@@R3N0T3 I don't have the source but I think in the shipwreck that the mechanism was found was also an inscription with the contents of the ship. Που ηταν παστες σαρδελες ;)
Get used to it. Blink and your kids are learning to drive. Blink twice and they're on their own, halfway through their careers. Don't blink three times.
This is now my second time watching this through. This is consistently the series I'm the most excited for on youtube. I love that as this has gone on, not only has it revealed so much about the mechanism itself, but also the technology that was available at the time and just how far along they were. And it all makes perfect sense that "OF COURSE they would have done it that way!". Each new thing clicking into place. It's crazy to think they had all the tools needed to build our modern world, they just didn't know how. But what they managed with how little they knew is incredible.
Totally agree on all accounts! Also super cool to see you here, I'm a huge fan of your channel too! I don't watch loads of YT, but I never miss an upload from you or Clickspring!
Sir Issac Newton put it well. "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Humans by nature are just figuring things out as we go along.
It's crazy that they could have, but lacked the resources and manpower to do so! When famine common, you can't afford to become an expert in machining unless you happen to know the rich and powerful. Ergo, only a small few at any given time in any given town could even produce these sorts of mechanisms. Today we have many millions of such experts, and still we need more.
Hey Folks, I hope 2024 is treating you well so far! This one was a heap of fun to make, I do hope you enjoy it, be sure to share it far and wide!! - Cheers :)
2024 started perfectly since you've dropped a new video :) happy new year, watching this makes me thinking, in ancient egypt there are granite vases dated back to old kingdom, that are made to such degree of precession that would have made manual or beginner cnc machinists today proud. your fellow Aussie, Ben on YT made video where he measured such a vase with laser scanner, results are published in digital form, would be a cool to see to what degree you could reproduce it, using old tools only. it would be cool to see your collab and back and forth on what was possible or what was not in ancient times, I know that no one knows for sure, but it would be a cool collab nevertheless :)
Great display of your own and a good idea of the possibilities regarding their ingenuity, given the materials available at the time. Happy new year to you and yours, Chris. Cheers
The part where you took apart the ebony piece and the metal test part, only to reveal you'd actually made a bearing to convert it to a dogged indirect drive with metal bearings, was absolutely stunning. It felt like actual magic happening in front of my eyes.
And to think how many things most of us are fortunate to have seen. We are used to the concept of turning metal and the inherent beauty of the process. To imagine a person in those times, seeing something similar for the first time. Must've been magical indeed.
I knew he was gonna end up using the ebony for two reasons: • I'm currently on a binge-watch, and it seems like his style. • Ebony is _really_ expensive. 😅
The thing that always amazes me is if you get 3 stones, rub two of them together, and then swap one for the 3rd, and rub them and then swap again - eventually you end up with an absolutely perfectly flat reference surface. so you could sit in the storage with a surface as flat as en engineers precision reference table - you just have to rub 3 stones together.
That is a beautiful piece of ebony wood. My husband has a degree in metalurgy and another in heat transfer. He developed a school in rural West Africa teaching woodworking, agriculture and health care. His students learned to hand cut and work indigenous wood into useful objects and furniture. He would be impressed by this seemingly simple lathe and it's demonstration of how it could be used to make the antikythera mechanism. My father was a watchmaker and was taught to make parts by hand, although I never saw him do it as parts were readily available. The ancients were intelligent and developed technology to make intricate items by hand. All gears were and parts cut by hand in making watches before the advent of electricity.
This is like watching someone explain a magic trick, in slow motion, all while showing each and every move in detail and yet it still comes across as magic.
It's ironic that you said that. I discovered Clickspring through watching a magicians channel (Chris Ramsay) and Clickspring had made him a card press and it was beautiful. Then i fell down the Clickspring well!
I can only think of one Machinist who would be likely to do something like this to "prove a point" ... Joe Pie has the skills, and the attitude as well.
I watched the whole series on the Making of the Antikythera Machine and ended up feeling just smart enough to be house-broke and remember to feed myself when hungry. Clickspring is the epitome of melding artist, engineer, and craftsman. Check his playlist.
@@thomasbraeking6225 The dividing lines between these skills is an artifact of just the last few centuries. For most of human civilisation this was the norm.
During the Renaissance, with scholarship still coming out of the Dark Ages, the ancients were regarded with awe -- and generally taken as a reference point for all knowledge. Over the intervening four or five centuries, we've made such huge scientific strides that we've started to regard ancient cultures as primitive and crude. It's only in the past couple of decades that we're reversing that trend, and learning just how "advanced" they were. What Chris is doing is immensely valuable in supplying a really accurate picture. Practical archaeology like this is nothing short of priceless. Thank you Chris! Sharing these videos goes far beyond entertainment!
You're wrong in the sense that progress was actually about stopping reliance on tradition and past truths and overcoming authority bias. These people had some technology, but it was extremely rudimentary, and they had a very low moral sense and poor understanding of their environment. They weren't superior in any way. Progress was made by overcoming tradition and authority bias.
I'm watching this and realised that you and Primitive Technology could make a hell of a series of collaboration videos, showing how you'd go from bare mud and wood to relatively advanced tools.
In the post apocalyptic world the team that has Primitive Technology and Clickspring has electricity up and running before the others have figured out how to reliably make good rope.
It would be like a new version of David Gingery’s Build Your Own Metal Working Shop From Scrap Series, but just with human powered machines. I’d love to see that collaboration
Yeah, Australia could become the center for the next Renaissance, and the seed for the next technological civilization. ...They might need to recruit Mad Max to defend the enclave though! 😛
I'm struggling a little here. My Dad passed away unexpectedly at the end of September, but before that I used to excitedly email him every time a new Antikythera video came out - we were both SO impressed by the engraved front plate! I don't know if I can quite watch this video yet, but I wanted to tell you that 1. Always make sure the people you love know it, and 2. Your videos were a great way to connect with Dad while I could, so thank you for all the amazingness you've done in the world! When I do watch this, I'll be thinking of him.
I'm sorry for your loss, but I will carry your advice close to heart. I wish i could provide such compotent wisdom in return but I've got not much. But, Treasure your memories.
Clickspring wrote a PhD because he discovered a mathematical relationship all the other historians had missed about the Antikythera Mechanism. If anyone is going to come up with the most plausible version of tools of the time, it's going to be him. Historians aren't machinists and don't think "machinists thoughts" so they'll inevitably miss key concepts. When an excellent machinists becomes a historian he will, obviously, bring whole new trains of thought to the table.
@@scrambledmandiblebruh imagine how much we have missed because in general x wasn’t also a y? Like we need to get all the super smart engineers doing circuits to hook up with the super physicists and mathematicians of today to figure out infinite energy or like fusion or something and make it happen faster like bro imagine ask the tech we have just sitting in front of us but we don’t have it cause someone hasn’t put two simple pieces together yet
@@andersjjensen It's why I like the Renaissance era method of training artists etc. They learnt drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, science, engineering, and so on and so on, covering a huge swathe of skill sets which meant that they could design the building that they were going paint frescoes onside of :)
I didn't realize how simple it was to achieve a lathe. Like, having watched the video it now seems obvious, but beforehand it seemed like a very difficult thing to do.
To many of us today and in the ancient past, this kind of work has always born an air of mysticism. Mostly, because the arts of the craftsman were held with great secrecy. Even a master craftsman like Chris needs to show us in great detail through his eyes how the ancients could have achieved such precision with what we would see as the most crudest of tools to forge masterpieces that span the eons revealing how clever humanity was so long ago, long before the vast destruction of such intricate knowledge and long before the first arrogant and bombastic "historians" and "archeologists" portrayed these peoples as crude, inferior, and not capable of anything more than moving and knocking on a few stones to make "interesting structures". Through examining artifacts like the Antikythera Mechanism of Ancient Greece or the copper hammer of Ötzi, the Iceman; we reforge the perspective of what these peoples were truly capable of achieving. And with people like Chris, our comprehension of their intellect grows evermore incredible and awe-inspiring to ever push our own imagination and capabilities to the limits of this era.
The lathe is the most important machine tool. If you can build a lathe, you can either make anything you need on it, or make the tools to make those things. You can also use a lathe to build a better lathe (as seen in this video)
At first I tought "whatever... he's just doing a wood lathe" but then he proceeded to use the "machined" wood part to actually mount the metal part, mind blowing stuff.
