Re-Bushing, Reassembly & Testing of a Gustav Becker Regulator

This two-weightGustav Becker regulator wall clock, purchased in 2016 as a “project clock,” proved early on to be more challenging than I thought. This is the third and final post in this series. For the story behind this clock and an analysis of the steps taken so far, the first and the second posts can be found here and here.

After repeated but unsuccessful attempts to source correct replacement parts, the original movement was ultimately replaced with a complete 1918 P27 movement. That decision proved sound. The replacement movement has run reliably for more than nine years, making the recent strike issues described here less a surprise and more a predictable outcome of a long service interval.

The current issue is intermittent stopping during the warning phase, with the warning lever binding against the stop-wheel pin. In the absence of obvious breakage or damage, and given the movement’s extended service interval, the symptoms suggest accumulated wear rather than sudden mechanical failure.

With that diagnosis in mind, let’s now shift to systematic bushing work, careful reassembly, and methodical testing of the movement.

Polishing Bushings

Polishing the pivots prior to addressing pivot hole wear is a critical step, since even minor surface roughness can accelerate wear in otherwise sound bushings. Ensuring the pivots are smooth and true allows any remaining issues to be correctly attributed to pivot hole wear rather than the pivots themselves.

Taig lathe with 1/4 hp motor — _{Taig metal lathe}

The pivots were inspected and polished using my Taig metal lathe (above). An emery board was used to clean and polish each individual pivot. No pivot wear was expected, and none was found.

Bushing Work

The next step is addressing wear, particularly on the strike side. Pivots in this movement are significantly smaller than those found in mass-marketed American movements. As a result, some of the pivot holes measure only 0.6 to 0.7 mm, requiring small 2 mm diameter Bergeron bushings.

This demands a high level of precision when drilling the plates, as accurate placement is critical. Off by a fraction of a millimeter, and the wheels will not mesh correctly. Two new back-plate bushings were installed on the second and third wheel pivot holes.

After checking the action of the wheels, I debated whether or not to include the fourth wheel pivot hole, which did not look as worn as the other two. I decided not to at this point. Interestingly, both replaced bushings showed punch marks adjacent to the pivot holes, a previous attempt to reduce pivot hole wear by closing them. Punching pivot holes might have been an acceptable practice years ago, but not today.

Reassembly

Working with small pivots presents its own set of challenges. There is always the risk of a bent pivot. Now, it could have been me, or it might have been there for quite some time, but I noticed a slightly bent pivot on the flywheel. Straightening a bent pivot is not for the weak of heart. A broken pivot can be a catastrophe.

Can it be fixed? Yes — and I have done pivot work in the past — but it’s something best avoided whenever possible. I have a staking tool specifically for correcting bent pivots, and I did my best to straighten it. I also have the original movement, so I could have used the fly from that movement if my minor repair had gone sideways.

Other than the minor hiccup described above, assembly went as planned.

Have I ever left a part out? More than once. I’ve put everything together only to discover the hammer arbor looking up at me as the last part in the bin, practically saying, “You forgot me.” Not this time.

Aside from the winding drums, there are only 6 wheels and the fly. The strike levers are on the outside of the front plate. Below the large hour wheel on the front plate are two smaller gears that must be timed. Curiously, there are timing marks on the bottom of the gears, so, using a black marker, I indicated the timing marks on the top of the wheel. This aligns the movement for striking at the 12 o’clock position.

Otherwise, the stop wheel should be very close to 12 o’clock, and the gathering pallet is positioned to clear the rack. Next come the various levers and the taper pins to keep them in place.

Testing

I have five testing stands, but none that accommodate a Vienna Regulator, so the movement was returned to the case for testing. During the testing period, I did not attach the hands or the dial.

With the striking issues finally sorted out, the clock is now running as it should — steady, reliable, and doing exactly what it was meant to do. As of this writing, it is on its second 8-day cycle and keeping time within a few seconds per hour.

Final thoughts

It now seems likely that wear on the striking side lay at the heart of the problem, and those issues have finally been addressed. As with any clock repair, time itself will be the true judge, but for the moment, all signs are encouraging. With a little luck, it will settle in and run contentedly for many years to come.

This has always been one of my favourite clocks in the collection and one that I keep running daily, so it was genuinely disheartening to see it silent for the past few months. I tried every reasonable adjustment to coax it back to life without dismantling the movement, but in the end, there was no substitute for proper disassembly and servicing. Sometimes a clock simply tells you when it is time to do things the right way.

I will let it run through another full eight-day cycle, make any final adjustments that may be needed, and then refit the dial and hands — hopefully marking the return of a familiar and welcome presence in the room.

Hamburg Amerikanische Uhrenfabrik | Servicing an 8-day Countwheel Strike Movement – Part II

I am currently working on a mantel clock from the Hamburg American Clock Company. This is Part II in a two-part series. For Part I go here.

The Hamburg American Clock Company is otherwise known as Hamburg Amerikanische Uhrenfabrik or HAU and in many parts of the world, it is simply known as HAC.

In Part I, I described the steps taken so far which are disassembly, inspection, cleaning of the parts, and polishing of all pivots. The next steps are bushing work, reassembly, oiling (the mainsprings were oiled in a previous step), and finally, testing.

I believe this is the No. 36 movement by HAC.

The wheels that spin the fastest typically show the most bushing wear, but wear can also appear in other areas, such as the main wheels, which endure significant torque. For instance, I observed punch marks on the cap side of each mainspring barrel. While punching around any bushing hole is generally poor practice, it appears this was done at some point in the clock’s history and can’t be reversed. Nonetheless, the repair seems to have held up well.

Bushing Work

I have seen similar movements with much more wear than this one, but I felt that some bushing work was necessary to extend the clock’s lifespan.

Six Bergeon brass bushings were installed in total. For the time side (T), bushings were placed at T1 (front and back) and T3 (back). For the strike side (S), bushings were installed at S3 (back), S2 (front), and S4 (front). The numbers indicate the wheel location in the train beginning from the bottom. A couple of pivot holes were borderline, but I decided to leave them as they are.

Reassembly

It pays to be patient and methodical during reassembly. Rushing can lead to mistakes, such as missing steps or improperly aligning parts, which could cause malfunctions or even damage later. Taking the time to carefully double-check the placement of parts, and ensure everything is in its correct place will help ensure the reassembly is smooth and successful.

_{An older HAC movement, without the barrel cutouts}

Once the wheels are in place the lever and there is only one multi-arm ever that resides between the plates. Position it such that the long arm rests in one of the deep slots of the count wheel while a short arm is placed in the cut out of the cam wheel (as above).

Positioning the pivots is a delicate process, and any forceful handling can result in a bent or broken pivot. In this, as in all cases when aligning pivots, a pivot locator is your best tool.

My usual practice is to position all the wheels and the lever(s) on the plate with the movement posts, first. Once the wheels are correctly located, I lower the front plate onto the back plate. I secure two nuts to the mainspring end which prevents the movement plates from coming apart as I position the upper wheels in the train.

The pin-wheel, which is uppermost and one wheel removed from the fly on the strike side, is placed in approximately the 12 o’clock position, the warning position. At the same time the hammer paddle is positioned between two of the points on the star wheel. More than once I have had to go back in to make minor adjustments when the paddle hangs up on one of the star points. It looks like this one is also a candidate for that very adjustment.

_{A Timetrax machine is used to adjust the beat and the rate of the movement.}

The movement has been placed on a test stand and the time side Is in beat and running as it should according to my Timetrax machine. Curiously, the Timetrax manual lists only one HAU/HAC movement, a three-train one but this one is likely similar to Junghans bracket clock movements which runs at 164 bpm. Junghans is mentioned for comparison because, by 1930, the company had successfully taken full control of HAC.

Testing

The testing phase is crucial in the process of servicing a clock, often taking the most time because it ensures that the clock is functioning properly before it is reunited with its case.

During this phase, the clock is put through various operational checks to simulate real-time performance, which helps in identifying any issues that may not have been apparent during the initial servicing or cleaning process. Issues such over-tightened or loose components can present themselves as well as problems with the escapement mechanism.

The testing phase serves as an important diagnostic step to identify what further repairs or adjustments may be needed.

This concludes the servicing of an 8-day HAU/HAC movement. If you have any comments or feedback on any of the steps in the process, please feel free to share!

October 1, 2024

Understanding Clock Pivot Wear and Bushing: Part I of Two-Part Series

Is your mechanical clock experiencing issues such as intermittent stopping or simply not running at all? This might be due to several issues with the movement, one of which could be pivot wear.

This is a two-part series. In Part I, I will explain why it is necessary to bush a clock movement, and in Part II, I will describe my method for bushing.

What are pivots?

Pivots are the ends of the axles, known as “arbours” in horology, that rotate in small holes drilled into the clock plates as the clock runs. They are the turned-down ends of the arbour. These, along with the holes they rotate in, can wear down over time causing enlarged holes that will contribute to poor running or stopping. The pivot hole must be perfectly round, and the pivots need a mirror-like polish to minimize friction within the train of gears. To protect the surfaces and reduce friction, approved clock oil acts as a barrier between the pivot and the pivot hole.

Worn pivots or pivot holes can cause the wheel to drift away from the pinion, eventually stopping the clock as the gears fail to mesh properly. Clocks in need of bushings may run erratically or stop altogether.

Worn Pivot hole — _{A very worn pivot hole}

Oiling a dirty or worn movement

If a clock movement isn’t routinely serviced (cleaned and oiled), the plates of the movement will experience wear at the pivot points. Applying new oil over old oil can free abrasive dirt and provide a temporary solution but accelerate wear on the steel pivot and brass bushing holes because the contaminated oil acts like a grinding paste.

Worn pivots are often found in clocks repeatedly oiled without proper cleaning. Proper servicing requires disassembling the movement, cleaning the parts, addressing wear issues, reassembling, and testing.

Punch marks

From time to time, there is evidence of punch marks located around the pivot hole which is an attempt to close worn pivot holes. While a common practice in the past, this is no longer considered an acceptable repair practice.

Bent pivot — _{A pivot} _{– in this photo, the pivot is slightly bent}

Pivots need periodic cleaning and polishing to turn freely in the clock movement plate hole. Worn pivot holes are easy to identify as they appear oval-shaped rather than round.

Close-up of bushing wear — _{Bushing wear – the left portion of the hole is elongated}

What is bushing?

“Bushing” is the process of replacing worn brass around the pivot so that the hole is round again. A new hole is drilled into the plate, and a new, appropriately sized bushing is pressed into place using a bushing machine like the Bergeon Bushing Machine.

Some clockmakers prefer to hand-bush using reamers and smoothing broaches, producing satisfactory results, though a machine simplifies the task and is more accurate.

