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Hi Folks,

In this video I make what is arguably the most impressive section of the mechanism - the small gearing module that models Hipparchus' observation of the variable motion of the Moon - Please enjoy :)

Cheers,

Chris.

 

-------- Video Notes -------- 

Amazon Affiliate links:

Cameras: 

Panasonic GH5 - https://amzn.to/2rEzhh2 

Panasonic X920 - https://amzn.to/2wzxxdT

Books, Tools & Shop Products:

"Solidworks 2013 Bible": http://amzn.to/2FObS1D

"Gears From The Greeks", Derek de Solla Price: http://amzn.to/2pii4ZD

Sherline Lathe: http://amzn.to/2pnXM19

Sherline WW collets: http://amzn.to/2FYZ7F8

Dykem 80300 Steel Blue Layout Fluid, Brush-in-Cap (4oz): http://amzn.to/2HGPaJJ

Saint Gobain (Norton) - 4 Arkansas Stones + case: http://amzn.to/2HCOAMX

Blue Matador Abrasive Paper - https://amzn.to/2IAFiBT

Bergeon Professional Cleaning Rodico: https://amzn.to/2NwcM6y

Lodge Cast Iron: https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Sportsmans-Hibachi-Style-Tailgaiting-Adjustable/dp/B00022OK2A


References:

Gears From The Greeks - Derek de Solla Price: http://amzn.to/2pii4ZD

The CT and PTM data that the AMRP have made publicly available can be found here: http://www.antikythera-mechanism.gr/data

Marcus Tullius Cicero: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicero

"De natura deorum" from Cicero: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Natura_Deorum

https://archive.org/details/denaturadeorumac00ciceuoft/page/206

Apsidal Precession:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apsis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apsidal_precession

Hipparchus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipparchus

Anomalistic Month: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_month#Anomalistic_month

 

Files

The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 9 - Making The Epicyclic Pin and Slot Gearing

The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 9 - Making The Epicyclic Pin and Slot Gearing, by Clickspring. In this video I make what is arguably the most impressive section of the mechanism - the small pin-and-slot module that models the Ancient Greek theory of the variable motion of the #dearMoon. If you would like to help support the creation of these videos, then head on over to the Clickspring Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/clickspring ________________________________________________________ A very special thank you to Patrons: Sinking Valley Woodworks (http://www.sinkingvalleywoodworks.com) Glenn Trewitt Christopher Warnock Mike Manfrin John A McCormick David Wurmfeld Lonnie Koehn Michael Harmon Jim Popwell Gary Levario Rollin W. Patrick, Jr. Pete Askew Andre van Soest Larry Pardi Bernd Fischer Rudolph Bescherer Jr Adam Slagle Jeremiah G. Mort Olof Haggren Tim Bray Steven R. Crider ________________________________________________________ You can also help me make these videos by purchasing via the following Amazon Affiliate links: Cameras used in this video: Panasonic GH5 - https://amzn.to/2rEzhh2 Panasonic X920 - https://amzn.to/2wzxxdT Tools & Shop Products: "Solidworks 2013 Bible": http://amzn.to/2FObS1D "Gears From The Greeks", Derek de Solla Price: http://amzn.to/2pii4ZD Sherline Lathe: http://amzn.to/2pnXM19 Sherline WW collets: http://amzn.to/2FYZ7F8 Dykem 80300 Steel Blue Layout Fluid, Brush-in-Cap (4oz): http://amzn.to/2HGPaJJ Saint Gobain (Norton) - 4 Arkansas Stones + case: http://amzn.to/2HCOAMX Blue Matador Abrasive Paper - https://amzn.to/2IAFiBT Bergeon Professional Cleaning Rodico: https://amzn.to/2NwcM6y Lodge Cast Iron: https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Sportsmans-Hibachi-Style-Tailgaiting-Adjustable/dp/B00022OK2A References: The experimental bench block and forming tools used at 10:48 are conceptually based on some of the research in the papers mentioned in this papers bibliography: https://bit.ly/2GlBDtB Gears From The Greeks - Derek de Solla Price: http://amzn.to/2pii4ZD The CT and PTM data that the AMRP have made publicly available can be found here: http://www.antikythera-mechanism.gr/data Marcus Tullius Cicero: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicero Cicero De natura deorum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Natura_Deorum https://archive.org/details/denaturadeorumac00ciceuoft/page/206 Apsidal Precession: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apsis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apsidal_precession Hipparchus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hipparchus Anomalistic Month: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_month#Anomalistic_month Music: https://taketones.com, http://www.epidemicsound.com/ The Antikythera Mechanism Episode 9 - Making The Epicyclic Pin and Slot Gearing, by Clickspring.