@@NewtoRah True-ish. I would argue that a flat surface would be first on the list, because then you get straight edges, parallel surfaces, even sheet thicknesses etc etc. So rub three rocks together in sequence, as a start to making your shop tools.
This right here is my favorite thing ever. Seeing just how advanced even simple tools can be in the hands of a skilled artisan. Makes me feel like none of us are that far off from doing something incredible.
I always like to think: if I were transported back to those times, how much could I do? You could be a magician if you retained enough RUclips knowledge!!
Endless respect for your commitment to demonstrating how components like these could have been made using era-appropriate methods and tooling. Thanks for the great video!
What I especially love about this lathe setup is that, yes, you can use it as a one-person machine, but it seems better to have an apprentice handling the bow. This allows the master to work the piece unencumbered, while giving that apprentice a close-up perspective on the technique.
I don't know when the treadle mechanism was invented, but I'd expect foot power for the bow would have been much more useful. If you're going to have interruptions in the power, as required by the bow reaching the end of travel, having that under the control of the person operating the cutting tool seems pretty important.
Thank you Chris. A most interesting video. As a 70+ former toolmaker it was fun to watch you demonstrate how that which is at hand can be used to make something which progresses the tools and process. Truly, we all build on the shoulders of those before us. Thanks for that reminder of how.
As an old toolmaker, you probably thought it was absolutely necessary to have rigid work holding, a rigid tool rest and some sort of feed mechanism to make things that fit together. Then again, old school toolmaking relied on stoning, scraping and honing to get things to fit perfectly
Oh man Chris, I can't express just how thrilled I am to see more Antikythera Mechanism work, and, better still, an ancient tool experiment! This little lathe is just brilliant- and answers so many questions I've had as to how various little things were made in antiquity. It's so simple and elegant- and virtually anyone with a little skill could make and use it. Wonderful! Thanks so much for this and all your work.
I’m still waiting on seeing how they would have used an early version of a power saw, because he’s relied on his power saw so heavily and I don’t see how a regular saw could do the kind of work he uses it for.
This has to be the most researched and well thought out video of the series. Absolutely excellent skills and craftsmanship, and a pleasure to watch. Keep up the amazing work.
As a graduate of Kangaroo point tech . and a jeweller/ machinist / fabricator for 40 years, I really appreciate your YTs. I wish I had the skills to produce this quality of instruction. For now I teach/ work in folsom california . I recommend your channel to all my students, we often reproduce your vids in the real world as an exercise in learning . It used to be that I would tell my students this stuff, now I can show them, and they want to see how its done. We have made countless bow drills, every one knows how to carburize and temper . this vid on the mini bow drill is perfect, Ive been teaching large foot powered lathes and barrel drilling for years this is a perfect add on thankyou chris
The beauty of the internet and RUclips. I often think how lucky I am to live in a time when there is so much knowledge and information available at our fingertips. I'm in my late 60's but still love to learn. I do wish it had been around when I was an adolescent - education and career choices would have taken a totally different path than I actually took. You can look at how things are designed and made and think - I want to do that ! Still, I'm glad that I have had access to it for the last 15 years or so. My one hope is that they find out definitively how the Egyptians managed to cut out, transport and sculpt the magnificent panels and sculptures that they left us. It is still a mystery that has left engineers baffled - they certainly had core drills but what were they made from ?
Hmm You should arrange a trip to Mexico. There is alot of really amazing masonary still being practiced. there are YTs you can look at. I travel down the baja abit and always seek out the amazing artist that live there. I've seen amazing skills. but to your comment, they core drill reeds, and any hollow high fiber tube Bamboo is prized. Ive seen them slab multi ton blocks of sand stone with a rope an old truck lots of wax and beach sand, and seawater. Its truly amazing to think of what is lost , because it was never written down@@1414141x
A lathe made of parts that could easily be mistaken for other everyday objects may help explain why an example of an ancient lathe hasn’t yet been found by archaeologists.
Yes, and in situations where the shop is abandoned or looted, the best of the tools would be taken away... only the inferior quality items would be left behind for archeological documentation.
I'm shedding tears of pride at seeing how far this channel has come From just the basics, to fully fledged archaeology and wonderful editing, I am beyond grateful that I could be here to see this
I think this might be the coolest video you've made on this device thus far. I am so glad you take your time to research this and deliver such an amazing contraption to do something that seems so simple today. Keep up the amazing work!
6 DAYS AGO?! I've been thinking about this problem for nearly a decade. It hit me many years ago, the pivotal point in modern technology was the advent of precision machined surfaces - notably, round ones - e.g., the lathe. I've been wondering how it could be made from the previous generation of simple tools, for ages. Now, this comes up in my feed? Instant sub. What an absolutely stunning watch. Good on ya, mate.
Off topic: That entire last segment of using the lathe "in Rhodes", gave me some serious old school Myst/Riven vibes. I could totally see this being Atrus' point of view creating his mechanisms in different ages.
Man I love those games. Riven was too hard for me but Exile was just about perfect. I'm always a little surprised how well-known they seem to be though!
@@harriehausenman8623 Goodness, I haven’t thought about that game in quite some time (MYST). I bought it for my first boyfriend in ‘94, and was fascinated watching him play it. That game was such a trip! So advanced at the time, and very creative. Geez, that was so very long ago. Crazy how reading a random comment can make one feel so old! Lol.
I'm a machinist and similarly had a a lot of fun building a medieval pole lathe in my garage out of 2x4s. Really powerful tool despite being so primitive.
Wow, when I use my metal lathe I have to watch the chips and listen to the cut. With this lathe you can maybe even feel the cutter getting dull..amazing.
After watching the clock playlist, and the entire Antikythera playlist up to this point, I'm now convinced that the entire reason for this whole project was so you could do some hand graving.
Who knew it was this simple to bootstrap a machine shop!?! Chris, I'm convinced that with just a hot fire and the right metals you could bootstrap your way to creating not just a machine shop but all of Rome if given the time. Your patience in creating these precision parts is truly astounding. I can't imagine how long it took to slowly carve away metal to get that shaft at the end. I learn so much from you in addition to the machining practices. If you were using modern methods (even along the lines of the skeleton clock methods), I know you could have had a functioning Antikythera Mechanism more than 2 years ago if you had wanted, but this journey of machining archaeology is not something I ever expected, and its such a treat to learn with you. Thanks for the great content as always!
@@gaskamp2 As a lathe operator, this is absolutely the case. Most people don´t get what you can actually do with a lather, turning round things is just the most basic part of it. I could with a little extra work make a cube using a lathe pretty easily. And all the extra tools needed could again be produced with the lather and an additional set of very simple tools.
This series of videos really is some of the best that’s ever been on RUclips. Both in terms of the craftsmanship and the production value of just the videos themselves
As a hobbyist I own a small jewelers lathe and have made parts for several rc scale steam engines and thought that I was very resourceful in solving many issues that manifested during the building process. But after watching this video, the crown most definitely belongs on your head. What an awesome and humbling experience! Thank you.
That was SO MUCH FUN to watch. An excellent introduction to the Antikythera mechanism and your recreation of it, for anyone who hasn't been as hooked for as long as I have!
I have just had discussions with crazy people who can't believe ancient people could make amazing things without computers and lasers. I'm going to link them this series.
I know exactly what you’re talking about. I’m a retired gunsmith and made my first complete bolt action, to suit a barrel that was given to me, back in 1992. A fellow shooter borrowed it to show his father, who lived up in the bush like a hermit, and his father said “Yeah, ok, not bad, but he couldn’t have made the bolt” 🤷♂️ When my friend told me, I just said “Who does he think makes bolts in the gun factories? Elves from the north pole??” 🤣
amazing! you gave us no excuse for anything we say we cant do. you explain us how the ancient made all these artifacts and tools that sometimes look impossible to us! thank you!
Chris, you have a way of making me feel both happy and sad at the same time: I am always happy to see the notification for one of your videos pop-up, your videos are such a pleasure to view that I will drop whatever I am doing to watch; but listening to your descriptions and realizing how deeply you understand the technologies of old, then watching you seemingly effortlessly recreate those technologies, makes me sad to realize that I will never understand, nor create, anything as beautifully you can. Thank you for humbling me in such a pleasant manner.