Severely worn steel pivots must be replaced with new ones, a process called re-pivoting. This involves using a watch or clock lathe to drill into the end of the wheel arbor to install a new pivot made from pivot wire.

Minor wear is expected over a clock’s life and can be managed with careful filing, polishing, and burnishing.

In summary, bushing is an integral part of movement servicing. Well-maintained clocks may show minimal wear and may not require new bushings, while others, due to neglect or improper servicing, may require many bushings.

Proper pivot and bushing work can extend a clock movement’s lifespan, ensuring reliable operation for years.

In Part II of this two-part series, I will describe my method for bushing a clock movement

June 4, 2024

More advanced clock repair tools for the budget minded and those of you who can afford the extra cost

_Antique clocks are not only valuable as historical artifacts but also as complex machines that require precise repair and maintenance. To ensure their longevity and functionality, clock repairers need to have access to advanced tools that can help them diagnose and fix various issues. From ultrasonic cleaners to digital calipers, the modern clock repairer has an array of high-tech tools at their disposal that can make the restoration process more efficient and accurate.

In this article, we will explore some of the most advanced tools used in antique clock repair and how they are used to restore these valuable timepieces to their former glory.

Some of these tools may or may not break the bank depending on your financial situation or budget restrictions. Should you be prepared to invest heavily and cost is no object there are a number of options. For those of you who are budget minded, are looking for value, and are handy around wood-making tools, there are options for very little money.

For those specialized tools that will assist you in building and designing your own movements, such as a wheel/pinion cutter, the depthing tool, and advanced testing machines, please look elsewhere, this is not the place for you.

In my last article, I focused on what is needed for more advanced repairs but kept the budget at under 400 USD. This time the outlay grows a little but it can be controlled if you make careful decisions.

Beyond the basics – more advanced tools for clock repair

_{See this article for more advanced tools}

As in life, there are many ways of accomplishing the same task which means a number of options are available:

Purchase new tools
Substitute hand tools for machine tools
Make the tools
Buy on the used market
Improvise

For each category area, there are options for budget-minded and those with unlimited funds.

On a personal note, my first major tool was a spring winder. Next was a bushing machine followed by an ultrasonic cleaner and finally, a metal lathe. The purchases were made over the space of four years and working within a limited budget. Your mileage may vary.

Let’s get started.

Spring winder

Joe Collin’s spring winder for the budget-minded

Olie Baker spring winder

The Olie Baker spring winder is designed for hole or loop end mainsprings. It has a unique tailstock feature that safely stabilizes and secures your mainspring so it will not slip off. It also comes with nine mainspring sleeves.

It is American-made and approximately 280 USD. An extra cost Mainspring Let-down Set or a comparable tool is required to operate the Ollie Baker Winder. The KWN spring winder, which is equally capable, competes with the Olie Baker.

_{You will need a letdown for the Olie Baker spring winder}

Bushing Methods

Drill press

Bushing work can be accomplished on a drill press but a cheaper unit will have poor runout. Runout is the amount of “wobble” that is found in the drill press (the drill bit specifically) when it is rotating. A machine with a poor runout will produce a larger and more imperfect hole than the size of the drill bit used. My inexpensive Canadian Tire drill press has a visible runout and is not acceptable for bushing work. Higher-priced machines have less runout and can operate at very low speeds. A low-speed drill is optimal for bushing work.

Bushing by hand

Hand-reaming with KWM or Bergeon cutters is an art in and of itself. Hand reamers usually come as a set of 5 Reamers, 1 Chamfering Cutter, and a handle. A hand reamer set is an economical method of reaming bushing holes so that brass bushings are pushed into place once the hole is reamed out.

The Bushing machine

The KWM Bushing Tool is used with KWN bushings. Used units, which are a fraction of the cost, can only use KWN’s own bushings however, a new design makes it now possible to use all the original KWM brass brushings but also all brass and bronze bushings by Bergeon.

The Bergeon bushing machine is the second option. The Bergeon Bushing machine Includes 2 plate clamps, 10 reamers, 3 pushers, 4 drilled stakes, 1 undrilled stake, 1 centering tool, 1 chamfering cutter, 1 centering stake, and instructions and is made in Switzerland.

As far as bushing machines are concerned one is no better than the other. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. There is a legion of fans on either side.

Cutting and smoothing broaches

Cheap cutters and smoothing broaches will certainly work but it is worth spending a little money on better-quality tools.

_{Junghans front plate count wheel bushing}

Regardless of whether you subscribe to Bergeon or KWN bushings a set of bushings of various sizes is essential.

Drilling a hole with Bergeon bushing machine — _{Drilling a hole using a cutter on a Bergeon bushing machine}

Polishing pivots

Taig metal lathe

For repairing broken pivots a metal lather is essential. For polishing pivots, a lathe is very useful but not essential. The Taig metal lathe is a popular choice for hobbyists and professionals alike due to its accuracy, rigidity, and durability. With a range of attachments and accessories available, the Taig lathe is capable of tackling a variety of machining tasks with ease.

Portable drill

During the early days of clock repair, I used a portable drill to polish pivots. It is relatively cheap as one usually has a portable drill around the house. Combined with emery boards it is an effective polisher.

Clock Reference Books, how-to guides, and manuals

The essential clock repair library according to Antiquevintageclock.com

_{Go here for all the books I recommend}

It is becoming increasingly challenging to find good hard-cover clock repair books. Check out my article above for my choices for clock repair resources.

Cleaning choices

Ultrasonic cleaner

Using an ultrasonic cleaner is a highly effective way to clean small clock parts and components without causing damage or introducing harmful chemicals. The high-frequency sound waves generated by the cleaner can dislodge dirt, grime, and other contaminants from even the most hard-to-reach areas.

There are a wide variety of ultrasonic cleaners. A Chinese-made cleaner will work well (and is cost-effective) but for reliability and longevity, it is best to spend a little extra money on a quality machine.

_{Ultrasonic cleaner by L&R and Poly-Chem Deox 007 is a very effective combination}

Of course, if you prefer not to go the ultrasonic route, hand cleaning is perfectly acceptable. You will not have the shiny brand-new look that an ultrasonic cleaner will give you but in most cases the movement is hidden and aesthetics are not absolutely required.

Important extras

Comfortable chair

Using a comfortable chair for antique clock repair can help reduce fatigue and improve concentration during the restoration process. A well-designed chair can provide proper support and comfort for extended periods of work, which can be particularly beneficial for complex and time-consuming repair projects. Do not underestimate the value of a comfortable chair.

Leather gloves

Mainsprings, when they break or let go can leave ugly cuts and bruises. A good pair of leather gloves will be your best friend.

Work area

Using a dedicated work area for clock repair is essential for creating a safe, organized, and efficient workspace. Having a designated area for repair work can help prevent accidents, minimize distractions, and ensure that all tools and materials are within easy reach. It can also help maintain the integrity of the clock being worked on by minimizing the risk of damage or contamination.

I am sure I left out a few things but these are the essentials and again if your budget permits, better-quality tools will make all the difference.

In conclusion, the world of antique clock repair has come a long way in recent years with the development of advanced tools and technologies. These tools have made it possible for repairers to restore valuable timepieces with greater precision, efficiency, and accuracy.

While traditional repair methods and techniques will always have their place, the use of advanced tools has enabled repairers to tackle even the most challenging restoration projects with confidence. The use of advanced tools and techniques can help preserve these historical treasures for generations to come.

March 17, 2023

Jerome & Co Rose cottage clock – the case is a mess but the movement is interesting

I have a number of cottage clocks and they all seem to have one thing in common, they have lived hard lives and this one is no exception. They had the cheapest of movements, the cheapest of cases, and could be purchased for almost nothing but many have not survived and that’s too bad.

This is a one-day or 30-hour time-only cottage clock made by Jerome & Co. Most cottage clocks come with a time and strike movement, some had alarms but this has just the movement.

Chauncey Jerome was a prolific clockmaker and a true pioneer of the early American clock. Despite his success in clock manufacturing from the late 1830s to the early 1850s a number of poor business decisions led to bankruptcy in 1856, and the assets of the bankrupt Jerome Manufacturing Co. were purchased by the New Haven Clock Co.

While Jerome was involved in numerous clock-making activities after his bankruptcy and marketed clocks under his name and label, Jerome & Co. is not one of those. “Jerome & Co.” was a tradename used by the New Haven clock company.

The Jerome name obviously had some cache and it was a good marketing strategy on the part of New Haven.

The plan

The movement is very simple in design. However, it has had an odd repair. On the left side of the movement is a copper wire soldered to the brass plate. The copper wire wraps around the 3rd wheel pivot and acts as a bushing. There is a similar repair on the backplate. This will be removed and replaced by a brass bushing. There are one or two other bushings required as well.

As for the rosewood veneer case, I am not sure what I will do. There are veneer losses on the right side of the case, the bottom corners, and the top left. Most of the gilt around the front access door has worn off, there are significant losses on the dial, there is a large age split on the top-right and the reverse painted lower tablet has signifciant losses. I don’t want to go too far and ruin the clock but as it is, it looks quite bad.

May 31, 2022

The case may be a lost cause but I can save the movement

The case might be a lost cause but I can certainly save the movement of this Ingraham Ocean series gingerbread clock. The clock came to me in fair condition but it was missing a key element, the glass tablet and for that reason, I am not inclined to source a replacement, the clock is just not worth it.

There were several shards of glass at the bottom of the case and I suspect the glass was broken during its journey to the auction house or at the auction house itself which is unfortunate. I could substitute with clear glass but that would diminish the value of a clock that is not worth much, to begin with.

_{Ingraham Ocean} _Line, _{pieces of another clock in foreground of auction photo}

However, I can save the movement and the dial as well as a door catch, perhaps use it for future projects or for spare parts.

It was dirty as one would expect and it has not seen the inside of a professional repair shop judging from a rather sloppy click repair. The repair appears to have held and I will tidy it up and leave it.

The movement is interesting and clearly late manufacture. The number 11 is stamped on the movement which might indicate that it was made or about in 1911. Regardless, it is from the pre-war period. I also see steel pieces such as the intermediate wheel, the centre cannon, the fly and the count-wheel hub.

All the parts were placed in the ultrasonic and cleaned following which I replaced the wheels between the plates to recheck for wear. It looks like 5 new bushings on the front plate, 2 on the strike side and on the time side, and all the upper wheels in the trains. On the back, the third wheel requires a new bushing as does the second wheel and the escape wheel.

_{Black dots mark where new bushings will go.}

Eight bushings in all, which is fairly standard for a movement with this degree of wear.

I have not worked on an Ingraham movement in some time but recall that the strike side is set up quite differently.

