Tag: Bergeon

Essential Clock Movement Servicing Steps

September 29, 2023

Why does a mechanical clock movement require servicing? The answer is quite straightforward. Maintaining your clock’s movement is essential to ensure it continues to function properly and extends its lifespan. Regular servicing reduces wear and tear, ultimately preserving the clock’s functionality. Ideally, most clocks should undergo servicing every three to five years to maximize longevity. … More Essential Clock Movement Servicing Steps

Lessons learned from 10 years of clock collecting, repair, and restoration

April 19, 2022

Ten years have flown by very quickly. Just the other day I was cleaning a clock I serviced over 5 1/2 years ago and it struck me that I have been at this for over 10 years and loving it. Three years into the hobby I decided to begin blogging and have been at it … More Lessons learned from 10 years of clock collecting, repair, and restoration

Chauncey Jerome 30-hour movement – two unusual issues during servicing

December 7, 2021

I was not really looking for an ogee clock to add to my collection. But there it was sitting in a lonely corner of an antique shop calling me, “buy me”; and I did. It is probably the oldest one in my collection of 4 other ogee clocks. It was made in or about 1845. … More Chauncey Jerome 30-hour movement – two unusual issues during servicing

Forestville mantel clock

Forestville mantel clock servicing – not fun when things go wrong! Part II

November 19, 2020

Back in October (2020), I wrote about the challenges of working on this mantel clock by Forestville. Recap so far It is a nondescript Art Deco-style German mantel clock made in the 1960s sold under the Forestville name, a Toronto-based company that assembled clocks up to the 1970s. The rack and snail movement is relatively … More Forestville mantel clock servicing – not fun when things go wrong! Part II

Gilbert tambour clock with Normandy Chime – movement servicing

March 28, 2019

This Gilbert tambour style mantel clock is model 2038 with a bim-bam strike or what Gilbert called a Normandy chime. The model number along with the words “Normandy Chime” are stamped on the bottom of the case. Gilbert called this the “Normandy Chime” as it was reminiscent of the old bells of Normandy (Corneville) in … More Gilbert tambour clock with Normandy Chime – movement servicing

Bergeon Bushing Machine

What does bushing a clock mean?

July 20, 2018

Is your mechanical clock not running as well as it should? Does it stop intermittently or not run at all? There may be a number of issues with the movement and among them pivot wear. Pivots are the ends of the axles (the horological term is “arbours”) that spin in small holes drilled in the … More What does bushing a clock mean?

Olie Baker spring winder

So you want to fix a mechanical clock – Part II – advanced tools

November 18, 2017

tools are essential for clock repair because they enable precision and accuracy, which are critical when working with delicate mechanisms and intricate components. Let’s identify the key reasons. Antique and vintage clocks can lose significant value if repaired improperly. Using the right tools minimizes the risk of damage, preserving their historical and monetary worth. The … More So you want to fix a mechanical clock – Part II – advanced tools

Side view of movement indicating solder points

Servicing a Well Worn New Haven Schoolhouse Clock

April 28, 2017

The clock is a “Canadian made” New Haven Octagonal short drop wall clock. It was assembled at The New Haven Clock Co. of Canada plant established at Brantford, Ontario (Canada) in 1906. The New Haven Clock Company of Canada was a subsidiary of the New Haven Clock Company of America. Both mantel and wall clocks … More Servicing a Well Worn New Haven Schoolhouse Clock

Using a micrometer to check pivot

Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part IV

October 1, 2016

In this fourth and final entry of the series I will discuss bushing work, re-assembly and finally, testing and mounting the movement back into it’s case. Part I of this series can be found here, Part II here and Part III here, Once the pivots are inspected, cleaned and polished it is now time to install any bushings required as result … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part IV

Olie Baker spring winder

Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part III

September 28, 2016

The movement is disassembled and now it is time for further inspection, cleaning, servicing the mainsprings, pegging the pivot holes, polishing the pivots and installing bushings where needed. In this, Part III we will cover cleaning and mainspring servicing. I have a small ultrasonic cleaner so I tend to clean parts in batches since this … More Servicing a Sessions American No. 2 mantel clock Part III

Sessions Beveled Number 2 Re-assembly

February 3, 2016

This clock has been sitting on my workbench for a couple of months. It is an attractive little Sessions tambour style mantel clock, very popular in the 1930s. I spent a little time refurbishing the case, have had good success making it look presentable compared to when it first arrived. The case was marred and … More Sessions Beveled Number 2 Re-assembly

Clock Repair Tools

January 4, 2016

It is time to buy the tools I need for clock repair. I already have a number of basic tools to get me started; pliers, letdown chucks, screwdrivers, etc. However, my first significant tool is an Ollie Baker Mainspring Winder which arrived from the USA today. It is pictured below. The Ollie Baker comes with … More Clock Repair Tools