I think that the "seemingly effortlessly" bit is heavily-weighted by "seemingly" ! Every stroke of a file, every angle of a tool, "our Chris" had thought through very, very, carefully. One difference from devices today is that pieces, other than gear ratios and some circular mechanisms, can be hand-fitted, and don't need to be "reproducible" in the way of most things today, and, in fact, i guess that even measurements of parts would have been nearly impossible, but...maybe antiquity has lost, or not found, instruments for fine measurements; given the level of thought in mathematics and astronomy, and the level of mechanical & metallurgical skill in this one mechanism, perhaps they had instruments like "micrometers", and rotary gages...
@@lohikarhu734 A pair of double ended callipers (two '~' shapes crossed over to look like a figure '8' with a rivet at the crossover point), simultaneously measures the thickness of an item, and, at the other end, allows you to check for equal thickness in other work pieces. You could have a strip of metal, filed in a series of steps that are known to be the thicknesses a project requires for it's various components, and use the callipers to check your work until it agreed. This would be accurate to fractions of a 100th of a millimetre. If the tip gets worn from moving test components in and out (which would usually only happen once per part, when you'd got it right) , the tips at the other end just need to be stoned a little until they match. Even Horology books I've got from the 1800's sometimes talk about working tolerances too small to measure being discerned by touch (the movement in a microscopic clearance being felt as a tiny 'click'), or by the whisker of light visible between two components. Cheers
Here we have disproved the old adage that you need a lathe to build a lathe. All you need is Chris to build the FIRST lathe, out of sticks and rocks, and now we see where all the rest of the lathes came from.
The adage is always quoted incorrectly. How it correctly goes is "You can use a lathe to make a BETTER lathe." With his second step for example now you could turn pulleys and shafts to make a faster and more accurate one that can be used to make an even more complex and improved one and so on.
@@glennschemitsch8341 When you think about it... It might actually be more true than ever lmao. How many CNC machines do you suppose can reproduce the microelectronics used to control them?
This has been such a fascinating series, but this video is the topper for me. I never thought that a precise lathe could have been built in antiquity, but, here you are, constructing one from 1st principals, derived from your observations of the Antikythera device. Thank you and congratulations on your progress.
*Summary* *Introduction* - 0:09 - Host: Chris from Clickspring - 0:14 - Topic: Construction techniques of the Antikythera mechanism *Key Construction Details of the Antikythera Mechanism* - 0:14 - Key Points: - 0:14 - Fastening pins in the mechanism are handmade, suitable for a freehand approach due to tolerable variability. - 0:59 - Complex gear train requires precise, frictionless arbors and pivots; hand filing is mostly unsuitable. - 1:11 - Lathe technology likely used in construction, evidenced by historical references and artifacts. *Challenges in Reconstructing Ancient Techniques* - 1:31 - Lack of surviving ancient lathes leaves a gap in practical knowledge. - 1:54 - Large circular shapes in the mechanism can be precisely cut with simple tools of the era. *Lathe Design and Operation* - 2:04 - Formation of small round components (arbors, shafts, bearings) requires a small, possibly hand-operated lathe. - 2:36 - Ideal lathe for this work would be small, allowing close work and precise bearing surfaces. - 2:42 - Chris demonstrates a homemade lathe using wood, a bow, natural gut line, and carburized iron cutting tools. - 3:05 - Lathe operation details: - 3:52 - Ergonomic design for standing work. - 4:03 - Wood or leather strip as a cutting tool rest, adjustable with wax. - 4:59 - Ebony used as a test material, consistent with historical usage. - 5:15 - Lathe features lightly sprung prongs for holding workpieces, allowing easy loading and unloading. - 6:01 - Initial cuts are coarse, but the lathe's design allows for continuous improvement. - 7:43 - Rosin applied to the line for better grip. *Advanced Lathe Techniques and Historical Context* - 8:07 - Process for creating a thin, tapered arbor demonstrated. - 9:17 - Metal workpieces likely started from cast or forged stock, then filed to basic form. - 9:30 - Additional features (e.g., internal bore) completed with pump drill and hand files. - 10:20 - Combination of arbor and workpiece allows for more detailed turning. - 12:57 - Method to upgrade lathe with bearing parts for snug fit and pulley system, allowing for both direct and indirect drive methods. - 13:33 - The lathe's design allows for adapting to different workpiece requirements. - 13:38 - Core features of the bow lathe include two pivots, rotational force, a tool rest, and a cutter. - 13:52 - Use of olive oil on bearing points ensures smooth operation. *Historical Significance and Impact* - 14:02 - The lathe is a crude precursor to modern watchmaker's turns, important in early clock and watch making. - 14:26 - During the Antikythera mechanism's era, this early machine technology was revolutionary. - 14:37 - The origins of this technology are unclear but likely developed in Rhodes. - 14:48 - Rhodes, a naval and trading hub, was deeply interactive with major ancient civilizations. - 15:05 - Rhodes, like Alexandria, became a center of science and technology, attracting Roman nobility for education. - 15:18 - Renowned scholars in Rhodes included Geminus, Hipparchus, and Posidonius, influential in astronomy, engineering, and philosophy. - 15:50 - Cicero and others made passing references to similar devices, but details are scarce. - 16:01 - Speculation remains about the specifics of who and how this technology was practiced. *Conclusion* - 17:04 - The bow lathe, simple to construct with period tools and materials, could replicate the Antikythera mechanism's complexity. - 17:18 - It demonstrates an intrinsic property: shaping objects true to their axis when spun between two points. - 17:36 - Concluding remarks, emphasizing the significance of the bow lathe in ancient technology.
I would be tempted to go with something like.... 0:00 - Chris from Clickspring. 0:01 - Chris proceeds to create metalworking magic to an awesome backing track. 17:36 - See you next time. Of course, then, all of the indexing for every video would end up like that. 🙂
What this series does is answer long held questions regarding the creation of the device. Tangable, provable techniques and the know how to back it up. Out of all people on RUclips, Chris is a cut above the rest.
Excellent video! With the amount of thought and rigor you've put into this, I feel comfortable thinking of you as a genuine scholar. You are a credit to machinists throughout time, and your work's value cannot be overstated.
You , tony, and the others are the reason why i found metal work and lathes to be my calling. Something I should have done along time ago. School taught wood instead of metal. Now i am a diesel tech but training for a position that involves using a lathe for repairs on a ship. Thanks dude. I owe you dinner and a beer when i come to Australia.
I am stunned by how your videos at the same time are incredibly informative, a real pice of art in itself, a show of your skills worthy of a master of many crafts and experimental archeology. Always a pleasure to watch them!
Its truly amazing how simple of a set up is needed to create the basis of all modern machining. Also the video work is amazing! I loved how you transitioned to making it look as if the work was being done back in history. And not today! What a way to start 2024!
I'm not sure which stars lined up to get this in my recomendation list, but as a machinist, i thank you. I'd never have thought to make such a simple lathe. Well done, and what an excellent presentation.
Oh dude! If you just discovered Clickspring now I envy you! Go through his back catalogue for eye-gasm after eye-gasm in machinist porn spiced with captivating story telling and cinematography. The dude is a perfectionist in all areas of his endeavours. You're in for some serious treats my friend.
The camera work, the narration the quiet background music all brilliantly done. As a Fitter Machinist for nearly 50 years I find your work very interesting.
I watch this to see cool, simple way to make advanced tools (in case I end up in some sort of Robinson Crusoe situation... I won't but it's fun to think about it) but the ending shots are pure joy for my eyes.
Chris, thank you so much for your work. This video literally gave me the shivers for feeling the wind of time. Amazing that you managed to just demonstrate how it could have been - and most likely - was done. I especially love how you bootstrapped the mechanism from a crude piece of ebony (I thought "no, this is never going to work") to a true precision instrument ❤❤❤
Simple but incredibly effective! I'm super impressed at how you progressed from the ebony to use it as a fixture for the brass, then how effective you made it work... Outstanding!!!
Cheers Chris, what a brilliant video 👍🏻 Building a tool and using it to craft upgrades to improve the tool is a tradition that still persists today, probably most prominently in the form of 3D printing!
Nice. Obviously related to the bow drill and the bow fire starter. Draws from archery as well. For wood or bone working, even flint tools could be used. Great work.
Γειά σου φίλε μου. Ευχαριστώ που αναδεικνύεις τόσο όμορφα την Ελλάδα από τα βίντεο σου. Ανυπομονώ για το επόμενο και πάντα ενδιαφέρον βίντεο σου. Καλή χρονιά με υγεία αγάπη και υπέροχα βίντεο. 🎉
The sad thing is, the antikythera mechanism is just the only one that survived and was found. Its very possible there were more mechanisms like it in the time period..
