The Hamilton escapement after which I patterned this escapement has a detent spring which is integral with the blade. My escapement, however, is sized for a clock, so the detent blade is larger and heavier. So I made a pivoted detent which can support the extra weight. Also, the tension on the detent spring can be adjusted if it's made this way. So the detent blade pivots, using a jeweled barrel.

The barrel is basically a simple tube with a jewel set in each end. In addition, the barrel has a spigot which holds the detent blade.

I began making the barrel by cutting the outside in the Taig lathe. I made two lengths 3/16" in diameter, with a ring machined in between. The ring will become the spigot which holds the detent blade. When the barrel is parted from the mother rod, I can chuck both ends of the barrel in the Taig lathe, using a 3/16" WW collet.

But before parting off the barrel, I transferred the chuck holding it to the Taig mill, where I sawed three .012" wide slits in the ring with a circular saw. The center slit will mount the detent blade. The outer two slits will be the outside of the spigot which holds the detent blade, once excess material is removed. Then I moved the chuck back to the lathe, where I parted off the barrel.

Using a jewelers saw, I sawed round the barrel, thus removing the excess material from the ring. I sawed from one of the outside slits just cut in the mill to the other, leaving only the spigot with its central slit. At this point, I cleaned up the saw marks on the barrel with a file and sandpaper.

Then I returned the barrel to the lathe and made a couple of light cuts on the ends of the barrel to finish cleaning it up. Then I bored a through hole which is just under the size of the jewels, which are 3 mm. OD.

Then I reamed the through hole to final size with a Seitz jewel press reamer chucked in the Taig tail stock. These reamers are very precision, reaming to just .01 mm undersize, so that the jewels can be pressed in with the Seitz jewel press. I reamed one end of the barrel, then reversed it in the WW collet and reamed the other side.

The detent blade will be soldered in place with Tix solder at a later date. Also later, I'll press in the jewels.

Today's links:

Machining the barrel with ring.
Notching ring
Ring notched
Sawing ring excess
Seitz reaming barrel
Barrel finished
Barrel finished II
Detent bearing barrel drawing, GIF
Escapement drawing, GIF