Here is my latest project in amateur plastic horology. This clock is based on the mechanism of the Jacobs & Co. Astronomia mechanical watch. Since I lack the mid six figures of disposable income for the watch, I decided to use about $15 dollars of plastic and bearings to build my own instead.
It joins the expanding list of multi-axis tourbillon mechanisms on Thingiverse:
Based on the Vianney Halter Deep Space:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1624844
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2901179
Based on Jaeger Lecoultre Gyrotourbillon:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2820444
Based on Thomas Prescher's designs:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2761730
Basically, it's schtick is that both the clock face and the triple-axis toubillon orbit the base with the clock face remaining vertically aligned the entire time. I simplified the mechanism found in the watch a little, but it achieves the same result. I also adjusted the timing of the tourbillon to 1,3, and 10 minutes on each axis so that it appears more animated. The clock also features a differential-style winding drum and a movable ring to adjust the time. Run time is about 1.5 hours using a 3kg weight (far less run time and far more weight than most of my mechanisms, but driving that massive carrier takes a lot of power).
Though I've tried to give this design more of a "finished" look, it is by no means perfect. The clock face outweighs the tourbillon still even after switching to lighter bearings, and accuracy is not the greatest. I view it as more of kinetic sculpture than a precise time keeper. The usual warnings about tolerances and elephant footing for intricate mechanical parts apply here doubly.
See it in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubW31kDXExY
Just the tourbillon:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1CfVDa6xGI
I think I uploaded all of the files on here. There was some difficulty involving changing computers twice and a cross-country move that precluded my posting them earlier. The last photo is my first working prototype after said cross-country move in a hot station wagon.
Non-printed materials are:
-16mm long 2mm diameter dowel pins (all shafts except two)
-2mm shaft stock (tourbillon main axis and intermediate tourbillon gear)
-608 bearings
-16x8x5mm bearings (I subbed 3 of the 608s with these and plastic adapters so that it isn't quite as unbalanced)
-28x12x8mm bearings
-string
-3kg weight
| 10tbevel_3-1.stl | 364.4KB | |
| 12mmspacer.stl | 39.3KB | |
| 12Tgear.stl | 378.9KB | |
| 15Tanchor.stl | 156.3KB | |
| 15Tanchor2.stl | 158.3KB | |
| 15Tesc.stl | 500.6KB | |
| 18tgearplusshaft.stl | 576.8KB | |
| 24t20tgear.stl | 901.1KB | |
| 24Tcrowngear.stl | 878.7KB | |
| 24Tcrowngear2.stl | 845.3KB | |
| 24tgear.stl | 531.6KB | |
| 24tgearplusshaft.stl | 569.8KB | |
| 30tbevel_3-1.stl | 1.3MB | |
| 39tgear.stl | 538.5KB | |
| 40Tgear.stl | 553.2KB | |
| 72Tgearminuteadjuster.stl | 732.4KB | |
| 72tminute.stl | 791.8KB | |
| 8Tgear.stl | 264.0KB | |
| balancespring.stl | 2.0MB | |
| balancewheel.stl | 331.5KB | |
| bearingadapter.stl | 73.2KB | |
| carrierbottom.stl | 530.9KB | |
| carriertop.stl | 666.6KB | |
| clockface.stl | 1.8MB | |
| clockfacebottom.stl | 1.3MB | |
| drum.stl | 545.1KB | |
| earth_ico_2_south.stl | 3.9MB | |
| forkframe1.stl | 370.1KB | |
| forkframe2.stl | 974.4KB | |
| forkframeback.stl | 726.1KB | |
| forkframeconnector.stl | 142.5KB | |
| globenorth2.stl | 4.1MB | |
| hands.stl | 449.2KB | |
| hourbridge.stl | 341.8KB | |
| hourgear1.stl | 418.4KB | |
| hourgear2.stl | 1.3MB | |
| hourgear3.stl | 728.8KB | |
| mainframebottom.stl | 530.8KB | |
| mainframetop.stl | 2.3MB | |
| moon.stl | 49.3MB | |
| ratchet.stl | 69.0KB | |
| sidebearingblock.stl | 51.6KB | |
| spacers.stl | 98.8KB | |
| tourbframeback.stl | 412.3KB | |
| tourbframemiddle.stl | 1017.1KB | |
| tourbframetop.stl | 715.1KB |