Doutless- I've heard it said that it's believed this is a 'mature' version of the machine, meaning there must have been earlier iterations that were imperfect. But they must be extremely rare as no other has been found. We're EXTREMELY lucky that this one was- the ship had to sink in shallow enough water to be dived on, it had to have other interesting cargo to make people want to dive it, they had to be lucky enough to see the gears, it had to be on or near the surface and not buried deep in the sand, etc., etc. It's incredible. And it begs the question what other incredible things haven't we found because they are less 'luckily' deposited? The mind boggles...
Even today if you ask most people, they don't know what a machinist does, or even is. Relatively few people have an interest in figuring out how old things were done mechanically, and usually the ones that do, are in a related field, and aren't recording history. It's difficult to determine which sorts of processes should be preserved because they could be lost. Methods techniques and knowledge that are so normal for the time, such as a workshop with this kind of lathe, or a blacksmith, or carpenters, or shoe cobbler, or any technical trade that was such a staple of society at the time. When it's the norm, it is hard to foresee that the methods and techniques are something that ever COULD be lost. The same goes for devices. This mechanism was probably entombed and preserved long before this type of device became obsolete and started disappearing, and there would have been a point in time which breaking this sort of tool down for its metal to pour into a drawer knob was probably akin to ripping apart old "useless" electronics for precious metals.
I agree. There had to be a demand for these machines and the one found was likely not the only one ever produced. The others were probably repurposed for jewelry, trade or melted down for the brass, bronze and copper when their use was no longer needed.
I think I'm with the OP, this kind of mechanism must have been relativelly common, I mean, not in every household, but something the rich people can buy. Maybe not as complex, but there should be enough demand of similar stuff so developing a lathe or ways of hardening tools was necessary. I'm thinking on perpetual calendars for popular events, moon phase calculators, things like that... Simpler but similar mechanisms for merchants to plan trips, comes to mind.
Chris, hope it’s “Happy NewYear” for you. This, like all your videos, was remarkable. I do hope this research and archeological reconstruction results in some proper recognition of all that work by those ‘powers’ who will surely benefit from it. As far as I’m concerned, at least, you’re “Dr Chris”, and if I had it in my gift, you’d have a ‘seat’ in my university. Les in UK 🇬🇧
Machining on a metal lathe has been a hobby of mine for 40 years ! So i found this video fasinating as to how you made the tool as you went on , so simple and basic but so functional , thankyou
On the American public TV show "The Woodwright's Shop", the presenter shows the construction of a very similar lathe, except the bow is replaced by a spring pole and a foot pedal. People interested in this sort of tool anthropology might be interested in that show, too.
Just outstanding ...the work researching and recreating the tools and processes used so long ago regardless of the mechanism its self is just breathtaking. Fantastic stuff Chris 🙂
I absolutely LOVE this method of research. There are so many lessons that can only be learned by rewalking the footsteps of the people who accomplished the feat to begin with. Chris isn't answering the question "Can we rebuild the mechanism today?" Because the answer is plainly obvious. Chris is not only answering "How did they do it then?" but the FAR more interesting question of "WHY did they do it that way?"
What an insane, mind-blowing video. Those last minutes at the end were the highest quality I remember seeing in RUclips. Ever. Absolutely stunning research, detail, craftsmanship, and video editing. This is video is an instant masterpiece. Thank you so, so, so much for giving us this knowledge for free and with this next-level format.
Yes Clickspring!!!!! We love you Chris!!! If I had found a block of wood with holes and a couple pointy spikes in it, with an old stick nearby, I wouldn't have any idea it was a lathe. Nor that you could make such amazingly accurate work with it. Amazing video. You are BRILLIANT.
It's wonderful and eye opening to see how precision mechanisms can be made with tools available to the ancients. The simplicity and effectiveness of the hand powered lathe was a thing of beauty. Thanks
A fantastic series! This kind of reminds me if my first foray into the horological art using basic tools to make drills and various components. I love working with brass. Thank you and happy new year.
I'm in the process of planning my pole lathe build right now and have come across mentions and references to bow driven lathes while researching. I knew it obviously had to work well enough for ancient craftsmen to continue using this method, but I didn't expect it to look so ergonomic. Something like this is definitely getting added to my shop. Well done!
Very well done sir .... As a watchmaker and Greek I am very surprised of the Way you deal with such problems and the solutions that my ancestors had to deal with.. Excellent 👌👍👍👍
Δέχεστε προμήθειες και πληρώνετε σε αποξηραμένες σαρδέλες;
2 please
Please explain ! I am Greek and this doesn't make any sense?! :D
@@R3N0T3 Νομιζω για πλακα το εγραψε.
So long, and thanks for all the fish!
🐟
@@R3N0T3 I don't have the source but I think in the shipwreck that the mechanism was found was also an inscription with the contents of the ship. Που ηταν παστες σαρδελες ;)
This video series has seen the birth of my son, his first years of school, and now his own hobby journey into metal working.
😂
Damn, we're getting old together 😂😂😂
Come on man, can’t be that o-
“6 years ago”
I felt myself age abruptly…
I remember him starting it. Lol. I think he was doing colabs with This Old Tony or something like that.
Get used to it. Blink and your kids are learning to drive. Blink twice and they're on their own, halfway through their careers. Don't blink three times.
This is now my second time watching this through. This is consistently the series I'm the most excited for on youtube. I love that as this has gone on, not only has it revealed so much about the mechanism itself, but also the technology that was available at the time and just how far along they were. And it all makes perfect sense that "OF COURSE they would have done it that way!". Each new thing clicking into place. It's crazy to think they had all the tools needed to build our modern world, they just didn't know how. But what they managed with how little they knew is incredible.
Oh wow! What a fine crowd here 🤗
to witness the bootstrapping was amazing
Totally agree on all accounts! Also super cool to see you here, I'm a huge fan of your channel too! I don't watch loads of YT, but I never miss an upload from you or Clickspring!
Sir Issac Newton put it well.
"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
Humans by nature are just figuring things out as we go along.
It's crazy that they could have, but lacked the resources and manpower to do so! When famine common, you can't afford to become an expert in machining unless you happen to know the rich and powerful. Ergo, only a small few at any given time in any given town could even produce these sorts of mechanisms. Today we have many millions of such experts, and still we need more.
Hey Folks, I hope 2024 is treating you well so far! This one was a heap of fun to make, I do hope you enjoy it, be sure to share it far and wide!! - Cheers :)
2024 started perfectly since you've dropped a new video :) happy new year, watching this makes me thinking, in ancient egypt there are granite vases dated back to old kingdom, that are made to such degree of precession that would have made manual or beginner cnc machinists today proud. your fellow Aussie, Ben on YT made video where he measured such a vase with laser scanner, results are published in digital form, would be a cool to see to what degree you could reproduce it, using old tools only. it would be cool to see your collab and back and forth on what was possible or what was not in ancient times, I know that no one knows for sure, but it would be a cool collab nevertheless :)
Great display of your own and a good idea of the possibilities regarding their ingenuity, given the materials available at the time.
Happy new year to you and yours, Chris. Cheers
You are truly a master of your craft. I am always amazed by what you are able to figure out and then make and demonstrate.
@clickspring nice. See you in 2025 for the next Antikythera update
What do we know about the source of the original metal, bronze?
The part where you took apart the ebony piece and the metal test part, only to reveal you'd actually made a bearing to convert it to a dogged indirect drive with metal bearings, was absolutely stunning. It felt like actual magic happening in front of my eyes.
And to think how many things most of us are fortunate to have seen. We are used to the concept of turning metal and the inherent beauty of the process. To imagine a person in those times, seeing something similar for the first time. Must've been magical indeed.
Legend says the inventor who discovered this was burned at the stake for witchcraft. 🤪
I knew he was gonna end up using the ebony for two reasons:
• I'm currently on a binge-watch, and it seems like his style.
• Ebony is _really_ expensive. 😅
There's something beautiful about watching raw materials turn into tools that then make better, more precise, tools.
I would really like to see more of the evolution of tools from their raw original form to the highly precise machines of today.
