LOL

That is some amazing fabrication and assembly work.

Mike

Rivett
Thanks for the thread
I still can not get over how diverse and usefull this Forum and it's members are.....
John

I always look forward to a Rivett608 post. Anyway to set up a notification via email when you start a new thread? What great stuff, beautiful work. It is a testament to your talent that you are working on this piece. I love the background work, it gives such depth to the display.

Now that is a piece of engineering! I am also amazed at what I learn here on this forum. Being a novice at this I continue to learn new things.
Thanks for this thread and thanks for allowing lurkers like me learn.

PM Covers The Whole Range of Sizes

It just occurred to me that PM covers the whole range of sizes, from Rick Rowlands' massive Tod Rolling Mill Engine down to Rivett608's sub-minature watch movement!

Getting back on topic, is that ceramic dish with the wavey edges a piece of dentist's equipment? Is the use of such a dish a common practice among watchmakers?

Never saw anything like that used as a work tray, but it makes perfect sense !

John Ruth

John I'm glad you like my little dishes..... no, these were not for watchmaking.... they were for cooking!!!!!..... I got them from E. Dehillerin in Paris...... a must visit if you like cool tools, in this case for the kitchen....... and trust me... I don't cook.... I just like to look at neat tools and things that maybe I can use such as these little dishes.... I also use some different ceramic ink dishes form Japan...... a little more fun than plastic and it reminds of where I have traveled.....

http://www.e-dehillerin.fr/en/index.php

Thanks for noticing. Bill

Could the "B&L" stand for Bausch & Lomb? They mainly make optics but maybe screw plates at one time too?

TonyTiger.... No, the "B" and the "L" were each marked on different screw plates and they were clearly marked with various Swiss makers. Thanks for the idea.....

Maybe B= Big and L= Little?

Whatever the B and the L mean, it is probably in Swiss German or French, rather than English.

JRR

After much searching one of my friends with the help of his friends found the correct replacement screw........ so now I don't have to go all the way to Denmark to use oz9ny's die..... but knowing me I'll go anyway.

So here is the clock.... all finished. We are going to display this out of the house so it can be seen and after all this work making it right we may take the movement back out and display it separately next to it so it can be seen........ it would sort of be a shame to have something so wonderful and hide where people couldn't see it.......



Mr. Matter also made a little caring case for the clock....... it is made of what I think must have been one of his favorite materials.... Masonite!!!!!...... it looks pretty good sanded, varnished and polished..... the leather slip case holds it closed...... and he made a little tool to wind the clock....... It has been a real treat to work on such a wonderful tiny thing.

This still amazes me!
The work and craftsmanship involved in this!

beowoulf90 said:

Now that is a piece of engineering! I am also amazed at what I learn here on this forum. Being a novice at this I continue to learn new things.
Thanks for this thread and thanks for allowing lurkers like me learn.

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Yes, thanks.
This is really a great forum - knowledge, humor, even mostly good manners!