To be completely honest, I'm cheating. I considered doing a full mechanical clock but I'm going the micro controller and stepper motor route. There are a couple of reasons for this. First and foremost, I don't really have the space for a workshop. Nor, do I have any machinist training. However considering, you can order wooden clock kits on the internet that's probably not the big deal it seems.

Given that I'm cheating, I've vastly reduced the knowledge I need. My mechanical bits should be understandable to any reasonably bright person. The electronics can be gleaned through the howtos on Sparkfun and Ada Fruit.

All that said, basic clock operation doesn't seem to be anything that complicated. The hard parts come in when you want accuracy and run time. There are a couple of clock repair sites around the internet. A common theme seems to be managing wear and lubrication over there years so the tiny amount of power provided is enough.