Comments

Anonymous

Well, a hurricane just blew up everything I know, and I'll have a month without power, but honestly this being uploaded makes me happy

Stu

Not only do you make things look so beautiful, the damn things fit together so well that they *click* when you push them together! Always makes me gasp internally lol. Do you ever stuff anything up and overfile and have to start over?

Adam Slagle

You never fail to impress.

Dylan T

if you were commissioned to build a device with the same capability without any plans to work from, could you do it? would it end up being drastically different or would there be similarities?

Anonymous

Another incredible video, Chris! Awesome to see how it's coming together! :)

Anonymous

Incredible! I already can't wait for the next one!

Anonymous

Incredible work!!

Luke Pettit

A Dr Who ("The Master's" Head noise no less) cadence of hammer peining happening at 4:27 a coincidence or not? The guys who made this were ficken geniuses. When I was young my dad use to say mankind hasn't really gotten any smarter we just have better access to more information. I am dumb founded at their, and your skill and obvious genius. I might go lick a window in order to comfort myself lol

clickspring

So pleased you enjoyed it mate, best wishes with the clean up I know exactly what you're going through :)

clickspring

Thank you mate - yes certainly, that E arbor took quite a bit of testing to get right, the difference between 'go' and 'no go' on the shoulder dimensions is crazy - Cheers :)

clickspring

No plans would definitely mean differences, but I am well inside the design now so i think it would be very similar - Cheers :)

Stubbs

this patreon is worth every penny

Stubbs

you the man, Chris!

Anonymous

Great video! Loving it!

clickspring

Subliminally embedded while watching no doubt :) Completely agree re the smarter point - to a large degree the limits of this machine were about material science limits more than anything else - Cheers :)

Anonymous

Bravo. Amazing job.

Anonymous

Unreal.

Anonymous

Mind blown....

jason black

So, when this is all said and done, will you put out a feature-length DVD/Blu-Ray of the whole series? I would love to have such a thing.

Kirk Jensen

Holy crap Chris, you are the man!!

Mike Michelizzi

I'm in awe both at the ingenuity of this mechanism and your continued insights and patience regarding its construction.

Anonymous

I was watching Ancient Aliens on The History Channel the other day and was amused by all the "they could never have built this all those years ago" hullabaloo (well, except the pyramids, of course; those were obviously built by aliens). There's this odd notion that just because we don't know how they did it, they couldn't possibly have done it. Indeed, it couldn't possibly be because we've lost their techniques to history. Similarly, there's this odd notion that ancient also means incompetent by modern standards. I think this device is proof enough alone that while our ancestors didn't have all our handy tools and technology, that doesn't mean they were stupid and incapable of incredible complexity and ingenuity. I think in a lot of ways our technology might actually be making us lazier/less creative than our "primitive" forefathers. Good stuff, Chris, keep up the great work!

Anonymous

I only now realized how small these parts are, seeing your fingers in assembling them, amazing. How do you think they would have made the main arbor with the technology of the time? That's what I find most amazing along with that off axis turning.

clickspring

With a lathe and files - its clear that the technology of the day was very capable, more on the lathe tech in a later video - Cheers :)

Gregor Shapiro

Absolutely stunning craftsmanship and video, had to watch and listen a few times to understand how the eccentric mounting provided the anomalistic lunar motion, loved the shot of the peening!

Jeremy

Superb!

Anonymous

As always. You are a Wizard.

Iain Deas

Out of curiosity Chris, when you have multiple gears on one shaft or situations like the gears that get peened on a shaft, do you have to take into consideration the orientation or the alignment of the teeth? Or do you just place them however and they all find their mesh when the whole thing starts turning?

