Build a real mechanical clock - and finally understand how it works.
Open the back of a mechanical clock and you see a mystery: brass wheels turning at different speeds, a spring or weight driving it all, and something ticking at the top. Clockmaking for Beginners takes that mystery apart, one piece at a time, in plain language - and then shows you how to build a working clock yourself.
Written for the complete beginner, this fully illustrated guide assumes no engineering background and no workshop full of expensive machines - just patience, a few good tools, and the willingness to work carefully.
Inside, you'll learn how a clock really works (power source, gear train, and escapement); how to set up an affordable, safe workshop; the core bench skills of measuring, marking, cutting, filing, and making pivots; gears and gear ratios made easy; escapements explained (verge, anchor, and deadbeat); weights, mainsprings, barrels, and fusees with essential safety guidance; and the pendulum, setting the beat, and regulating for accurate time. You'll build two complete beginner projects - a simple desk clock and a pendulum wall clock - and learn troubleshooting, cleaning, lubrication, and long-term care, backed by a glossary, parts directory, reference tables, and checklists.
About the author: Mark Smith trained for six years at the School of Jewellery, including a three-year HND in Horology specialising in clocks, and holds the Technician Certificate of the British Horological Institute (BHI).
Whether you're a hobbyist, a maker, or simply fascinated by how things work, start your clockmaking journey today.