The count wheel is mounted on the second arbour (unlike most which mount on the main wheel arbour) and advances by means of two pins that extend from the third wheel lantern pinion. The third wheel is a combined locking wheel and pin wheel. There is no cam on the arbour, instead, there is a space between two pins that allows the lever to drop at the same time the paddle drops into the deep slot on the count wheel. The fourth wheel is just used for warning and not for locking.

Reassembly and testing

All went well. A couple of adjustments had to be made but otherwise, it is running well. I will leave it on the test stand for a week or two.

The movement will go into a bag and be stored for a future project. I already have plans for the harvested clock parts but if I find another Ingraham gingerbread in the Ocean series, I might consider resurrecting this one if the tablet is intact.

May 12, 2022

Ansonia 30-hour parlour clock with a very worn movement

I acquired a number of clocks at auction this past winter (2022). All were antiques and all were in poor to fair condition but each one had potential. The auction notes simply said the movements were untested which can mean just about anything from a failed, irreparable movement to something that might have been serviced recently.

One of the four from the auction is an attractive clock with nice clean lines and from the look of the case, which is in decent shape, I would have expected a well-cared-for movement which turned out not to be the case when I removed it.

Those with a keen eye will notice something missing on the case – the topper or crown, but no worries, I have all the pieces, it is just a matter of gluing them back on.

I located a clock exactly like it online with a description that was no help at all other than the fact that it was made by the Ansonia Clock Co. However, the design of the base is identical to the “Alaska” found in the 1886 Ansonia catalog so, I would estimate the clock was made around that time, give or take a year or two.

Beyond a well-worn movement is that it has a 30-hour run time. A clock with a 30-hour movement is a tough sell based on my experiences these past 10 years. The alarm feature might attract some buyers or others might be simply looking for a decorative piece.

The movement

The one-day or 30-hour movement with alarm is made by the Ansonia Clock Co. The date June 13, 1882, is stamped on the front plate and refers to a patent date. Digging a little deeper I found Letters Patent No. 259,505 by W.D. Davies for a striking mechanism for clocks, registered in Brooklyn, New York January 31, 1882. Naturally, the clock could not have been made before that date.

The patent has a unique lifting lever, called a “turn back” (fig 4) that allows the hands to be turned back past the hours eliminating a second spindle that would otherwise be used by other manufacturers to allow the hands to be turned back.

The movement

It is a run-of-the-mill 30-hour movement. It is as small as one would expect for the run time. It has been worked on in the past as there are plenty of punch marks around the pivot holes, more so on the time side than the strike side which I will explain later.

I have spring retention clamps for all sizes of mainsprings but none that would fit this movement exactly. My smallest would not fit because there is a steel post in the way on the strike side but wire works just as well though I was able to get a clamp around the mainspring on the time side.

_{Strike side wheels, a wire holds the mainspring}

As it is a 30-hour movement the mainsprings are not as powerful as one would find in an 8-day clock although I always use care when working with mainsprings and wear thick work gloves.

Every pivot on the strike side looked like the one below. Dirty yes, but very little wear.

The time side was an entirely different matter.

Every pivot was in very poor condition, the worst is shown below.

_{The escape wheel pivot is too thin to be salvageable}

The worst pivots were both ends of the escape wheel and the third wheel. I was able to grind down most of the pivots, including the 3rd wheel since there was enough usable steel to carry the load through the train. Not so for the escape wheel.

_{New escape wheel pivot,} _{front plate}

It required re-pivoting.

_{The third wheel pivot on the time side,} _{this one is salvageable}

A sizable portion of the brass was chewed away on the escape wheel bushing, backplate. As wear accelerates over time, the clock would eventually “grind” to a halt.

As for the difference in wear on both sides, there are two possible reasons. Some folks do not like the sound of a striking clock in a home. The clock will still run with only the time side wound but the result is disproportionate wear. The second is that the patented design does not allow room for error during setup and perhaps it was too frustrating getting the strike side to run reliably.

Using a mini lathe I began with a centering bit and then with high-speed bits drilled holes in both ends of the escape wheel to a sufficient depth to anchor the pivot wire. I have a good supply of pivot wire and it was a matter of selecting the correct size, which in this case is 1.35mm wire.

The shot above shows the new escape wheel pivot supported in place and it will remain on the lathe in this position until the Permatex Threadlocker Red has cured (24 hours).

With that kind of wear, I am surprised the clock ran as well as it did although American clocks will typically continue to run despite being well worn, wear that would certainly stop a German or French clock.

Assembly and testing

_{The strike side wheels are left out for testing (beat timer is attached)}

Normally I would assemble the entire movement after completing the bushing work but since I installed two brand new pivots I realized that I would have to make minor escape wheel/pallet adjustments and having fewer wheels to deal with makes it less frustrating taking it apart again. A new suspension spring and leader also replaced the original one.

After 30 hours the movement continues to run strongly. I tested the movement a day or two more before installing the remaining wheels and levers.

Now to refresh the case.

May 7, 2022

Schatz and Sohne carriage clock – a second look

Schatz and Sohne, the maker of this pretty little 8-day carriage clock may not have considered that one day their carriage clocks would require servicing. Did they make a throw-away clock? We’ll see.

Many were sold and typically gifted to family, friends, and business associates. Over the years they have either been tossed out, found their way to antique shops/flea markets, sold to people like me or sat on a shelf never to run again. Yet, they are nice looking clocks.

Does the beginning of this blog sound familiar? If you are a regular reader you will note that I wrote about this clock a few weeks ago. Not happy the first time, I decided to tackle the movement a second time hoping for a better result. My approach is to give every movement my best effort and up to this point I have lost very few patients so, I was not going to allow this one to get the best of me.

My initial efforts to fix the clock produced a result that was no better than when I got it. It ran about 4 days and after servicing I was unable to improve on the running time.

Was it worn? Everything looked very good except for the second wheel (middle plate) bushing hole which was very badly worn, not surprising since the second wheel accepts the full force of the main wheel.

_{The worst bushing wear I have seen in a while}

The thin brass plates don’t help since they exacerbate wear. A new bushing was installed and it was a good fit, worked perfectly but was very close to the edge of the plate.

_{As good as it gets but very close to the edge of the plate}

During the first run-through, I thought I had nailed it. It should have run for 8 days. It did not.

_{Escape wheel at the bottom of the movement}

However, in that first servicing, I did not clean the mainspring.

This time the mainspring came out of the barrel. It was not an easy task to extract it as the barrel is very small, 35mm in diameter, and too tiny for my Olie Baker spring winder (why I did not tackle it in the first place). Compare the barrel size to the winding key in the next photo.

Once the barrel cap was off, and the winding arbour removed I snagged the mainspring in the centre with a pair of needle-nosed pliers and pulled it from the barrel. Gloves are necessary as you never know how much force a mainspring will have once released from any barrel.

It was dirty but was that enough to affect the running of the clock? Will servicing the mainspring improve things? Hmm!

While the mainspring was out of its barrel I gave it a good cleaning followed by a wipe-down with Keystone mainspring oil. Back in it goes. Easy enough to take out but very frustrating to put back into the barrel. A few curse words and some encouragement and the spring found its way into the barrel.

It will be tested without the case and dial attached. So far it looks good but it has run for only a few hours.

Will it run for 8 days?

2 weeks days later

Servicing the mainsprings might have given me the 8 days I was seeking but that might not have been possible without fine-tuning the hairspring escapement which I believe contributed equally to a better run time. An adjusting screw on the escape wheel allows for fine-tuning but I had to rely on trial and error to find the sweet spot. Success in the end.

My intention was never to make this clock a daily runner but it is nice to have something that runs according to its original design. My cost was one bushing and, of course, my time.

It will be displayed, and run occasionally. Oh, and about that mainspring; I cannot imagine anyone with arthritic hands trying to wind it once per week, that mainspring is so powerful.

These are very cute little carriage clocks and they can be successfully repaired but I would certainly not put a great deal of money into servicing one unless, of course, it has deep sentimental value.

April 23, 2022

A Sessions clock is on the bench 5 years later – what needs to be done?

A mechanical clock is a machine and all machines require periodic maintenance. Five years might be considered a long time since the movement on a Sessions time and strike mantel clock was first worked on when 2-3 years is the norm between service intervals but let’s agree that it has not been an easy time these past two years and priorities have shifted.

I have not opened this clock up since 2016 and I wonder if any surprises await me. I worked on this clock in 2016, so, it is a judgment on my own workmanship.

It was purchased locally from a person who knew absolutely nothing about clocks, making a few bucks on whatever he could get his hands on. He could not tell me one darn thing about it only that it was not working. The case was in rough shape and it was less than $40, so, I bought it.

Although I had worked on several clocks prior to this one, it was an important part of my journey in clock repair because I was now able to put my newly acquired Bergeon bushing machine to the test.

Back then I installed 10 bushings, replaced the pendulum bob and suspension spring, oiled the movement, reinstalled it, and refreshed the case. Not the best timekeeper in the world but that is the nature of spring-driven American clocks of that era (the 1920s).

Disassembly and Inspection

I always approach the inspection and servicing of a clock that I have serviced in the past in much the same way I would service a clock that has just come into my collection. The steps are identical; inspect, restrain mainsprings, clean all parts, peg out bushing holes, polish pivots, address wear issues, assemble, oil and test. This clock is no different.

_{Backplate off and} _{showing the helper springs}

First, remove the hour and minute hands. Next, put the clock on its face and remove the 4 screws that hold the movement in place. Pull the movement out of the case, place the case aside, and let the mainsprings down into the mainspring retention clamps.

Never attempt to take apart a spring-driven movement without first restraining the mainsprings. This is a very important first step in clock repair and it is obvious for safety reasons.

Mainspring contained in a clamp — _{Mainspring contained in a retention clamp}

During the servicing, as I usually do, I will check all pivots and bushings but most particularly the mainspring clicks which is a well-documented weakness in Sessions movements.

As I began taking the movement apart I noticed a badly kinked suspension spring which will have to be replaced. This usually occurs when a clock is moved without removing the pendulum bob. We have had some home renovations this past two years and the clock has been moved about the house. My fault, actually.

I generally take many photos during servicing but there is no requirement this time since I have kept the photos I took from 2016. However, if anything is noteworthy at this juncture, I will record it.

One item I did not own five years ago was a high-quality ultrasonic cleaning machine. The movement is dirtier than I expected and there is blackish oil around some (not all) of the pivots. I was probably a little overzealous with oiling and perhaps not as careful as I should have been polishing the pivots. It definitely requires a good cleaning and my American-made L&R Quantrex 140 with internal heater will be put to good use.

I have been working with so many German movements lately I can’t remember the last time I worked on an American one, let alone a Sessions clock. It has been months, so, here we go!

I pulled the plates apart and inspected the movement for wear. There is more blackened oil up the train (mentioned above) than I was expecting which tells me that if not addressed now it will lead to accelerated wear of the pivots and bushing holes and eventual stoppage of the clock. There is the tiniest bit of wear on the 4th wheel back-plate but not enough to justify replacing at this time.

