# Where can I get gears and stuff? I want to make a clock. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 30, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743 "2004-05-30T02:24:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/1 "2004-05-30T02:24:31Z")
A very simple clock, to be sure. I have decided that I want to build a simple pendulum clock with seconds, minutes and hours. After reading some books and taking apart some clocks I think I have a pretty good understanding of the mechanism. The weight and pendulum I can make myself, but I need to get: 1. An escapement and escapement gear 2. Various other gears in certain sizes and ratios (obviously my design will depend on what sizes are easily available so I can figure out the gear-train components. (I would like to avoid doing ratios of 60:1 🙂 )) 3. Axles, and 4. Hollow axles that can fit inside each other for the hands. I figure there must be some company out there that makes parts for amateur clockmakers, but I must be googling for the wrong terms, because I haven’t found anything useful. Thnaks a million. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/2 "2004-05-30T02:28:42Z")
The “google,” [she be your friend.](http://www.klockit.com/) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/3 "2004-05-30T02:35:58Z")
I’ve looked at Klockit before, but I think they only sell quartz movements and complete mechanical movements, which is not exactly what I want. I want to design and build the mechanism from scratch, where “scratch” means someone else machined the gears for me. It’s really just for a proof-of-concept, and will probably only consist of a dozen gears at most. (It won’t even have clutches to allow for winding or setting, for example.) One thing I’ve been looking at is Meccano, especially after noticing that someone made a [difference engine](http://www.meccano.us/difference_engines/rde_1/DSCN1415_cropped.jpg) with it, but I can’t seem to find out if those are available in the US. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/4 "2004-05-30T02:52:07Z")
Go to thrift stores and buy a bunch of old clocks. Take them apart. Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/5 "2004-05-30T03:01:57Z")
You know, that’s a great idea. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/6 "2004-05-30T03:08:38Z")
Well, [site](http://www.tayl1684.fast24.co.uk/) claims to ship Meccano internationally, and there’s [tons of 'em for sale](http://search.ebay.com/Meccano_W0QQsokeywordredirectZ1QQfromZR8) on eBay. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/7 "2004-05-30T03:20:38Z")
[Bodine Gear Manufacturing](http://www.bodinegears.com/) sells a wide variety of gears. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/8 "2004-05-30T03:24:24Z")
[http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=7950&cartLogFrom=Search](http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm?terms=7950&cartLogFrom=Search) Poke around there, and you’ll find all kinds of other cool stuff. Not to mention that the catalog copy is often quite a hoot. ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/9 "2004-05-30T06:21:59Z")
Why not just use [legos](http://www.lego.com/eng/) (I think you want the “Technic” sets for this type of thing), or [K’nex](http://www.knex.com), or something similar? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/10 "2004-05-30T06:24:04Z")
Small Parts Inc [http://www.smallparts.com/](http://www.smallparts.com/) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/11 "2004-05-30T20:19:59Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Small Parts Inc > [http://www.smallparts.com/](http://www.smallparts.com/) Holy shiznit, this is the coolest site EVER! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/12 "2004-05-31T02:17:49Z")
dont forget [McMaster-Carr](http://mcmaster.com/) . They have _EVERYTHING_ ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/13 "2004-05-31T07:52:34Z")
A few months ago, I built a clock pretty much from scratch… I highly recommend [this book](http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0060910666/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-6372753-0595135#reader-link)– If you want to enjoy the sheer bliss of fabricating your own gears, that is. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/14 "2004-05-31T13:50:10Z")
I agree with **ftg** that thrift stores will likely be the cheapest. I’d also like to take this opportunity to say- I love you guys. Hmm, I think I’ll start a MPSIMS thread on some kind of Doper machine contest. Now, I must click more links and order more catalogues under the name Cyrus Gerluch. (If you guessed that name is based on Disney’s Gyro Gearloose, give yourself five points.) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/15 "2004-05-31T14:27:55Z")
You might want to check this out as well: [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060910666/jimloyshomepage/002-1886808-1192048](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060910666/jimloyshomepage/002-1886808-1192048) ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-i-get-gears-and-stuff-i-want-to-make-a-clock/247743/16 "2004-05-31T15:33:08Z")
I have started [the SDMB Gadget Contest thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=4915063#post4915063). I ask y’all to visit and submit ideas for the project.