Graeme Brumfitt

Gday Chris, Liked before even watching, beautiful vid and starting to come together really well looks awesome TFS G :)

Spirit of the Warrior

Hello, Chris, I just have to say that I admire the love and dedication that goes in to each component. Even if it may never be seen, it is still a beautiful piece of work. Your research and dedication to learning and demonstrating some of the old ways that could have been used is remarkable. On a side note, it appears you do some of the sanding on a glass cutting board; is there a particular reason for that? Cheers...

Anonymous

What's going on at 9:36? Looks like drilling the middle of the peened pin; I just don't know why. Was that in a previous video? (if so, I must have missed it)

clickspring

Thank you Nickolas, so pleased you're enjoying the videos :) Yes I use glass because its a cheap, hard & flat surface that can be dunked in water and other solvents etc - Cheers :)

John S Dilsaver

I saw the email that this video was posted and everything stopped while I viewed it. Wonderful work. I'll be watching it again this evening.

Kirk Jensen

I still am interested on how you are going to time the entire mechanism once you are complete, So that all outputs read correctly for day 1 of its life.

clickspring

Hello mate - that is a pin rounding tool. A few twists and it puts a quick chamfer on the end of a pin -Cheers :)

clickspring

Hey Kirk - the bulk of the train is assembled, and then the last assemblies with the pointers are dropped into place pointing where they need to relative to the dial. It will be a bit more complex for the planetarium gearing, because the correct position in each phase must also be established, but it amounts to basically the same process - very fiddly!

Kevin Reardon

This is just a Wow moment. That was the part I was looking forward to seeing how it was done. I remember reading somewhere (I'm still looking) about the gearing not being perfect so they had to increase the distance between two teeth by introducing a crack. This made the gearing more accurate as to the Moon's position. Did you run into that reference somewhere? I believe it had to do with these particular gears. On a side note, since I am paying you via Patreon, you can no longer consider yourself an Amateur. Not that your work has improved since your earlier videos. Na, nothing like that. All I'm seeing at this point is Craftsman. I'm thinking by the end of this with will be Master Craftsman. And when you reproduce ENIAC out of brass, you'll be off the charts!

Clifton Ballad

Right around 4:25 ish... I feel like the tapping of the punch was timed with the music... Or im hearing things and expecting such serendipitous precision from you LoL Either way, seeing the bits come together at the end was pretty amazing. I can't even imagine what its going to be like when its all done! Keep up the great work!

Jerry Gepes

Chris, have you ever broken a wheel/gear with a taper pin? I have to remind myself sometimes that you're working with very thin stock and I've gotta think cracks happen every now and then.

clickspring

No, its a fairly ductile material, so assuming normal room temperature, no corrosion etc the risk of cracking is pretty low - Cheers mate :)

Wes Baker

Chris, brilliant work as usual. Now that you've reached this point, are you starting to 'feel' (not crazy about that word...!) something of the original maker? I know, from a modern perspective, where most humans never get out and and look at the heavens, it's an almost foreign concept. But it strikes me this ancient craftsman must have felt something like a modern physician prescribing antibiotics in the early days of its 'discovery' (before its abuse in the Western world). A feeling of understanding/awe and being able to put their actual hands on it.

Anonymous

Totally awestruck by the mechanism finally coming together. You continue to amaze me with your work, chris!

clickspring

Yes I'm well inside the design now. There is so much there its incredible - Cheers :)

Chris Talbot

Watched this a while back but forgot to comment... how unlike me! Really cool to see how the epicyclic "module" came together after the sneak-peek in your update post. Those really are some finicky little parts, and you've done such a neat and precise job of bringing them all together, as usual. I literally let out an "ooooooohhh" when I saw the mechanism turning. :D That multi-shouldered arbor is a particularly lovely bit of work, how many attempts did it take you to get it spot-on? Or did you just spend a lot of time in solidworks before starting to turn the metal?

clickspring

Thank you mate, was a real moment for me too for that first test assembly - Plenty of SW prep for that little arbor, but its a classic test and fit part, with no real way to predict exactly how all of the clearances would stack up in all orientations once assembled. 3x (I think?) before final part, with quite a bit of fettling of each iteraton to figure out what was needed - Cheers :)

Chris Talbot

PS. I love the little "snap" you added in post at 04:54... little touches like that are what make this channel stand out.

Scott Clausen

Whew! I was worried that I wasn't going to have my "fix" but you came through in great form. Beautiful job!

Anonymous

What do you think was used for lubrication? Or was it run dry?