The second wheels, front, and back, which were not attended to then, may now need attention. The good news is that all the replacement bushings from 2016 remain in very good condition.

It looks like at least one new bushing on the strike side wheel, not surprising since it bears the brunt of mainspring power. While there is some wear on the other three I can live with it but the fourth on the strike side back-plate is somewhat oval-shaped as you can see in this photo.

Though not as bad as others I’ve seen in American clocks that are well worn, there is enough play in this wheel to justify a new bushing.

The click and rivet design are a special problem on Sessions clocks, and I am happy to see that both clicks are in good condition after 5 years. It might be unfair to criticize parts that are nearly 100 years old. The photo shows what a worn click would look like.

_{Worn click on another Sessions movement}

After the parts are cleaned in the ultrasonic and thoroughly dried, the bushing holes are pegged and the pivots polished. Now for the new bushing.

The pivot measured 1.62mm and I chose one with an inside diameter of 1.60mm. After broaching (cutting followed by a smoothing broach) it was a perfect fit.

Now for reassembly. The strike side levers with helper springs under tension can often be a challenge to stay in place during reassembly but the key is patience. Oiling and testing are next.

What did the movement look like after 5 1/2 years? The blackish oil was a little concerning but overall the movement is in great shape. It is certainly cleaner and shinier than before.

And it runs like a charm.

March 8, 2022

Should mainsprings be routinely replaced on an antique clock when servicing?

A mainspring’s purpose is to provide motive power for the wheels to move in a clock train. All mechanical clocks require a power source and the power source may be by weight or spring. Mechanical clocks that have mainsprings will have one, two, or three winding points which, once wound provide power for a clock’s designed cycle.

Each winding point or arbour is located on the dial face and requires a key (one key fits all arbours) to wind the clock. The mainspring is rated to provide power for a clock’s designed cycle, whether it be 1-day, 8-days, 15-days, and so on.

_{Sessions mainsprings cleaned and ready to be re-installed in the movement}

Mechanical clocks are machines and over time machines wear out. When a clock will not wind up, it is time for a service. The service can be done if you have the skills and equipment otherwise you must depend on a professional clock repairer.

Should mainsprings be replaced during routine servicing?

Though not in the clock repair business I am aware that some repairers routinely replace mainsprings and, of course, the cost is passed on to the customer. Should they be replaced on a routinely or only when necessary?

As a general rule, I do not replace mainsprings when servicing a mechanical clock unless there is something fundamentally wrong with the spring(s). Obviously, there are situations where a mainspring must be replaced when it has failed in some catastrophic manner.

Broken mainspring for barrel — _{Broken mainspring which is not saveable}

There may be occasions when there is too much surface rust or stress cracks on the mainsprings which will make them susceptible to failure and/or seizing and the prudent course of action is to replace them.

_{Ansonia time-only movement –} _{Too rusted to save?}

However, repairers reason that new mainspring(s) will extend the period between servicing and provide additional insurance for the repairer so that if the clock stops soon after servicing, issues other than the mainsprings are suspect.

New quality mainsprings (American or German) also provide more power than the springs they replace and more power means they will continue to provide sufficient power for the clock through its rated cycle even if very worn.

Installing or punching a bushing — _{Addressing wear by punching in a new bushing}

The original mainsprings are often of better quality than a new spring. They may not have as much power as a new mainspring but many clocks, despite the fact that they are over 100 years old have springs that have more than sufficient power.

Once the movement is thoroughly cleaned, the pivots are polished and pivot wear is addressed there is less friction on the moving parts and therefore less power is required to drive the movement through it rated cycle.

What if there are minor issues with the mainspring?

There are certain situations where a broken mainspring may be salvaged if the break is at the hook or loop end but not if it is broken in the middle. The mainspring can be shortened by two or three inches and after the repair, the spring will continue to provide sufficient power for the clock to run through its cycle.

What to do if your clock requires servicing by a professional

Should you bring your clock in to be professionally serviced ask plenty of questions. If it is recommended that the mainsprings be replaced, ask why, specifically. Once you receive a satisfactory explanation proceed with the repair.

New mainsprings, when the cost is upwards of $25 for each mainspring, will add substantially to the repair cost, something to be considered if the clock has little value. Of course, if it is to be repaired for sentimental reasons the cost is immaterial.

Mainsprings need not be replaced simply because they are old and “tired” and it does not require a lot of power to run a mechanical clock if serviced correctly.

Your choice!

February 19, 2022

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

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. Now, being old does not necessarily make it valuable. In fact, millions of these clocks were produced and many found their way to online auction sites in recent years contributing to a huge drop in value. You can find them online for a little more than I paid for mine but they are pretty cheap nonetheless. This one was $54.

The case label located on the backboard inside the clock case was printed by John Benham in 1845. Comparing the movement in this case with one found on a popular Jerome database site tells me that it is a type 1.311 Jerome movement. Jerome movements were typically marked though some, like this one, were unmarked which is not unusual.

So, the case and the movement are near enough in time to tell me that the movement is very likely original to the case. That is always a good sign as many ogee cases had worn movements replaced over the years. In some cases, there was little intertest in matching the maker of the case to the movement especially if a customer’s only wish is to have a working clock and since the movements were interchangeable it made it that much easier. Many of these clocks are over 180 years old and one can expect some subtle and not-so-subtle changes over the years.

While very attractive and running well this clock (below), a “marriage”, is an EN Welch case with a Waterbury movement. When considering the purchase of an ogee clock, if it is important to you, check that the movement and case are from the same maker though that is not an absolute guarantee they started their lives together.

What is original and what has been replaced?

Typically parts that have been lost/damaged or replaced over the years include the verge, suspension spring/leader, the pendulum bob, the weights, the hands, and case parts like pulley dust caps. In some cases, the lower tablets have been removed altogether because of breakage or severe paint loss, replaced by a clear glass panel, a mirror, a photograph, or a picture (often from a discarded calendar).

The leader and suspension spring are missing. The verge appears to be a replacement, the weights look original as do the hands and pendulum bob. There is a missing top movement block that secures the movement to the backboard and that is about it.

I am reserving judgment on the frosted glass tablet; it may or may not be original. It would be pretty exciting if it were a Fenn design but I doubt it. William Fenn was one of the more prolific tablet-makers of the mid-19th century. The dabs of red paint are certainly added later.

The clock dial, likely original, is signed C. Jerome below the twelve o’clock.

Assessment of the movement

This is a typical 30-hour or one-day time and strike movement.

I found some wear and I was expecting some past repairs. There is a repair date of 1863 on the inside of the access door but I can’t make out what was done at that time.

There are two bushings installed on the front plate, the second wheel, and the hour gear. On the back, there are four replacement bushings, evidence that it has had acceptable servicing. One seldom finds replacement bushings on an ogee clock. Most movements I have come across have punch marks around the bushing holes, a common practice by past clock repairers to close elongated holes.

Three of the replacement bushings will have to be redone and new bushings are required for the back-plate time side main wheel and the strike side back-plate main wheel for a total of five.

The pressure washer for the time side main wheel is completely worn out. Had I not separated the wheel and ratchet for cleaning I would not have discovered the problem but it tells me that it could fail at some future point.

_{To the right is the pressure washer with centre worn through}

I have a donor New Haven 30-hour movement that will provide the replacement washer.

The lantern pinions have some wear but are quite acceptable. One trundle is loose on the escape wheel. Rather than take it apart and re-seat the troublesome trundle, a dab of Loctite Red should fix it in place.

These are two unusual issues but not insurmountable.

_{A lantern pinion with a loose trundle}

Because the movement was so oily and dirty I pre-cleaned the parts prior to putting them in my ultrasonic. This helps extend the life of the solution. I used a medium bristle nylon brush to clean the stubborn areas.

After cleaning and drying the parts, the pivots are polished and I was pleased to find almost no wear on any of them.

Next is the bushing work. My only concern was pushing out what remained of the bushing material in the replacement bushings after drilling. I went slowly and did not apply pressure on the cutter, letting it do its work. As I suspected the Bergeon bushings are marginally smaller but each bushing fit snugly. Although I planned on five bushings, I installed six, adding a bushing for the second wheel on the time side front plate which was a little more worn than I thought. I left the escape wheel as-is, the wear is acceptable.

Next is restringing the weights, re-assembly, and testing. All went as expected.

I have worked on a few of these movements over the years but unique issues always seem to come up. Nonetheless, they are fun to work on.

Following the movement servicing, I will move on to refreshing the case.

December 7, 2021

Fleet Time mantel clock with Gufa movement – servicing the movement

About a year ago I picked up two clocks. I had my eye on one, an Arthur Pequegnat Canuck shelf clock, and the other was “thrown in” as part of the deal. We completed the transaction on the Pequegnat clock and the seller asked me if I wouldn’t mind looking at a mantel clock stored on a shelf in his garage. He said, “for $10 more you can have this”. I did not know the make at the time but for $10, why not! It was in sad condition as you can see in the next photo.

A tin plate affixed on the back of the clock told me what it was made by the Fleet Time Company of Montreal (Canada).

Many of these clocks were sold at department stores across Canada during the pre-war (WWII) era. However, this little-known Canadian clock company had a brief life span. Between 1936 and 1940 the company produced a range of two and three-train mantel clocks with movements sourced from Germany but were forced to end their operations when the war began.

The Second World War took a heavy toll on this company as the source of movements dried up and so did the company’s fortunes.

Wood cases were made in Canada for some models while other cabinets were imported from Germany.

Servicing the movement

I had completed work on the case a few months ago and now it is time to service the movement.

The clock has a Gufa Westminster chime movement. Gufa is the Guetenbacher Uhrenfabrik, located in Gütenbach, Germany. They manufactured 400-day clocks, cuckoo-clocks and later they became the “Jahresuhrenfabrik” (August Schatz & Sons in Triberg, Germany). Gufa is not a name horologists come across very often in North American. There is a chime gear patent date number ending in 34 which likely refers to the year 1934 indicating manufacture between 1935 and 1939. It is a solid, well-built movement.

Assessment of the movement

I had replaced the time mainspring shortly after I bought the clock but I knew that I would eventually have the movement on the workbench. As is typical of German clocks of this period in that the mainspring barrels can be removed without dismantling the movement, so, replacing the time mainspring was an easy fix.

The clock was running, though not well. On the fourth or fifth day, the chimes (and strike) would stop though the time train would soldier on a few days more. Wear issues on the strike and chime train had to be addressed.

I disassembled the movement, put the parts into the ultrasonic cleaner, and discovered afterwards that the plates had been lacquered. With the ultrasonic heat setting on, the lacquer stripped off but not uniformly. As it is a $10 clock I am not concerned about aesthetics.