I can recommend: „The 1751 Machine that Made Everything“‘ and other videos by the channel „machine thinking“ :)
The story of human development... Make a thing. Use it to make a better thing, which makes a better thing... Etc...
The thing that always amazes me is if you get 3 stones, rub two of them together, and then swap one for the 3rd, and rub them and then swap again - eventually you end up with an absolutely perfectly flat reference surface.
so you could sit in the storage with a surface as flat as en engineers precision reference table - you just have to rub 3 stones together.
The original 3D printer
That is a beautiful piece of ebony wood. My husband has a degree in metalurgy and another in heat transfer. He developed a school in rural West Africa teaching woodworking, agriculture and health care. His students learned to hand cut and work indigenous wood into useful objects and furniture. He would be impressed by this seemingly simple lathe and it's demonstration of how it could be used to make the antikythera mechanism. My father was a watchmaker and was taught to make parts by hand, although I never saw him do it as parts were readily available. The ancients were intelligent and developed technology to make intricate items by hand. All gears were and parts cut by hand in making watches before the advent of electricity.
This is like watching someone explain a magic trick, in slow motion, all while showing each and every move in detail and yet it still comes across as magic.
It's ironic that you said that. I discovered Clickspring through watching a magicians channel (Chris Ramsay) and Clickspring had made him a card press and it was beautiful. Then i fell down the Clickspring well!
Tool geometry and relief cuts are magic indeed.
Oh yes I remember that. Yes it really wass a work art.
At some point, this channel and Primitive Technology will collide on the timeline, and there will be a Clash of Titans
I can’t believe there is anyone else who would go to this level of detail to prove a point. Absolutely brilliant. . . .
We definitely need more experimental archaeology...
There are, there are... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_expedition
I can only think of one Machinist who would be likely to do something like this to "prove a point" ... Joe Pie has the skills, and the attitude as well.
I watched the whole series on the Making of the Antikythera Machine and ended up feeling just smart enough to be house-broke and remember to feed myself when hungry.
Clickspring is the epitome of melding artist, engineer, and craftsman.
Check his playlist.
@@thomasbraeking6225 The dividing lines between these skills is an artifact of just the last few centuries. For most of human civilisation this was the norm.
During the Renaissance, with scholarship still coming out of the Dark Ages, the ancients were regarded with awe -- and generally taken as a reference point for all knowledge. Over the intervening four or five centuries, we've made such huge scientific strides that we've started to regard ancient cultures as primitive and crude. It's only in the past couple of decades that we're reversing that trend, and learning just how "advanced" they were. What Chris is doing is immensely valuable in supplying a really accurate picture. Practical archaeology like this is nothing short of priceless. Thank you Chris! Sharing these videos goes far beyond entertainment!
You're wrong in the sense that progress was actually about stopping reliance on tradition and past truths and overcoming authority bias. These people had some technology, but it was extremely rudimentary, and they had a very low moral sense and poor understanding of their environment. They weren't superior in any way. Progress was made by overcoming tradition and authority bias.
I'm watching this and realised that you and Primitive Technology could make a hell of a series of collaboration videos, showing how you'd go from bare mud and wood to relatively advanced tools.
Colab of videos?
Heck! Those 2 could reboot modern engineering after armageddon.
In the post apocalyptic world the team that has Primitive Technology and Clickspring has electricity up and running before the others have figured out how to reliably make good rope.
It would be like a new version of David Gingery’s Build Your Own Metal Working Shop From Scrap Series, but just with human powered machines. I’d love to see that collaboration
Even better that they're both on the same side of Australia.
Yeah, Australia could become the center for the next Renaissance, and the seed for the next technological civilization.
...They might need to recruit Mad Max to defend the enclave though! 😛
I'm struggling a little here. My Dad passed away unexpectedly at the end of September, but before that I used to excitedly email him every time a new Antikythera video came out - we were both SO impressed by the engraved front plate! I don't know if I can quite watch this video yet, but I wanted to tell you that 1. Always make sure the people you love know it, and 2. Your videos were a great way to connect with Dad while I could, so thank you for all the amazingness you've done in the world! When I do watch this, I'll be thinking of him.
I'm sorry for your loss, but I will carry your advice close to heart. I wish i could provide such compotent wisdom in return but I've got not much. But, Treasure your memories.
Hey Sara.
You rock.
Don't sell yourself anything short of being an artist here. This is pure experimental archeology, and has absolute historical and scientific value!
Clickspring wrote a PhD because he discovered a mathematical relationship all the other historians had missed about the Antikythera Mechanism. If anyone is going to come up with the most plausible version of tools of the time, it's going to be him. Historians aren't machinists and don't think "machinists thoughts" so they'll inevitably miss key concepts. When an excellent machinists becomes a historian he will, obviously, bring whole new trains of thought to the table.
@@andersjjensenMakes one wonder how much else was missed because x historian wasn't y by heart
@@scrambledmandiblebruh imagine how much we have missed because in general x wasn’t also a y? Like we need to get all the super smart engineers doing circuits to hook up with the super physicists and mathematicians of today to figure out infinite energy or like fusion or something and make it happen faster like bro imagine ask the tech we have just sitting in front of us but we don’t have it cause someone hasn’t put two simple pieces together yet
@@scrambledmandibleall to say o totally agree with you homie. I just want a space ship so bad
@@andersjjensen It's why I like the Renaissance era method of training artists etc. They learnt drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, science, engineering, and so on and so on, covering a huge swathe of skill sets which meant that they could design the building that they were going paint frescoes onside of :)
I didn't realize how simple it was to achieve a lathe. Like, having watched the video it now seems obvious, but beforehand it seemed like a very difficult thing to do.
To many of us today and in the ancient past, this kind of work has always born an air of mysticism. Mostly, because the arts of the craftsman were held with great secrecy. Even a master craftsman like Chris needs to show us in great detail through his eyes how the ancients could have achieved such precision with what we would see as the most crudest of tools to forge masterpieces that span the eons revealing how clever humanity was so long ago, long before the vast destruction of such intricate knowledge and long before the first arrogant and bombastic "historians" and "archeologists" portrayed these peoples as crude, inferior, and not capable of anything more than moving and knocking on a few stones to make "interesting structures". Through examining artifacts like the Antikythera Mechanism of Ancient Greece or the copper hammer of Ötzi, the Iceman; we reforge the perspective of what these peoples were truly capable of achieving. And with people like Chris, our comprehension of their intellect grows evermore incredible and awe-inspiring to ever push our own imagination and capabilities to the limits of this era.
@@rockandrollude great observation, and the same will be said about us in thousands of years time..if there is anyone around to look back !!!!
The lathe is the most important machine tool. If you can build a lathe, you can either make anything you need on it, or make the tools to make those things. You can also use a lathe to build a better lathe (as seen in this video)
At first I tought "whatever... he's just doing a wood lathe" but then he proceeded to use the "machined" wood part to actually mount the metal part, mind blowing stuff.
@@NewtoRah True-ish. I would argue that a flat surface would be first on the list, because then you get straight edges, parallel surfaces, even sheet thicknesses etc etc. So rub three rocks together in sequence, as a start to making your shop tools.
This right here is my favorite thing ever. Seeing just how advanced even simple tools can be in the hands of a skilled artisan. Makes me feel like none of us are that far off from doing something incredible.
I always like to think: if I were transported back to those times, how much could I do? You could be a magician if you retained enough RUclips knowledge!!
Endless respect for your commitment to demonstrating how components like these could have been made using era-appropriate methods and tooling. Thanks for the great video!
What I especially love about this lathe setup is that, yes, you can use it as a one-person machine, but it seems better to have an apprentice handling the bow. This allows the master to work the piece unencumbered, while giving that apprentice a close-up perspective on the technique.
It could very well be part of his passage from apprentice to master by making his own set of tools.
I don't know when the treadle mechanism was invented, but I'd expect foot power for the bow would have been much more useful. If you're going to have interruptions in the power, as required by the bow reaching the end of travel, having that under the control of the person operating the cutting tool seems pretty important.
I suspect, that putting the whole thing next to a big round stone that can be turned and provides some inertia might have happened too 😉
@@paradiselost9946 work songs are basically used to provide synchronization
Plus it would be extremely easy to convert to a spring pole lathe.
I absolutely love the integration of the old scenery into the shop. It's always a joy to watch your videos.
Reminds me of that scene from Galaxy Quest. "Can you fashion a rudimentary lathe?"