Anonymous

And here was me, thinking this build couldn't get any better. Mind blown.

clickspring

At this stage I'm fairly sure it was run dry, more detail in a later video - Cheers :)

Steven swenson

You wouldn't happen to have info on the shaping tools you made would you?

clickspring

Certainly mate, all metric, all brass - Anvil: 50x25x27, square grooves 4x4xfull length, vee grooves approx 45 degrees, approx 2mm deep, full length. Blunt former: 50x22x5, shouldered at top to give approx 12mm to hit, other end is square Rounded former: 50x22x5, same shouldered top, approx 60 degree vee rounded with approx 2mm radius Cheers :)

Luke Pettit

<a href="https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/the-worlds-oldest-intact-shipwreck-discovered-in-black-sea/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/the-worlds-oldest-intact-shipwreck-discovered-in-black-sea/</a>

Anonymous

Aah, it's always such a treat to see you do your thing, somehow it's very calming to me. Very nice work so far and it's good to see it take shape at the end.

Chris Talbot

My girlfriend loves watching these videos, she knows and cares nothing about metal shaping or ancient horology but she finds these beautifully produced videos mesmerising along with the narration by Chris. I'm looking at putting together a youtube playlist of my favourites, I'll post it on the Patron community page if I ever get around to it... ;)

Anonymous

An article about a newly discovered Anyikythera piece showed up today. Thought it might interest you. <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-missing-piece-of-antikythera-mechanism-found-on-aegean-seabed-1.6640779" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium.MAGAZINE-missing-piece-of-antikythera-mechanism-found-on-aegean-seabed-1.6640779</a>

clickspring

Thank you mate - unfortunately the article rather misrepresents the find. Here is one of several press reports released when the find was announced last year that gives a much better take on it: <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/antikythera-shipwreck-yields-statue-pieces-and-mystery-bronze-disc-1.22735." rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.nature.com/news/antikythera-shipwreck-yields-statue-pieces-and-mystery-bronze-disc-1.22735.</a> The artifact is presently assumed by researchers to be a decorative element, un-related to the mechanism. I haven't seen any data released since Oct 4 2017 that would challenge that assumption - Cheers :)

Marius Olsen-Ryum

Will your reconstruction include the gearing to model the retrograde motion of the planets? also do you have any good sources on how it was done? Can't seem to find much by myself.

clickspring (edited)

Comment edits

2022-03-08 03:42:51 Yes it will - the two leading theoretical proposals are by Michael Wright 2006 (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT0gXa1ZrnA&amp;t=2s" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT0gXa1ZrnA&amp;t=2s</a>) and Tony Freeth 2012 (<a href="http://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/4/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/4/</a>) However neither is entirely consistent with the evidence, and I will address that with my own proposal - Cheers :)
2018-11-23 21:37:07 Yes it will - the two leading theoretical proposals are by Michael Wright 2006 (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT0gXa1ZrnA&t=2s" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT0gXa1ZrnA&t=2s</a>) and Tony Freeth 2012 (<a href="http://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/4/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/4/</a>) However neither is entirely consistent with the evidence, and I will address that with my own proposal - Cheers :)

Yes it will - the two leading theoretical proposals are by Michael Wright 2006 (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT0gXa1ZrnA&t=2s" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT0gXa1ZrnA&t=2s</a>) and Tony Freeth 2012 (<a href="http://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/4/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/4/</a>) However neither is entirely consistent with the evidence, and I will address that with my own proposal - Cheers :)

Mario Pérez Domínguez

Hello Chris. I am fascinated with this wonderful project. The more detail I know of the operation of the mechanism that makes it work, the more fascination I feel. So thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. Now, I have a question. Could you tell us how to calculate the measurements of the gears of the pin-and-slot module (diameter, module, distance between centers, etc) in order to simulate the speed of the Moon in its elliptical path? Have you used a mathematical equation for these? Are they based on trial and error? Thank you very much, Mario.

clickspring

Hi Mario, I have used direct measurement of the CT scans for the dimensions, however Tony Freeth has published some of the math on it (I don't recall which paper). He also discusses the concept in detail as it relates to his theory of the planetary module in his 2012 paper: <a href="http://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/4/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://dlib.nyu.edu/awdl/isaw/isaw-papers/4/</a> - Cheers :)