Fleet wheels — Fleet movement wheels tied together according to location

To eliminate the chance that I would mix up the wheels for the 3 trains, I tied each set together. Once out of the ultrasonic cleaner I untied them and placed them in their respective trays. Westminster chime movements have similar-looking gears in the three trains and it is best to separate them to avoid frustration during re-assembly.

After inspecting the movement I determined that new bushings were required on the second wheels plus the motion works arbour. Three of the second wheels on the backplate, one bushing for the strike side second wheel front plate, and one for the motion works for a total of 5 new bushings; not bad for a 3-train movement. These are the typical wear points on three-train movements as the second wheels handle the greatest load.

Bushing work

Once the pivot holes were pegged out and the wheels rechecked in their locations, the bushing begins. Aside from the second wheels, most other pivot holes were in good shape. I don’t often use bushings with an outside diameter of 4.50mm but this movement required 4 in total. All bushings had to be reamed out with a cutting broach followed by a smoothing broach. All wheels were test fit with the plates together and things looked good.

Reassembly

Next is reassembly. With so many wheels it is a bit trickier than a two-train movement but it is important to work slowly and carefully to avoid a bent pivot. Once the wheels are positioned, test each train to check that everything is in place. After the nuts are tightened, the remaining parts such as the locking plate, chime locking lever, warning lever, rack snail, mainspring barrels and so on are installed/attached.

Testing

Of all movements, three trains are the most difficult to set up correctly. Although all three trains spin independently they are interconnected by levers. In order for everything to function in unison, careful attention must be paid to the job of each lever, what it does and how it performs its function every 15 minutes.

Gufa movement, front plate showing rack, snail, levers, and so on

Everything went fairly smoothly. Both the strike side and chime side go into warning as they should, the locking plate stops the chime at each quarter-hour including the hour, which is a good sign the locking hook on the chime train is in the correct position.

The chime strike lever is, however, sticking on the strike warning pin. Without taking the movement apart I used 1600 grit memory paper to smooth the hook end surface where it meets the strike warning wheel pin. The polishing allowed it to function a little better but continued testing revealed that that solution did not work. I finally had to remove the chime strike lever and polish the hook. the polishing was successful.

The next issue is the strike paddle which is ending the strike sequence hanging off one of the star points. The plates on the strike side must be opened up and the paddle repositioned. For safety reasons and to preserve the mechanism should things go awry, the power is let down on all mainsprings. Adjustments such as these come with the territory as nothing should be expected to work perfectly the first time.

After the aforementioned adjustments are made, next is the chime sequence and that means loosening the set screw for the main chime wheel and rotating the drum till the quarter strike is at the 1-2-3-4, the beginning of the sequence.

Once the adjustments have been made it is back to the test stand.

Okay, my strike paddle adjustment did not work but in the meantime, the testing of the movement proceeded and everything looks very good at this point. I will give it a few days and return to re-adjusting that paddle.

Everything is working now.

I’ll be honest, 3 train movements are not my favorite type to work on for 4 reasons. One, they often need major work only after a few years. Secondly, it is often not enough to install new bushings for worn pivot holes lower in the trains but to address other worn holes up the trains, as well. Thirdly, they are labour intensive and finally, except for modern movements, parts are almost impossible to find.

In many cases, certainly as far as a modern Hermle is concerned, it is often more cost-effective to simply replace the movement rather than repair it.

July 14, 2021

Servicing a Seth Thomas 8-day movement

I was attracted to the style of this clock but disappointed when I learned that it was a marriage of a Waterbury case with a Seth Thomas movement. Briefly, a marriage is when parts from two different makers come together.

Buying a clock from a flea market, antique mall, a shop or what have you is always a gamble. On this particular clock there is no trademark or name on the dial or a label in the back of the case that told me who the maker was. I made an assumption and it was an impulse buy.

While at the antique store I opened the back of the case to confirm that the clock had a movement and it was complete with pendulum bob and coiled gong and to me everything appeared correct until I brought it home. My first thought was an Ansonia movement when I looked at it under the dim light of the store.

Seth Thomas and other makers made similar cabinet style cases but this is the Wren by the Waterbury Clock Company. Being a marriage, the clock is worth much less to those particular about such matters. No matter, it looks attractive.

I can imagine a past owner’s conversation with the repair guy, I don’t care what you do, just make it work! And the repair guy responds by removing the very worn Waterbury movement and replacing it with a Seth Thomas. Easy peasy!

One of the current seller’s stickers on the case said it was a non-working clock but with minor adjustments, such as moving the pallets closer to the escape wheel and releasing the time-side mainspring, I had it running in no time. There is not much wrong with the movement and a good cleaning plus a bushing or two should put things right.

So, what did I buy?

As I said, I like the case and it has a decent movement but when a clock is a marriage one can expect some questionable repairs and interesting changes as one takes things apart.

I am not absolutely certain the dial pan came with the case or was added later but the glass and bezel are certainly from a mid-century mantel clock. It is so ugly it will be tossed into the spare parts drawer. I will keep the dial pan but a piecrust bezel with flat glass is more appropriate for the period.

Piecrust dial on a 6-column mantel clock

Seth Thomas time and strike 8-day movement

I removed the dial and discovered a number of extra screw holes here and there, varying lengths of screws, some screw holes filled with pieces of wood, even a couple of Robertson screws (not invented until after the First War) and so on. Obviously the replacement movement required new holes and why not drill a few extra holes for good measure!

The hole on the dial just above the 12 is larger than it should be. It was either enlarged to accommodate the regulating arbour or it’s a new hole altogether.

On a positive note both the case and the movement are from a similar period.

Disassembling the movement

But this post is about servicing the movement.

I am impressed with the engineering of this Seth Thomas movement. It is robust and well-designed though it has an interesting, overly complicated, speed regulating feature.

From my research I found that the hip style movement is the type 44 which was used for a 12 year period beginning in 1890. In 1903 it was presumably replaced with the type 89 movement, simpler to manufacture, fewer parts and more reliable, and appeared in many thousands of ST mantel clocks afterwards. It has a sickle shaped brass piece between the plates so that the clock can be turned backwards repeatedly at the hour to sync the strike with the hands. It is technically called a set-back counter weight.

Regulating arbour with worm gear on one end

There were variations of this movement, front winding movements as opposed to rear winding, with and without the worm gear speed regulator and some with stop works. This movement does not have Geneva stops.

It took me more time than usual to pry open the plates because I was slowed down by the intricacy of regulating mechanism. Part of the mechanism consists of a long arbour that passes from the front plate to the back plate. At one end is a worm gear and on the other is the regulating end. It is secured to the outside of the front plate by means of a spring with a pin through the arbour. To release the arbour, the pin must be pulled and the spring releases.

Well, actually the spring flew across the room. No problem, I’m used to crawling on the floor looking for clock parts.

I have worked on a lot of American time and strike movements but this type of regulating mechanism is a first for me. In fact, the set-back counter weight is also a first for me.

Analysis of the movement

The movement has had 12 bushings installed, 5 on the front plate and 7 on the back. The work is well done but I don’t like the arrows scratched into the plate indicating where each bushing would be installed. I use a Sharpie pen and after I have completed the bushing work I wipe the marks off with alcohol. There is no need to mar the plates.

Arrow indicating scratch mark below bushing

After looking over the movement carefully I can see there is enough wear in some bushings that they must be replaced, both second wheels, front plate, the governor, both front and back and the escape wheel bridge bushing which for some reason has punch marks around it, the only unsightly repair.

The mainsprings look to be in good shape and still bears the original ST trademarks. No worn gear teeth and the pivots, plus the lantern pinions are all in great shape.

All in all, not bad for a movement that was last serviced quite a number of years ago.

The pivots were polished and next is the bushing work. Two were interesting to say the least.

The count count wheel and the strike pin wheel are side by side. A bushing was required for the pin wheel but I could not access it from inside the plate. This is one of those few times when drilling from the outside is the only way however, I was able to push the bushing home from the inside plate. It is one of those situation where you have to stand back, analysis the problem and consider a strategy. It worked.

The second was the escape wheel bridge. To stabilize the bridge a 5-step block jig comes in handy. Otherwise, it is very difficult to keep the bridge steady and drill a straight hole.

Ingraham Grecian — % level job block used for an escape wheel bridge

The drilling went fine until the last 3.47 mm cutter. When I began to drill out the hole the old bushing came out. I knew right away that the new bushing would not have a tight fit. Evidently a past repairer had the same problem.

The block from a staking set is a useful tool. With it I was able to lay the plate down on it and punch the bushing from the inside to stabilize it.

Once together everything fell into place or so I thought. Unfortunately, I will have to take it apart again because I forgot the regulating worm gear which can only be installed with the plates separated. The movement will run perfectly fine without it, but it is part of the clock.

In the meantime the movement is running well.

June 19, 2021

Tick Talk Tuesday #32 – Advice on learning how to bush a movement

Tick-Talk Tuesday is about the letters and comments I have received from you, the reader, concerning your clock, issues you might have had, challenges you face, a clock you would like me to profile, my advice on your particular clock concern or a general clock question. For those comments and questions that stump even me, I consult within my clock circles for the best possible answer

KB writes, “Hi Ron, I have been following your blog with interest, I have a a interesting collection of clocks, longcase, carriage and mantle. I am now in the process of restoring them. I need some help with bushing, can you please tell me how you do this.
Many Thanks”

My reply

“You can hand bush, use a drill press or a bushing machine such as the Bergeon Bushing machine as demonstrated in this video. The bushing work is at the 6:40 point of the video if you want to skip ahead.

Otherwise, this article might be of help.

Use the keyword in the Search box on my blog to find more articles on bushing a movement.

Hope this helps.

Ron”

May 18, 2021

Ingraham Grecian – servicing the movement

After having completed work on the case and dial pan of the Ingraham Grecian time and strike shelf clock it is now on to servicing the movement.

Assessing the movement

The movement is in surprisingly good condition for its age. It has been serviced in the past, when, I don’t know. Here’s what I discovered during the inspection.

In an early servicing, 3 bushing holes were punched. Many years ago clock repairers used a punch to close pivot holes that had elongated after years of wear and it was considered an acceptable practice at that time. Not today!
The mainsprings and alarm spring appear to be original and the alarm mechanism showed no evidence of wear.
At a later point a clock repairer installed 3 brass bushings, 1 on the front plate and 2 on the backplate.
Pivots had been replaced on one end of the warning wheel and one end of the third wheel time-side.
The thin brass strap that trips the alarm has been re-riveted.

The repairs were neat and professional.

But there were problems

While there were some decent repairs, someone attempted a homemade fix and it became a non-working clock. I suppose that is to be expected from a clock that is 149 years as it passes through several hands.

