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clockwork-zero — Botanical Clockwork Set
Published: 2008-02-11 16:43:46 +0000 UTC; Views: 1692; Favourites: 29; Downloads: 48
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Description
I can't tell you how long it took me to figure out the dangling centre. I tried about 8 different things before I went for something simple. There's a tiny garnet tip on a delicate silver beaded end... then a bit of gear. It swings too - which was a trick.Two of the small dragonflies flank either side, effectively hiding the broach back. The "leaf" is a real find. A tiny sterling silver spider is about to climb it and head for those dragonflies! heh.
The flower part itself is an aged brass piece that I've had for about 10 years.
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Comments: 15
Nifty :3 I have to wonder where you got your parts, since I can never find anything half this good.
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The "flower back" - made of brass I think - I've had for years. Many years. The numbers of course were from a watch that had a date option. The leaf shapes - well they came from a number of old windup watches (but I figure you know that). 
The big "stamen" part - I should try and get another photo - was from a large windup clock - again one I've had for years.
I'm going to be selling of some of my duplicate brass bits. Gods. I had a bead store once and bought tons of stuff. Over the years it has been used and sold. Mostly used. I've decided though to start getting rid of some. I'll probably post up the brass pieces on my Flickr or at my blog. Some of it is vintage brass findings. I've decided to get rid of a lot. Alas there were no duplicates of the flower back - so I doubt I'll ever find another.
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I have tons of clock gears, mostly because I live within walking distance of a horologist who'll sell bags of excess gears once in a while, and old keys, because they seem to be oddly abudant in antique stores in my hometown 
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wow, you are lucky. It's been difficult to find many old watches or gears here in my hometown. I get a lot of crazy looks. I'd love to see your pins. Maybe we could do a trade or something - or I could make you something in particular for parts? Let me know. If you have a flickr account you could drop me an email there at [link]
or at my blog:
[link]
but if you use them all yourself.. no worries
right now i'm making some clockwork insects. I have an idea for a beetle!
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Ooo, clockwork beetle! 8D ((Immediately thinks of the spy bug-things in "The Golden Compass" XD))
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They must be far larger gears than the ones I'm using. Very few of them are on "axles" in watches... When I did take apart an old alarm clock I had I found a few big pieces on axles - in fact ... if you look at the Flickr page I have - on the Botanical Clockwork Set - the main "stamen" is one such a piece on an axle. I left it there.... because I wasn't sure how to take it apart. hehehe. [link]
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Yeah, most of my gears come from grandfather or wall clocks, I think. I don't think my local clock shop has too much in the way of watch gears. That might explain how that one pin I made ended up so huge 
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Oh yes! those wall/grandfather clock parts are really big! I put up an image on my flickr with a penny for comparison. Its so funny to be working on these really teeny-tiny pieces. So much fun though.
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With my luck I'd break the smaller ones ((Has a remarkable lack of delicacy)) so perhaps it's better I work with the big ones XD
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ooh.. in toronto maybe? I'm glad you like it... my first comment! thanks. Your wire work is fantastic! really very nice
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welcome! i just realized there is a comment reply section here. LOL> talk about a newbie. I sent you an email here too. do check
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