I've been following the Chicago School's course for months, meticulously going through the lessons, teaching myself watchmaking (with the help of all of you of course). I also have the Fried book and now, my new favorite, The Science of Watch Repairing Simplified by Thisell.

I've gotten quite a few movements up and running, and understand the escapement pretty well.

I am to the part of the Chicago School's course where I am supposed to now sit down and draft the lever escapement. This would not be difficult in the one hand, as I was an architectural draftsman years ago, but my math skills are weak and following the step by step is a bit taxing.

I know some of you guys have been to whatchmaking school and have probably done this. If I don't take the time to do this, how big a gap in my knowledge of the escapement would there be? It seems an important thing to do if you were to design and build a watch from scratch. But what about just fixing them?

Going to a real watchmaking school is not possible right now, so I am trying to be as complete as I can with my resources and time, so if the advice is to sit down and do it because there is a real need, I will.

Dale...My personal opinion...don't waste your time. Do what comes natural and use common sense drawing on whatever previous experience you have working with mechanical things, keeping in mind the delicate nature of what you are working with. The books are great and invaluable as technical resources, but I wouldn't get too hung up on minutia. Again, just my personal opinion.

Roger

Thank you Roger.

Unless you actually want to make an escapement from scratch, I suggest spending that time learning solidworks. Then you could help draw the REALLY "Umobtainium" parts so my miniature machine shop friend can make some of them. Some of them are sort of "Rube Golberg-ish" like the napkin machine.

Someday I may just make some unobtainium. For now, I'll refrain from putting myself through the horror of drawing it all and just work on the little devils themselves.