It appears that the clock was eventually passed on to someone who had little knowledge of things mechanical. It might have been simply out of beat and an attempt was made to adjust the crutch by twisting the crutch loop around the pendulum leader. I can only assume that in their attempt to access the mechanism to “fix” it, the dial and brass bezel were damaged in the process.

Without impulse the clock would run a minute and stop and would never run in that condition.

I reshaped the crutch loop and bent the crutch slightly to achieve a healthy beat and the clock began to run.

While the clock was running I discovered a bent escape wheel tooth. It was running despite this issue, but the verge would occasionally skip the bent tooth. A bent tooth is often the direct result of transporting a clock without removing the pendulum bob.

Servicing the alarm

There is not much to the alarm mechanism. Three pins hold the 2 small plates. I doubt this alarm was used much, It was taken apart, parts cleaned in the ultrasonic, reassembled and oiled.

Servicing the movement

After letting down the mainsprings and disassembling the movement the first order of business is to straighten the bent escape wheel tooth. The trick is to “draw out” the tooth out with a pair of smooth flat jawed pliers. It is important not to stretch the tooth as this will introduce other escapement issues. Unbending the tooth is a simple procedure but a disaster if things go wrong.

Next is the inspection of pivots, lantern pinions, wheel teeth, arbours, cut pinions, of which there are two in the motion works. All looked good. The gears were meshing well on both time side and the strike side.

Following the inspection is parts cleaning in the ultrasonic machine. Once the parts are dry I inspected the movement more closely for any issues I might have missed. Next is polishing the pivots.

Once the pivots are polished it is time for bushing work if required. In the case of this movement 2 are required for the front plate and 3 for the back. On the backplate, one of the bushings is the escape wheel bridge.

There were two other pivot holes that were iffy and okay for now but since I am keeping the clock it will be inspected in 3 or 4 years for wear.

Reassembly comments

The third wheel on the strike side is a combined locking and pin wheel with 2 locking pins and 2 hammer pins. There is no cam, unlike many other American movements. The spaces between the pins allow for the drop lever to descend.

The fourth wheel is the warning wheel only and it is not used for locking.

Unlike later Ingraham movements that have a passing strike on the half-hour, this is an hour strike only.

The count wheel is advanced by two protruding pins on the third wheel lantern shroud, another unusual feature. It is important to ensure that the count wheel is firmly in place, not loose but not too tight, so the third wheel pins can advance the count. The stiffness can be adjusted by bending the brass clip on the count wheel.

During reassembly, the warning wheel is set about half a revolution to prepare for the strike. Also during reassembly one of the two lock pins is placed on the locking lever, the end of which has a hook. This is to permit the count lever to go into one of the deep slots.

Sometimes it takes a couple of tries to get it right. Usually, I must make an adjustment or two after the plates are together but I was lucky the first time.

When I finished servicing the movement the new hands arrived from a supplier. So, here it is with new hands attached and the movement back in the case.

The clock has been returned to its former glory.

April 13, 2021

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

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 simple to work on with all the adjustments, save for the stop wheel, on the outside of the plates. The mainspring barrels can be removed separately for servicing, typical of movements of the period.

The hairspring escapement is something I did not attempt to clean. They can be finicky to work on and if the movement has been running beforehand, like this one, there is no pressing need to mess with it. Three screws detach it from the movement.

The bane of clockmakers – the broken pivot

When working with German and French movements particularly one must always be very careful of the small pivots. Normally when I work on this type of clock I am very aware of how easy it is to bend or break the tiny pivots and this clock was no exception. After taking apart the movement and reinstalling the gears to determine bushing wear I noticed the front plate center wheel pivot had come off.

Thinking I was careful guiding each pivot in place with a pivot locator I either applied too much pressure closing the plates or it was hanging on like a tread. Regardless, it broke. Compared to a pair of tweezers it is very small.

Broken pivot compared to a pair of tweezers

My experience with pivot repair is limited. I don’t come across broken pivots very often. Compared to an American clock that has much larger pivots these are tiny, perhaps 0.5mm or so. Although I have bushings that fit I do not have pivot wire that size and had to make do with a piece from my assortment of 0.85mm to 1.10mm wire. Not pretty but functional.

First, using a centring bit followed by a high-speed bit on my Taig metal lathe, I drilled 5mm into the shaft, enough to securely anchor the pivot wire. Once the wire was inserted, I applied high-strength Permatex Threadlocker Red to secure the wire in place.

A centring bit is essential when drilling a starting hole in an arbour.

After the 24 hour curing period for the adhesive, I installed a bushing in the front plate and put the gears back together to check the action of the new pivot. It is working okay. I will reserve judgment on the repair until the other bushings are installed.

There is more wear on the time side that at least 3 new bushings are required, two on the front plate and one on the back.

Out of an abundance of caution, I installed an additional 2 bushings. In total are T2, T3, T4, rear plate, and T4, T5, front plate. All bushings are on the time side which tells me that the strike side did not see much action, typical for many mechanical clocks since some folks find the noise of the strike bothersome.

2 new bushings on the front plate, new pivot in the centre of the photo (untrimmed)

3 new bushings on the rear plate using a Bergeon Bushing Machine

Servicing the mainspring barrels was more frustrating than I anticipated. Both mainsprings refused to catch on their hooks when I attempted to install them back into their barrels. The mainspring opening must be precisely on center to catch. Lesson learned; after a few tries, I successfully got them hooked back into the barrels.

Re-assembly

The new pivot was trimmed to fit and given a final polish prior to installation. Now to put it all together and see if the work has paid off.

I was especially careful putting everything back together and very mindful of how easy it is to snap off one of the delicate pivots. All went well. On the test stand, I ran the strike side through its sequence; it is going into warning and striking on the half-hour as it should. Now for the time side.

Repairing a broken pivot. Left on the lathe overnight to cure the adhesive and keep the pivot straight.

At first, the escape wheel would stop after a minute or so but after oiling the pivots including those on the hairspring (minus the jewelled ones, of course) it runs well.

Testing the Forestville movement on a non-standard stand

I will continue with the test of the movement but so far, after two 8-day running cycles, things are looking very good. The next step is to re-install the strike hammers and other moving parts and return the movement to its case.

November 19, 2020

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

This post is about a mantel clock made by the Forestville Clock Company of Canada and some challenges servicing the movement.

In 2013 we were on a visit to the Thousand Islands and stopped at an antique store in Gananoque, Ontario. As my wife and I were strolling through the store and she noticed this mantel clock made by the Forestville Clock Company of Toronto. Somewhat plain in style it seemed to be in great shape and it was exactly what we were looking for at the time.

History of the Blackforest Clock Co. and Forestville Clock Co. of Toronto

The Blackforest Clock Company of Toronto, Ontario was founded by Leopold and Sara Stossel in 1928. Both clock movements and complete clocks were imported from Germany and sold through department and jewelry stores across Canada. Their son Ed Stossel started working part-time with his parents’ company in the 1930s and later became a full-time employee in the late 1940s.

Some assembly work was carried out in their Wellington Street East factory. Initially imported mantel clock and grandfather clock movements were installed in cases made in Kitchener (home of the Arthur Pequegnat Clock Company), but later the complete mantel clocks were imported from Germany. This arrangement was interrupted by the Second World War, which also led to a name change to the Forestville Clock Company in 1941. During the war years, the company imported its clock movements from England, the United States, and France. However, starting in the mid-1950s German factories again became the source of most Forestville clocks, with Mauthe being a major supplier.

The Forestville Clock Company was very successful during the middle decades of the twentieth century. Its grandfather clock cases and some of the wall clock cases were made in Canada. Ed Stossel retired in 1979 and unfortunately, the company survived just a few more years without his leadership.

Most Blackforest and Forestville mantel clocks still have their paper labels tacked inside the back door. This one does not.

My Forestville mantel clock

This clock movement and case are imported from Germany in the 1960s. There is a serial number on the backplate but no database exists online to date this clock. I am thinking that the movement is made by Mauthe

The pivots and bushings appear to be in good condition at first inspection. The clock keeps good time and there is a simple speed adjustment on the hairspring escapement to regulate the clock. This mantel clock is handsome, has good lines and reflects the style of the period.

Servicing the movement

After 7 years I have put off servicing the movement far too long. The rack and snail movement is relatively simple to work on with all the adjustment wheels, save the warning pin, on the outside. The mainspring barrels can be removed separately for servicing, common for movements of the 60s,

The hairspring escapement is something I will not attempt to clean. They can be finicky to work on and if the movement has been running beforehand, like this one, there is no pressing need to fool with it. It is well protected by a plastic shroud. Three screws unhook it from the movement.

While there is some wear on the time side I see at least 3 new bushings required, two on the front plate and one on the back.

When working with German and French movements one must always be very careful of the delicate pivots. Normally when I work on these clocks I am aware of how easy it is to bend or break a pivot and this clock was no exception. However, I had the movement apart and was reinstalling the gears to determine bushing wear and went about repositioning the center gear when I noticed its centre cannon front plate pivot had sheared off.

Arrow indicates center wheel with broken pivot (strike barrel removed)

I was not even aware that I was putting undue pressure on the pivot as I was carefully guiding each pivot in place with a pivot locator. However, either I applied too much pressure or it was ready to go because I broke a pivot. To give a sense of how small it is, here it is beside a pair of tweezers.

My experience with pivot repair is very limited. This is not like a broken or worn pivot on an American clock which is less challenging to repair because they are simply much bigger. This pivot is small, perhaps 0.5mm or so. Although I have bushings that size I do not have pivot wire that small and had to make do with a piece from my assortment of 0.85mm to 1.10mm wire.

Repairing a broken pivot, pivot wire is glued in place and left on the lathe overnight

I centred the arbour with a centring bit and then using a high-speed bit, drilled to about 4 or 5mm into the shaft, enough to anchor the pivot wire. Once the wire was inserted, I used high-strength Permatex Thread Locker Red to secure the wire which takes 24 hours to cure. The next day I installed a bushing in the front plate and put the gears back together to check the action of the new pivot. It is working okay. I was not convinced the repair would work but I will reserve judgment until the other 3 bushings on the time side are installed.

Can’t wait to find out if the repairs are successful? It’s a long wait but on November 25th, I will present the results.

October 19, 2020

Ansonia crystal regulator clock – Part II – the movement

This is Part II of a three (3) part series. In Part I, I discuss disassembly and servicing the mainsprings. In this, Part II, the movement and in Part III we will look at restoring the brass case.

My wife found this 1910 Ansonia Crystal Regulator in the late summer 2018 while antique shopping. What a great choice! We were in a hurry and despite a price reduction we should have asked the proprietor to show us that it worked. We returned home and to our dismay, it was not running.

In Part I of this two part series I discuss disassembly and the big question; how to service the mainsprings.