Best reference ever! 😂😂😂
"A LAYTHE!? Get off the comm, Guy!"
Never give up; never surrender!
"I now know how to make a lathe from first principles," is what my mind said as simultaneously I recalled this quote.
That was all I could think of the whole time I watched this. Twice.
Thank you Chris. A most interesting video. As a 70+ former toolmaker it was fun to watch you demonstrate how that which is at hand can be used to make something which progresses the tools and process. Truly, we all build on the shoulders of those before us. Thanks for that reminder of how.
Yes, you are right. I think it goes, "We are standing on the shoulders of Giants."
Indeed we are.
As an old toolmaker, you probably thought it was absolutely necessary to have rigid work holding, a rigid tool rest and some sort of feed mechanism to make things that fit together. Then again, old school toolmaking relied on stoning, scraping and honing to get things to fit perfectly
Oh man Chris, I can't express just how thrilled I am to see more Antikythera Mechanism work, and, better still, an ancient tool experiment! This little lathe is just brilliant- and answers so many questions I've had as to how various little things were made in antiquity. It's so simple and elegant- and virtually anyone with a little skill could make and use it. Wonderful! Thanks so much for this and all your work.
I’m still waiting on seeing how they would have used an early version of a power saw, because he’s relied on his power saw so heavily and I don’t see how a regular saw could do the kind of work he uses it for.
"Look ma! No aliens!"
For real tho
This has to be the most researched and well thought out video of the series. Absolutely excellent skills and craftsmanship, and a pleasure to watch. Keep up the amazing work.
As a graduate of Kangaroo point tech . and a jeweller/ machinist / fabricator for 40 years, I really appreciate your YTs. I wish I had the skills to produce this quality of instruction.
For now I teach/ work in folsom california . I recommend your channel to all my students, we often reproduce your vids in the real world as an exercise in learning .
It used to be that I would tell my students this stuff, now I can show them, and they want to see how its done.
We have made countless bow drills, every one knows how to carburize and temper . this vid on the mini bow drill is perfect, Ive been teaching large foot powered lathes and barrel drilling for years
this is a perfect add on
thankyou chris
The beauty of the internet and RUclips. I often think how lucky I am to live in a time when there is so much knowledge and information available at our fingertips. I'm in my late 60's but still love to learn. I do wish it had been around when I was an adolescent - education and career choices would have taken a totally different path than I actually took. You can look at how things are designed and made and think - I want to do that ! Still, I'm glad that I have had access to it for the last 15 years or so. My one hope is that they find out definitively how the Egyptians managed to cut out, transport and sculpt the magnificent panels and sculptures that they left us. It is still a mystery that has left engineers baffled - they certainly had core drills but what were they made from ?
Hmm You should arrange a trip to Mexico. There is alot of really amazing masonary still being practiced.
there are YTs you can look at.
I travel down the baja abit and always seek out the amazing artist that live there. I've seen amazing skills. but to your comment, they core drill reeds, and any hollow high fiber tube Bamboo is prized.
Ive seen them slab multi ton blocks of sand stone with a rope an old truck lots of wax and beach sand, and seawater.
Its truly amazing to think of what is lost , because it was never written down@@1414141x
A lathe made of parts that could easily be mistaken for other everyday objects may help explain why an example of an ancient lathe hasn’t yet been found by archaeologists.
And mostly made wood, like Leonardo DaVinci's lathe too. Rotten or burned so easily.
Yes, and in situations where the shop is abandoned or looted, the best of the tools would be taken away... only the inferior quality items would be left behind for archeological documentation.
Archeologists aren’t metalworkers. Recognition of “tools” isn’t easy.
@@stephenrobb8759If the shop is burned, steel tools become a pile of rust (particularly precision measuring tools).
"Hmm yes weve found a fragment of wood with a few holes in it, you think it could be a musical instrument?"
I'm shedding tears of pride at seeing how far this channel has come
From just the basics, to fully fledged archaeology and wonderful editing, I am beyond grateful that I could be here to see this
"Rosin up your bow folks" is such a fitting introduction, great!
I think this might be the coolest video you've made on this device thus far. I am so glad you take your time to research this and deliver such an amazing contraption to do something that seems so simple today. Keep up the amazing work!
to think of where this channel started to where it is now is mind boggling - one of the most inspiring and incredible channels out there.
Very much appreciate you watching mate :)
Neat! 85 and still learning.
6 DAYS AGO?!
I've been thinking about this problem for nearly a decade. It hit me many years ago, the pivotal point in modern technology was the advent of precision machined surfaces - notably, round ones - e.g., the lathe. I've been wondering how it could be made from the previous generation of simple tools, for ages.
Now, this comes up in my feed?
Instant sub.
What an absolutely stunning watch. Good on ya, mate.
Off topic: That entire last segment of using the lathe "in Rhodes", gave me some serious old school Myst/Riven vibes. I could totally see this being Atrus' point of view creating his mechanisms in different ages.
Man I love those games. Riven was too hard for me but Exile was just about perfect. I'm always a little surprised how well-known they seem to be though!
OMG yes that's what it reminded me of: MYST 😃
@@harriehausenman8623
Goodness, I haven’t thought about that game in quite some time (MYST). I bought it for my first boyfriend in ‘94, and was fascinated watching him play it. That game was such a trip! So advanced at the time, and very creative.
Geez, that was so very long ago. Crazy how reading a random comment can make one feel so old! Lol.
Making the tools to make the tools. This gets better with every episode.
I'm a machinist and similarly had a a lot of fun building a medieval pole lathe in my garage out of 2x4s. Really powerful tool despite being so primitive.
Chris, are you able to recreate the McMaster Carr website available at that time?
This might be my favourite RUclips comment ever
I wish I would have posted that!
Wow, when I use my metal lathe I have to watch the chips and listen to the cut. With this lathe you can maybe even feel the cutter getting dull..amazing.
I learn something new each and every day, you are one of those contributors to my store of knowledge whom I have to thank too.
This video showing up was the first time I actively expressed a sound of joy upon seeing a video in my feed. Thank you for this unexpected surprise!
After watching the clock playlist, and the entire Antikythera playlist up to this point, I'm now convinced that the entire reason for this whole project was so you could do some hand graving.
Who knew it was this simple to bootstrap a machine shop!?!
Chris, I'm convinced that with just a hot fire and the right metals you could bootstrap your way to creating not just a machine shop but all of Rome if given the time. Your patience in creating these precision parts is truly astounding. I can't imagine how long it took to slowly carve away metal to get that shaft at the end. I learn so much from you in addition to the machining practices.
If you were using modern methods (even along the lines of the skeleton clock methods), I know you could have had a functioning Antikythera Mechanism more than 2 years ago if you had wanted, but this journey of machining archaeology is not something I ever expected, and its such a treat to learn with you.
Thanks for the great content as always!
If you have a lathe, you can build literally every other machine in a workshop. I just never fully comprehended how easy a lathe actually is to make 😂
@@gaskamp2 As a lathe operator, this is absolutely the case. Most people don´t get what you can actually do with a lather, turning round things is just the most basic part of it. I could with a little extra work make a cube using a lathe pretty easily. And all the extra tools needed could again be produced with the lather and an additional set of very simple tools.
This series of videos really is some of the best that’s ever been on RUclips.
Both in terms of the craftsmanship and the production value of just the videos themselves
This channel never disappoint. All these years and never fail. One of it own kind. No one could copy it content
As a hobbyist I own a small jewelers lathe and have made parts for several rc scale steam engines and thought that I was very resourceful in solving many issues that manifested during the building process. But after watching this video, the crown most definitely belongs on your head. What an awesome and humbling experience! Thank you.
Man... Bits of precision machining, history and thought provoking theories all under a well produced presentation. Well done sir!
I sit and watch every video in complete awe of your skills. Absolutely amazing and extremely well presented. Thank you.
Thank you Joe, appreciate you taking the time to watch mate :)
That was SO MUCH FUN to watch. An excellent introduction to the Antikythera mechanism and your recreation of it, for anyone who hasn't been as hooked for as long as I have!
you really take the wonder out of how these things were made, and then put it straight back in with the effort you go to make it authentic, thanks
I have just had discussions with crazy people who can't believe ancient people could make amazing things without computers and lasers. I'm going to link them this series.
We have gained great knowledge, but I'm not sure if we have progressed in intelligence.
