doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Filling engraving

Thanks @damascus for the clarification. Strangely, clocks (particularly early electric clocks, Synchronome etc) are also one of my other interests. I have not use the dial filling 'wax' and had not ever thought to fill engraving on a gun (thoiugh I have rubbed chalk into proof marks to get a decent photo.

Good to see another Clock person here.
The photographs are of a "Matthaus Hipp Toggle electric clock "I built made entirely from scrap materials to see how low a cost you could build a time piece. The case was once a Mahogany door, glass from a failed double glazing unit, the Mercury came from a now defunct Chlorine plant, Brass from a local scrap metal merchant, Electrical components all from scrap industrial equipment. The most expensive items at the time where the four new Alkaline 'D' cells depending on the manufacturer keep it ticking seconds for between eighteen months and two years. It did keep me occupied in my workshop for a little over a year, it eventually turned out looking so good I decided to put a passing hour strike on a ex telephone bell and keep it rather than putting it up for sale. To keep it company I restored a "Fortin Barometer" found as a box of pieces.

Thanks. I have sent a p.m. as we are rather 'off topic' here for a Double Gun forum, but I have 3 x Hipp toggle clocks. I also have a Fortin barometer by Griffin & George (Darton).

I actually find this mention of clock restoration highly interesting. J.C. Reilly was a member of the clock-makers guild up to 1828. He and Joseph Lang were also silversmiths. There must be something compatible amongst these skills; these artisans called themselves “whitesmiths” at the time.

I am sure we all know that the original gun mechanisms where made by Lock Smiths hence the name a gun Lock. My understanding as a clock maker is that as guns locks where required to become faster in operation at the same time becoming more complicated and compact, Clock Makers had the skill and in a way the mechanical means to produce an individual quality faster before the introduction of mass production, though they where still slow because each individual part had to be fitted and made to work correctly also another reason Clock Makers were also skilled in the working of wood and engraving, so a good all round skilled craftsman.

The great Joseph Manton built a clock to compete for the "longitude prize" https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/items/404502.