Front of movement showing visible escapement

The movement

There are 4 screws that release the plates. The 3 pin gathering pallet and hour gear must be removed to facilitate servicing. It is possible to re-assemble the movement without removing those two parts but it is very frustrating. To remove them assemble the plates. Using two small blades (small screwdrivers) positioned 180 degrees apart from one another will work. As these movements are visible, any scratches will show, so, placing masking tape on the plate will prevent scratches. Wedge both screwdrivers and the parts should pop off. The gathering pallet flew across the room (not ideal) but it worked.

Twisting the top regulator pivot bracket on the front plate upwards allows the pallets and crutch to come out from between the movement plates.

Clean parts in the usual way but do not put the pallet assembly in the ultrasonic if the pallets are jeweled. The ultrasonic machine will loosen the pallets.

Rack and snail assembly on the back plate

The movement required 5 bushings and all on the front plate; S2, S3, T2, T3, and T4. Unusual but understandable given the placement of the gears.

Getting it all back together

Putting the plates together with gears in place is fairly straightforward. It takes a gentle twisting to get the pallet assembly in position however, there is no need to force anything.

Most of the strike assembly is on the outside but it is important to set up the warning correctly. There are two wheels with stop pins.

Thanks to reader Bob G. for explaining the following. The wheel with the stop pin closest to the outside of the plate is the stop wheel. That is held back by the tab coming through the plate from the back of the movement. The next wheel that has a stop pin is the warning. As the hour arbor lifts the lever to begin the strike sequence, the warning pin holds everything back until the correct moment. That second stop pin should be at about the four o’clock position when looking at the movement from the front.

If the stop pins are in the correct position, you must adjust the position of the pins on the gathering pallet. If you hold the wheel next to the fly, you can grip the pallet with a needle nose pliers and turn it until the pins clear the rack. Otherwise, the pins on the gathering pallet will lock the rack and the clock will only strike once on the hour and half hour.

All adjustments have been made and the movement has been fully assembled and now onto the movement test stand.

April 27, 2019

30-hour clocks – four for your consideration

These three 30 hour clocks in the opening photo were serviced in the fall of 2018. The fourth (shown next) is a Waterbury Ogee from about 1870.

It was never my intention to collect 30-hour clocks but I am attracted to this style of clock. Thousands were made, they are surprisingly cheap and come up often on online for-sale sites. Many have the cases that have suffered the ravages of time though these are in very good condition. However, buyers and collectors tend to stay away from 1-day clocks because of the hassle of winding them every day.

I marvel at the engineering and innovative technology of clocks made over 150 years ago and how popular these clocks were in their day.

Waterbury OG clock — Waterbury 30-hour Ogee clock

On the left in the opening photo (and below) is a George H Clark, pre-1850. It features a Jerome-like movement and a wood dial.

30 hour movement servicing — All of the clocks on this page have similar movements to this Jerome

Touch-ups to nicks and scratches were all that were required to improve the look of the case but the movement required a good cleaning as well as a couple of bushings.

The middle clock (also seen below) is a Chauncey Jerome Ogee clock. The label dates the clock to about 1855-56 just prior to the company’s bankruptcy.

Chauncey Jerome 30 hoir Ogee clock — Chauncey Jerome 30 hour Ogee clock

Eight bushings were installed on this clock. Some of these clocks need a lot of work while others require a good cleaning.

On the far right (and blow) is a Sperry and Shaw 30 hour New York style 4 column shelf clock. The movement was disassembled and cleaned but did not require bushing work. The case was also freshened up.

Sperry & Shaw 4 column clock with a Canada Clock Co 30-hour steeple to the right

I am fascinated with 30 hour clocks. Yes, they require winding every day but I enjoy it and it has become one of my daily rituals. The sound of the gong is not particularly pretty but it is distinctive. You always know when an Ogee clock is striking in a house.

What other mechanical devices keep running after 150+ years?

April 5, 2019

Gilbert tambour clock with Normandy Chime – movement servicing

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 France. In terms of nomenclature within clock circles, calling it a “Chime” certainly adds to the confusion as this would be considered a striking clock rather than a chiming one.

Whoever did the past bushing work chose to avoid the motion works area, and for good reason

The Movement

And now to service the movement.

Dis-assembly of the movement is done in the conventional manner with the exception of two items. Both the striking disk (upper arrow) which runs off the cam wheel and the passing strike L bracket (lower arrow) which runs off the centre cannon are friction fit and must be pulled off beforehand to work on the movement. I don’t have a puller but two small screwdrivers positioned across from each other will lift the parts off with minimal effort. Do not polish the ends of these two rear pivots.

Arrows showing striking disk and passing strike L bracket

A prior examination of the movement revealed that it is generally good shape. Overall, the lantern pinions are in good condition with minimal wear. There has been extensive bushing work completed in the past. I see six replacement bushings on the back plate and seven on the front for a total of thirteen which suggests that there was a lot of wear. They are all in very good condition which tells me that the work was done fairly recently.

It also tells me that whoever did the past bushing work chose to avoid the motion works area and for two reasons. It is a tough one to fix because there is so little brass to work with and there is not a lot of torque on this wheel so it can be left as-is.

Although the following photo does not show it well, there is a lot of play in the bushing hole. This is the only one that is addressed in this servicing because I wanted to ensure good meshing of the motion works gears.

To address the motion works bushing I sought advice from my colleagues at the NAWCC forum site with comments ranging from doing nothing to immediate replacement. The best advice came from a member who suggested I install a smaller diameter bushing and broach out the hole to fit the pivot and that is exactly what I did. A #46 Bergeon bushing was chosen with a diameter of 3mm and an inside diameter of 1.30mm. The pivot is 1.48mm and the result is a side wall that is about 0.80mm. This should allow the gear to mesh nicely and since there is not a lot of torque on this gear the fix should last a long time.

Re-assembling was straightforward. There are no helper springs on this movement so there was no tension pushing on the levers. The only adjustment I had to make was to pull the movement slightly apart to correctly align the stop pin to the stop lever so that the movement strikes as it should.

Arrow showing stop pin (my healing thumbnail from a mainspring that let go)

Since the movement has a Normandy chime the striking hammers are located outside and to the bottom of the movement.

Striking hammer assembly for Normandy Chime

The final process in re-assembly is to attach the hammer mechanism. But before doing so two parts are re-attached, the strike wheel and the L bracket which are pushed back into place. Once in place they can be moved slightly to sync the hourly and half hour strike.

Some folks give Gilbert movements a bad rap but they are not much different than a Sessions, or similar inexpensive movement of that period and the fact that this one is still functioning after over 90 years has to say something for its engineering.

March 28, 2019

Removing a 30-hour clock movement from its case – how-to video

In the process of adjusting the strike side on a George H Clark 30-hour clock I decided to make a video showing how to remove and install a 30-hour movement from its case.

George H. Clark 30 hour movement before servicing

Part of the video concerns the adjustments required for the clock to run correctly but also shows the steps required to safely remove and install a 30-hour movement with a couple of worthwhile tips.

IMPORTANT: In the video, I did not include the fact that the two holes in the movement seat board are access points for pins that insert into the side support boards. Along with the top block they are intended to secure the movement in place. I have five Ogee clocks and none of them had pins when I received them. Inspect the movement mounting first. If you should have a clock with the pins they must be pulled before the movement slides out. (Thank you for pointing this out JC).

March 13, 2019

Lessons learned restoring grandfather’s old clock

Photo of Waterbury time and strike wall clock sent to me by my cousin

I’ve thought about this clock, dreamt about it, wondered where it was all these years……and now I have it. I was confident that I could do something with this clock since I had just finished a major restoration project.

I had no idea that the clock I was getting was a movement in a homemade case

I have a vivid memory of this Waterbury octagon short drop time and strike schoolhouse clock that hung in my grandparent’s kitchen when I was a young boy. After church on Sundays, my father would take (drag?) us kids for a visit; it was a weekly ritual. The house was stone quiet except for the sound of a clock ticking loudly in the kitchen. My grandfather was a veteran of WWI and was bothered by noises, shell shock they called it, but he did not seem to mind the rhythmic sound of a mechanical clock.

When I was a kid in the 1950s it looked impressive.

So, I jumped on this project and have learned a few things along the way.

The following are lessons learned restoring grandfather’s old clock.

When it comes to family, lower your expectations

I made some inquiries within the family and when I first saw a photo of grandfather’s old kitchen clock and discovered that the case was homemade I was very disappointed. I had no idea that the clock I was getting was a movement in a homemade case. The original case, long gone is but a family mystery. Nevertheless, my cousin said, “You can have it”. I wondered what I would do with it. I explored several options but at the end of the day I wanted a working clock no matter which direction I took.

Work with what you have rather than dream of significant changes

I could have radically altered the appearance of the clock completely but would it be the same? It is a philosophical dilemma. If too much is done to restore a clock it is not fundamentally the same and cannot be considered original. The homemade case is crude and made some 30-40 years ago but it is part of the clocks history. The chicken pecks on the clock face tell the story of a clock that likely sat in a barn for many years.

Envision what the final outcome should be before you begin and resolutely stick to your plan

Should I restore the clock or preserve what I have? It was an interesting dilemma.

My options:

Do absolutely nothing.
Take the movement out, find an appropriate period donor case or
Make some minor changes but preserve the provenance

I chose #3 for several reasons:

To preserve the bygone times of a clock passed on through the family, despite its many warts
Labour aside, it was cost effective; my entire monetary outlay was less than $50
Ignoring aesthetics, the case was crude, heavy but very sturdy and should last forever

Be content that the clock tells a story no matter how ugly or homely it might look

It may not be the prettiest clock on the wall but it will be a great conversation piece and after 70 years (??) it is finally functional. I can only imagine my grandfather standing under the clock, comparing the time with his pocket watch and deciding if he should make just one small adjustment.

Changes I made

Sanded, stained and shellacked the case
Brass bezel was separated from the dial bezel (don’t ask me why the two were screwed together), new bezel hinge installed, and door catch
New convex glass dial installed
Brass was cleaned and polished
New clock hands
New pendulum, pendulum rod, verge and crutch
Movement completely serviced, several bushings installed
New hinged access door made from century old clock case wood

After servicing, a fully functional Waterbury time and strike movement

What I did not change

The overall “character” of the clock
The holes in the brass bezel were left as-is; it is what it is
Dial is original though touched up in some areas; I considered a new paper dial but decided to retain the original and came very close to matching the colour of the dial face
The case is made of thick plywood; it is utilitarian, very solid and will likely outlast the movement

Yes, it is ugly but it works and it tells a story

Final thoughts

I am actually very pleased with the outcome. The changes manage to preserve the provenance but not enough to radically alter the look of the clock such that it is. It is now worthy of being placed on a wall and it will certainly occupy a prominent spot in my home, plus, it tells a fascinating story.

