Quartz or Mechanical

Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:09 am     Post subject: Quartz or Mechanical

Hello,
I'm very very new to clockmaking and I'm having trouble getting started. I have an idea about how I want the clock to look but I do not know how to select the components (ie quartz vs mechanical movements). The Klockit "helpful hints" aren't exactly helpful on this matter. Can someone just give me the basic differences? Then there are things like "high torque" and I just don't understand what everything means. I wish there was a "clockmaking for dummies" book.

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:26 pm     Post subject:

To a clock purist, mechanical is the only way to go.

Most quartz movements are essentially throw-away units, and if you are looking to build a clock as a family heirloom you will want to install a mechanical mechanism.

There is also no comparison in the quality of sound that a mechanical mechanism will produce. Remember that on a mechanical clock, the chimes are actually produced by small hammers hitting rods or bells. On a quartz clock, this sound is reproduced electronically and the sound comes from a little speaker.

High-torque movements are for large dials with heavy hands. If you are building a very large clock, or tower clock you should use these quartz movements with high torque.