About me
The regular visitors of this website have probably been wondering last year why nothing was added to the site.
The sad reason has been that our dearest husband and father Pieter became seriously ill around February 2012 and died 21-12-2012.
We chose not to put it on the site till now, which is the right moment for us�
Of the three projects he was planning, The first Cellarius Clock, The second Cellarius Clock and the Future Project Clock,
only the first Cellarius Clock has been completed. The result can be viewed on this web site.
We, his wife and daughter know how much effort and commitent it cost him at last.
The first Cellarius Clock will be donated to the Eise Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker,The Netherlands.
There will be an exposition of his work this spring, see: Website Planetarium Franeker
His greatest joy around the site was the fact that he could advise and assist others,
was connected with fellow builders and experienced some very dear and important contacts.
Thank you all, guys, for enlightening his life.
That is why we will continue Pieter�s site online, as a reference for other builders and in his memory.
Maybe, after consideration, some clocks will be for sale in the near future. For those interested: leave a message.
Mieke and Maartje, January 2014.
My
youth was in the Northern part of the Netherlands in the beautiful city Franeker in the province Fryslan.
It was an exciting time with the first sputniks and
astronauts.
At about eight I dismantled the electric clock of my parents, they where not
pleased!
As young boy I was already interested in Astronomy, on dark evenings sitting
behind my
telescope
I made drawings of the Moon craters and the position of the moons
of Jupiter.
I made my first telescope support with meccano and had wild ideas about building
a radar, never worked of course.
But my own radio (Philips construction kit
for children)
was a great success,
said all the time, bleep bleep bleep, must have been satellites!
Later I studied at the Art Academy "Sculpture" and worked as
Art Therapist.
But
because of severe health problems all my life, I have very low energy and
muscle strength.
Life is most of the time climbing the Himalayas!
Had
to stop active
life, also one of the reasons to start this hobby,
you can make small parts
and after
some time you end up with a working clock! (At least you hope you
do)
It
took many years being a complete amateur, to learn how to work with a lathe
for making
wheels and other parts.
In fact I made a start in making wheels from wood with
nails. Later I tried to make them by hand in yellow brass (see photo).
Of course I can not work as precise like a real professional.
There are
three machines an Emco 5, a Hobbymat and an older engraving machine.
I have only
a limited number of Thorton cutters, so I have to smuggle sometimes a little bit.
Because there is no energy for more complicated works, I keep it as simple as possible.
I hope this site
is a help and an
encouragement to start building (astronomical) clocks, for it is a nice hobby.
On
the Links page you will find many interesting sites with much information!
Hope you enjoyed my site, Pieter Merckx
Questions? Drop me a line!
Oeps...time goes too fast!
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