I know exactly what you’re talking about. I’m a retired gunsmith and made my first complete bolt action, to suit a barrel that was given to me, back in 1992. A fellow shooter borrowed it to show his father, who lived up in the bush like a hermit, and his father said “Yeah, ok, not bad, but he couldn’t have made the bolt” 🤷♂️ When my friend told me, I just said “Who does he think makes bolts in the gun factories? Elves from the north pole??” 🤣
I've mentioned it whenever I encounter them.
It's a perfect rebuttal to claims of the impossibility of ancient precision.
The ones I find hard to take are the ones who think it must have been aliens.
@@Afro408 The Bolt on a bolt action rifle would have actually required less specialized tools than a barrel if someone wanted to make one by hand.
amazing! you gave us no excuse for anything we say we cant do. you explain us how the ancient made all these artifacts and tools that sometimes look impossible to us! thank you!
Chris, you have a way of making me feel both happy and sad at the same time:
I am always happy to see the notification for one of your videos pop-up, your videos are such a pleasure to view that I will drop whatever I am doing to watch; but listening to your descriptions and realizing how deeply you understand the technologies of old, then watching you seemingly effortlessly recreate those technologies, makes me sad to realize that I will never understand, nor create, anything as beautifully you can.
Thank you for humbling me in such a pleasant manner.
I think that the "seemingly effortlessly" bit is heavily-weighted by "seemingly" !
Every stroke of a file, every angle of a tool, "our Chris" had thought through very, very, carefully.
One difference from devices today is that pieces, other than gear ratios and some circular mechanisms, can be hand-fitted, and don't need to be "reproducible" in the way of most things today, and, in fact, i guess that even measurements of parts would have been nearly impossible, but...maybe antiquity has lost, or not found, instruments for fine measurements; given the level of thought in mathematics and astronomy, and the level of mechanical & metallurgical skill in this one mechanism, perhaps they had instruments like "micrometers", and rotary gages...
The state of calm joy is uncomparable. 🧘♂ 🕉
@@lohikarhu734 A pair of double ended callipers (two '~' shapes crossed over to look like a figure '8' with a rivet at the crossover point), simultaneously measures the thickness of an item, and, at the other end, allows you to check for equal thickness in other work pieces. You could have a strip of metal, filed in a series of steps that are known to be the thicknesses a project requires for it's various components, and use the callipers to check your work until it agreed. This would be accurate to fractions of a 100th of a millimetre. If the tip gets worn from moving test components in and out (which would usually only happen once per part, when you'd got it right) , the tips at the other end just need to be stoned a little until they match. Even Horology books I've got from the 1800's sometimes talk about working tolerances too small to measure being discerned by touch (the movement in a microscopic clearance being felt as a tiny 'click'), or by the whisker of light visible between two components. Cheers
Here we have disproved the old adage that you need a lathe to build a lathe. All you need is Chris to build the FIRST lathe, out of sticks and rocks, and now we see where all the rest of the lathes came from.
The adage is always quoted incorrectly. How it correctly goes is "You can use a lathe to make a BETTER lathe." With his second step for example now you could turn pulleys and shafts to make a faster and more accurate one that can be used to make an even more complex and improved one and so on.
The saying was that the only machine that could reproduce itself was a lathe. Now, with CNC equipment, that might not be true anymore.
@@glennschemitsch8341 When you think about it... It might actually be more true than ever lmao. How many CNC machines do you suppose can reproduce the microelectronics used to control them?
Some documentry grade story telling and CGI at the end there .. fantastic video
This has been such a fascinating series, but this video is the topper for me. I never thought that a precise lathe could have been built in antiquity, but, here you are, constructing one from 1st principals, derived from your observations of the Antikythera device. Thank you and congratulations on your progress.
*Summary*
*Introduction*
- 0:09 - Host: Chris from Clickspring
- 0:14 - Topic: Construction techniques of the Antikythera mechanism
*Key Construction Details of the Antikythera Mechanism*
- 0:14 - Key Points:
- 0:14 - Fastening pins in the mechanism are handmade, suitable for a freehand approach due to tolerable variability.
- 0:59 - Complex gear train requires precise, frictionless arbors and pivots; hand filing is mostly unsuitable.
- 1:11 - Lathe technology likely used in construction, evidenced by historical references and artifacts.
*Challenges in Reconstructing Ancient Techniques*
- 1:31 - Lack of surviving ancient lathes leaves a gap in practical knowledge.
- 1:54 - Large circular shapes in the mechanism can be precisely cut with simple tools of the era.
*Lathe Design and Operation*
- 2:04 - Formation of small round components (arbors, shafts, bearings) requires a small, possibly hand-operated lathe.
- 2:36 - Ideal lathe for this work would be small, allowing close work and precise bearing surfaces.
- 2:42 - Chris demonstrates a homemade lathe using wood, a bow, natural gut line, and carburized iron cutting tools.
- 3:05 - Lathe operation details:
- 3:52 - Ergonomic design for standing work.
- 4:03 - Wood or leather strip as a cutting tool rest, adjustable with wax.
- 4:59 - Ebony used as a test material, consistent with historical usage.
- 5:15 - Lathe features lightly sprung prongs for holding workpieces, allowing easy loading and unloading.
- 6:01 - Initial cuts are coarse, but the lathe's design allows for continuous improvement.
- 7:43 - Rosin applied to the line for better grip.
*Advanced Lathe Techniques and Historical Context*
- 8:07 - Process for creating a thin, tapered arbor demonstrated.
- 9:17 - Metal workpieces likely started from cast or forged stock, then filed to basic form.
- 9:30 - Additional features (e.g., internal bore) completed with pump drill and hand files.
- 10:20 - Combination of arbor and workpiece allows for more detailed turning.
- 12:57 - Method to upgrade lathe with bearing parts for snug fit and pulley system, allowing for both direct and indirect drive methods.
- 13:33 - The lathe's design allows for adapting to different workpiece requirements.
- 13:38 - Core features of the bow lathe include two pivots, rotational force, a tool rest, and a cutter.
- 13:52 - Use of olive oil on bearing points ensures smooth operation.
*Historical Significance and Impact*
- 14:02 - The lathe is a crude precursor to modern watchmaker's turns, important in early clock and watch making.
- 14:26 - During the Antikythera mechanism's era, this early machine technology was revolutionary.
- 14:37 - The origins of this technology are unclear but likely developed in Rhodes.
- 14:48 - Rhodes, a naval and trading hub, was deeply interactive with major ancient civilizations.
- 15:05 - Rhodes, like Alexandria, became a center of science and technology, attracting Roman nobility for education.
- 15:18 - Renowned scholars in Rhodes included Geminus, Hipparchus, and Posidonius, influential in astronomy, engineering, and philosophy.
- 15:50 - Cicero and others made passing references to similar devices, but details are scarce.
- 16:01 - Speculation remains about the specifics of who and how this technology was practiced.
*Conclusion*
- 17:04 - The bow lathe, simple to construct with period tools and materials, could replicate the Antikythera mechanism's complexity.
- 17:18 - It demonstrates an intrinsic property: shaping objects true to their axis when spun between two points.
- 17:36 - Concluding remarks, emphasizing the significance of the bow lathe in ancient technology.
This man needs to be pinned due to this great index of chapters.
I would be tempted to go with something like....
0:00 - Chris from Clickspring.
0:01 - Chris proceeds to create metalworking magic to an awesome backing track.
17:36 - See you next time.
Of course, then, all of the indexing for every video would end up like that. 🙂
Well Done!
Thank You!
@@taliakuznetsova7092 Disclaimer: I used chatgpt4 and the video transcript to create the summary.
I lnow i have stated it before, but You Sir have the patience of a Saint. I do admire all of your handiwork. Awesome.
love how you show the possible evaluation from the same device, living archaeology at it finest
What this series does is answer long held questions regarding the creation of the device. Tangable, provable techniques and the know how to back it up. Out of all people on RUclips, Chris is a cut above the rest.
Excellent video! With the amount of thought and rigor you've put into this, I feel comfortable thinking of you as a genuine scholar. You are a credit to machinists throughout time, and your work's value cannot be overstated.
You , tony, and the others are the reason why i found metal work and lathes to be my calling. Something I should have done along time ago. School taught wood instead of metal. Now i am a diesel tech but training for a position that involves using a lathe for repairs on a ship. Thanks dude. I owe you dinner and a beer when i come to Australia.
This is seriously impressive.
