7) Making the Sextant

The design is broken down into a number of assemblies which all fit together to make the sextant. The family tree of assemblies is shown below:-

The following notes apply to the drawings:-

In the drawings I have specified Silver Solder (melting temperature 660C or above). On reflection, I was probably over specifying this. Ordinary soft solder (melting temp around 170C) is strong enough, has adequate corrosion resistance, is more readily available, and is cheaper. Use it, if you wish, with with my blessing.

A few words of advice..

Many of the parts are TINY. I suggest you avoid sneezing when handling them, otherwise you will never see them again! Yes, I have done that. I completely lost one of Item 31, Bottom Mirror Clip, much to my irritation!
Parting off small items on the lathe can also lead to low flying brass. A loose cloth tied up behind the lathe can catch many pieces that would otherwise be lost for ever.
When you've completed the parts, it would be a good idea to keep them safe in a pot until they are needed. I use an old take away food container, which is big enough to hold all the parts except the frame and index arm.

I think it's best to start with the simpler assemblies and work up from there. If nothing else, it'll help build confidence for the more complex parts later on. As a result, the design is broken down into the assemblies, as listed below:-