I am stunned by how your videos at the same time are incredibly informative, a real pice of art in itself, a show of your skills worthy of a master of many crafts and experimental archeology. Always a pleasure to watch them!
Its truly amazing how simple of a set up is needed to create the basis of all modern machining. Also the video work is amazing! I loved how you transitioned to making it look as if the work was being done back in history. And not today! What a way to start 2024!
What a great series! The ancient Romans/Greeks never cease to amaze me!
Another beautifully crafted tool and video. As always I'm left in awe and amazed.
Brilliant, in its simplicity, and capable of serious work, depending only on the skills of the user!
Fantastic video, Chris! Happy 2024!
I'm not sure which stars lined up to get this in my recomendation list, but as a machinist, i thank you. I'd never have thought to make such a simple lathe. Well done, and what an excellent presentation.
Oh dude! If you just discovered Clickspring now I envy you! Go through his back catalogue for eye-gasm after eye-gasm in machinist porn spiced with captivating story telling and cinematography. The dude is a perfectionist in all areas of his endeavours. You're in for some serious treats my friend.
If you thought this was impressive, I suggest you watch the whole Antikythera Mechanism series. You'll be blown away.
The camera work, the narration the quiet background music all brilliantly done. As a Fitter Machinist for nearly 50 years I find your work very interesting.
You have really outdone yourself Chris. Thanks for all you do.
I watch this to see cool, simple way to make advanced tools (in case I end up in some sort of Robinson Crusoe situation... I won't but it's fun to think about it) but the ending shots are pure joy for my eyes.
Chris, thank you so much for your work. This video literally gave me the shivers for feeling the wind of time. Amazing that you managed to just demonstrate how it could have been - and most likely - was done. I especially love how you bootstrapped the mechanism from a crude piece of ebony (I thought "no, this is never going to work") to a true precision instrument ❤❤❤
Simple but incredibly effective! I'm super impressed at how you progressed from the ebony to use it as a fixture for the brass, then how effective you made it work... Outstanding!!!
So glad we're back on the mechanism, been looking forward to more on that. Stunning lathe, absolute genius.
Great as always. I am very glad I found these videos. Dedication and patience above all expectations!
Thank you!
Cheers Chris, what a brilliant video 👍🏻
Building a tool and using it to craft upgrades to improve the tool is a tradition that still persists today, probably most prominently in the form of 3D printing!
Every video you post i wish was at least 2 hours long. thank you for bringing us along on this journey of re-discovery
Nice. Obviously related to the bow drill and the bow fire starter. Draws from archery as well. For wood or bone working, even flint tools could be used. Great work.
Γειά σου φίλε μου. Ευχαριστώ που αναδεικνύεις τόσο όμορφα την Ελλάδα από τα βίντεο σου. Ανυπομονώ για το επόμενο και πάντα ενδιαφέρον βίντεο σου.
Καλή χρονιά με υγεία αγάπη και υπέροχα βίντεο. 🎉
The sad thing is, the antikythera mechanism is just the only one that survived and was found. Its very possible there were more mechanisms like it in the time period..
Doutless- I've heard it said that it's believed this is a 'mature' version of the machine, meaning there must have been earlier iterations that were imperfect. But they must be extremely rare as no other has been found. We're EXTREMELY lucky that this one was- the ship had to sink in shallow enough water to be dived on, it had to have other interesting cargo to make people want to dive it, they had to be lucky enough to see the gears, it had to be on or near the surface and not buried deep in the sand, etc., etc. It's incredible. And it begs the question what other incredible things haven't we found because they are less 'luckily' deposited? The mind boggles...
Even today if you ask most people, they don't know what a machinist does, or even is. Relatively few people have an interest in figuring out how old things were done mechanically, and usually the ones that do, are in a related field, and aren't recording history. It's difficult to determine which sorts of processes should be preserved because they could be lost. Methods techniques and knowledge that are so normal for the time, such as a workshop with this kind of lathe, or a blacksmith, or carpenters, or shoe cobbler, or any technical trade that was such a staple of society at the time. When it's the norm, it is hard to foresee that the methods and techniques are something that ever COULD be lost. The same goes for devices. This mechanism was probably entombed and preserved long before this type of device became obsolete and started disappearing, and there would have been a point in time which breaking this sort of tool down for its metal to pour into a drawer knob was probably akin to ripping apart old "useless" electronics for precious metals.
I agree. There had to be a demand for these machines and the one found was likely not the only one ever produced. The others were probably repurposed for jewelry, trade or melted down for the brass, bronze and copper when their use was no longer needed.
@@nikolaishriver7922 It's like when the first Polish encyclopaedia included such definitions as "Horse: Everyone knows what a horse is"
I think I'm with the OP, this kind of mechanism must have been relativelly common, I mean, not in every household, but something the rich people can buy. Maybe not as complex, but there should be enough demand of similar stuff so developing a lathe or ways of hardening tools was necessary. I'm thinking on perpetual calendars for popular events, moon phase calculators, things like that... Simpler but similar mechanisms for merchants to plan trips, comes to mind.
So much wow… How Chris always manage to surprise with next level stuff is beyond me!
Chris, hope it’s “Happy NewYear” for you. This, like all your videos, was remarkable. I do hope this research and archeological reconstruction results in some proper recognition of all that work by those ‘powers’ who will surely benefit from it. As far as I’m concerned, at least, you’re “Dr Chris”, and if I had it in my gift, you’d have a ‘seat’ in my university. Les in UK 🇬🇧
Machining on a metal lathe has been a hobby of mine for 40 years ! So i found this video fasinating as to how you made the tool as you went on , so simple and basic but so functional , thankyou
On the American public TV show "The Woodwright's Shop", the presenter shows the construction of a very similar lathe, except the bow is replaced by a spring pole and a foot pedal. People interested in this sort of tool anthropology might be interested in that show, too.
Our word "lathe" is derived from "Lath", referring to the spring pole.
I'm going to look at my lathe differently when i flick the switch on, cheers Chris
Just outstanding ...the work researching and recreating the tools and processes used so long ago regardless of the mechanism its self is just breathtaking. Fantastic stuff Chris 🙂
I absolutely LOVE this method of research. There are so many lessons that can only be learned by rewalking the footsteps of the people who accomplished the feat to begin with. Chris isn't answering the question "Can we rebuild the mechanism today?" Because the answer is plainly obvious. Chris is not only answering "How did they do it then?" but the FAR more interesting question of "WHY did they do it that way?"
I do not know what to say ... this was so brilliant!
What an insane, mind-blowing video. Those last minutes at the end were the highest quality I remember seeing in RUclips. Ever. Absolutely stunning research, detail, craftsmanship, and video editing. This is video is an instant masterpiece. Thank you so, so, so much for giving us this knowledge for free and with this next-level format.
Excellent. I some times wonder, if this channel continues for another 10 years, will Clickspring rebuilt all of ancient civilization.
Yes Clickspring!!!!! We love you Chris!!! If I had found a block of wood with holes and a couple pointy spikes in it, with an old stick nearby, I wouldn't have any idea it was a lathe. Nor that you could make such amazingly accurate work with it. Amazing video. You are BRILLIANT.
Brilliant series, its amazing how such a complex mechanism can be made with such simple tools, your work is truly inspirational
Thank you Chris. The world is a better place with you in it.
Outstanding Chris.
It's wonderful and eye opening to see how precision mechanisms can be made with tools available to the ancients. The simplicity and effectiveness of the hand powered lathe was a thing of beauty. Thanks
A fantastic series!
This kind of reminds me if my first foray into the horological art using basic tools to make drills and various components. I love working with brass.
Thank you and happy new year.
I'm in the process of planning my pole lathe build right now and have come across mentions and references to bow driven lathes while researching. I knew it obviously had to work well enough for ancient craftsmen to continue using this method, but I didn't expect it to look so ergonomic. Something like this is definitely getting added to my shop. Well done!
Gracias por enseñar todo esto !! Es fascinante la tecnología que utilizaban graiting from Argentina !!🇦🇷
Thanks again Chris for you most informative and insightful production. Bravo.
Always a surprise! Welcome back
Very well done sir .... As a watchmaker and Greek I am very surprised of the Way you deal with such problems and the solutions that my ancestors had to deal with.. Excellent 👌👍👍👍
Always a great pleasure to watch your videos. Top notch content and delivery in my opinion. Hunt the Good!