Here is the story told by yours truly.

March 1, 2019

My Schatz W3 movement finally has a brand new custom built clock case

What do you do when you find a movement without a case? Hope that one comes along? Make one?

I discovered an Aug Schatz & Sohne W3 movement at a local antique store for under CAN$20. My wife said, “You should buy that, maybe you can make a case for it”. “Hmm”, I thought; that would be above my pay grade.

W3 refers to three chimes, St Micheal, Whittington and Westminster. It looked interesting and it was not expensive so, why not! Having a movement without a case is like a car engine without the body. Maybe a case will come along someday, I thought.

Back in August of 2017 I appealed to my readers asking, “If you have a spare case that would fit this movement and it is lying around in your shop I’d be very happy to take it off your hands.”

Front plate — Triple chime Schatz movement

Aug. Schatz & Sohne are better known for 400-day clocks (including the 1000-day clock) and ships clocks. They are not typically known for shelf or mantel clocks but it is not too difficult to find them at antique stores and online auction and for-sale sites. The company is well regarded by German clock-makers.

Having a movement without a case is like a car engine without the body

This movement has a lever escapement though earlier versions of the W3 were pendulum driven. This particular escapement has 2 jewels; after came escapements with 7 and later still, 11 jewels.

2 jewelled escapement. Has escapement been serviced as well?

The front and back plates are thick and solid. Cut leaf pinions throughout suggest a robust movement design. There are eight chiming hammers and the chime drum can be switched to one of 4 positions; silent, St Micheal, Whittington and Westminster.

The movement is clean and in good shape though it has been serviced at least once in its life. I counted 13 new bushings and a newer click spring.

I now have a brand new custom built case

Having a movement without a case is like a having a car engine without the body.

Earlier this year my son’s girlfriend suggested that her grandfather could build the case. She said he loves doing this kind of work. Although skeptical at first, I considered her offer. Her grandfather is over 90 years of age but is a skilled craftsman and he continues to work in his woodworking shop in rural Virginia when he is able. She asked him and he agreed. I sent the measurements to him. Better if I brought the movement to him, her grandfather suggested. I gave the movement to her and she brought it to Virginia while on a visit. He was now able to use the movement as a guide to constructing the case.

We corresponded back and forth through email. I gave him complete latitude concerning the design of the case though he sought my approval during certain stages of construction. After a few months, the clock began to take shape. Below is a photo of the completed case taken in his rural Virginia shop.

The harsh lighting of the shop does not do the clock justice

The glass side panels give it an old world look. The hands are original but are lost in the detail of the new dial. I have since painted them a darker colour.

There is ample room for the chime block which I must supply. The chime block is bolted through the base of the case. The chime block is positioned as close to the chiming rods as possible and if the distance has to be closed the chime hammers are bent towards the rods allowing an eighth of an inch or so of space. It is a relatively simple procedure. As they are brittle, chime rods should never be bent!

The chime block will be mounted under the chime hammers

The clock finally arrives at Christmas time (2018)

My son brought the clock back from Virginia in a carry-on suitcase just after Christmas. He took special care not to damage it in any way.

The detail and craftsmanship are impressive and reflects hours of meticulous work.

I put the final touches on the clock by painting the hands black, attaching four protective felt pads under the base and giving the case two coats of shellac (traditional 1 lb cut) to achieve an antique finish. With the chime block installed the project will be complete.

After writing the maker and expressing how pleased I was of the outcome, he replied;

“I’m glad you like the case and glad that a simple fix got it running. Painting the hands black was an excellent idea, for I worried that reading time would be difficult. I hope you are able to send me a video of clock with chimes.

Best wishes”

The chime block has arrived and is a perfect fit for the case. The installation and final adjustments should be interesting so, check back later.

January 19, 2019

Grandfathers old clock – Preserve a memory or restore it – Part III

This is Part III of a 4-part series. I have a vivid memory of this Waterbury octagon short drop schoolhouse clock that hung in my grandparent’s kitchen when I was a young boy. Now that I have it what do I do with it.

I have devoted two previous articles to this curious and somewhat homely Waterbury time and strike schoolhouse clock. It is a clock that had been passed down within the family and it has had a hard life. Along the way it has undergone some changes, not all of them pretty. I thought about the next steps for this clock and considered advice from friends and family. It came down to three options:

1) Do absolutely nothing, preserve it as-is and store it in a closet,

2) Discard the case out, buy a donor case and install the parts I have in the new case or,

3) Preserve it, that is, not change it in a significant way but make some cosmetic changes and have it run reliably.

Option three it is.

At one time the original case was painted yellow with red trim. which is probably why it was discarded

Restoration or preservation? The restoration process consists of performing clock repair procedures on the movement as well as cosmetically restoring the dial, the case and its wooden and metal components using period procedures. Proper restorations do not change the clock’s functionality, appearance or value. Restoration of a valued clock is a serious business as many owners are emotionally attached to a clock for various reasons.

In this situation the movement can be restored and the other hardware cleaned up, however, the case is not original and was likely made 40, or 50 years ago which is why this project is part restoration and part preservation. Servicing the movement, putting the clock in running condition and making some cosmetic changes is my objective for this project.

This is what the clock looked like when I first received it.

First photo of the clock sent by my cousin

It has a homemade plywood case though it has all the essential mechanical parts. There is no dial glass. The brass bezel would have been hinged and perhaps the hinge broke and was discarded. The bezel was then screwed into the plywood.

The first step is the movement. The parts arrived from Perrin and I went to work on the movement. The movement is a Waterbury time and strike with a patent date of Sept 22, 1874. It was dirty as expected and there was some rust but it cleaned up nicely.

The movement required 5 bushings at T2F, T2R, S2F, S2R, and S3F. As always it takes me more than one try to get the strike side functioning correctly. During testing I noticed that the strike side was sluggish. A tight bushing, bent pivot, insufficient end shake? I will know when I take it apart and take a second look.

Walnut stain and clear coat, hiding the plywood and nail heads, for the most part

I gave the case a thorough cleaning, then a sanding and applied one coat of dark walnut stain followed by three coats of shellac. A dark Walnut stain is the optimal way to hide the plywood and the nail heads. It does not hide the plywood completely but the intent for this project is to refresh the case rather than conceal imperfections.

At one time the original case was painted yellow with red trim, my grandfather’s idea of matching the clock to the paint and trim in his kitchen. The original case was likely in such poor condition that it was thrown away.

Next, the brass. It was painted red at one time so it took a little Brasso muscle to remove a combination of red paint and tarnish.

The brass was quite black

The dial was a challenge. Cleaning up the pit marks and faded numbers was my key objective. The nicks are chicken pecks while stored in a barn. Again, I was not interested in replacing it but touching up the nicks and rust spots while preserving the character of the dial. I have a supply of acrylic metal paint and it is a matter of mixing the right colours to determine the closet match.

The numbers were painted with flat black acrylic metal paint. The dial touch-ups would fool most people at a distance. I removed the rust from the hands and gave them two coats of flat black paint. The coil gong base was cleaned and also painted black.

I ordered 10 1/4inch convex glass for the bezel plus a door hinge. The hinge was soldered into place as were brass tabs to hold the glass. Although the hinge is not affixed in this photo, this is what the door complete with dial glass looks like. There is not much I can do about the screw holes on the bezel; it remains part of its provenance. I may cut the heads of some brass slotted screws and solder them to the holes or simply leave the holes as-is.

Glass installed in bezel. Hinge installed but not fit to case in this shot

The clock requires an access door on the short drop, the opening is unsightly. As you can see in the photo above the cut-out is rough and a door will effectively hide it. I plan to make a solid door much like the one on this New Haven schoolhouse clock.

Drop door on a New Haven schoolhouse clock

It may not not be the prettiest clock in my home but it will be a great conversation piece and after 60 years it will finally tell the time. I can only imagine my grandfather standing under the clock, comparing the time with his pocket watch and deciding if he should make just one small adjustment.

Next is new drop access door and final assembly which I will detail in the next and last post for this project, Part IV in 4 days.

What to do with this old clock was a difficult decision. What would you have done?

November 19, 2018

New Haven – servicing a 30 hour spring-driven clock movement

This is a 30 hour or 1-day New Haven Ogee shelf clock. 1875-80 seems to be the approximate period of manufacture for this smallish Ogee clock. The case measures 18 1/2 by 11 3/4 inches (47cm X 30cm) and the hour strike movement measures 3 1/2 by 5 inches (9cm X 12.7cm).

So, its a bit of a miss-match. Imperfect but attractive just the same

This 30 hour New Haven Ogee shelf clock looks nice from a distance but closer inspection reveals a number of issues regarding the condition of the case. Although the sides panels of the clock are veneered, the front veneer has been stripped likely because of significant loss or damage. Crude chisel marks on the left front of the case suggest that the veneer in this section was tough to take off. This is unfortunate, but I have no intention of re-veneering any part of this clock. There is also veneer loss on the top right side. From a distance the entire clock actually looks good and the casual observer would not notice the difference.

It takes a#3 key to wind the clock. It is probably the only American shelf clock I have that uses a key that small.

The movement looks original to the case and there are indications that it has been worked on in the past. There are punch marks surrounding several pivot holes, an common old-style repair to close the holes.

The coil gong is a replacement and is in a slightly different location than the original gong judging from screw holes to its right. The gong is probably from an E. N. Welch or a Gilbert. The clock dial face is a recent addition and the access door knob looks like it is a later addition.

So, its a bit of a miss-match. Imperfect but functional.

The movement was dis-assembled and the parts cleaned in my recently acquired Quantrex 140 ultrasonic cleaner. The movement parts came out shining particularly the lantern pinions.

The pivots were in very good shape and polished up well with my Butterworth Bushing Polishing System that I use with my multi-speed Dremel tool. I decided to tackle only the worst bushing holes; the centre canon, back plate and the escape wheel bridge. Four bushings were also installed on second and third wheels, front and back plates.

Testing in the clock case rather than on a stand

Some consider 30 hour clocks as a hassle because they must be wound once a day but I am okay with that. This 30-hour Ogee clock runs very well, keeps good time and I am pleased with the servicing.

October 3, 2018

Polishing Bushings

Bushing Work

Reassembly

Testing

Final thoughts

Related Links

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Bushing Work

Reassembly

Testing

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Spring winder

Bushing Methods

Polishing pivots

Clock Reference Books, how-to guides, and manuals

Cleaning choices

Important extras

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Whoever did the past bushing work chose to avoid the motion works area, and for good reason

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I had no idea that the clock I was getting was a movement in a homemade case

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Back in August of 2017 I appealed to my readers asking, “If you have a spare case that would fit this movement and it is lying around in your shop I’d be very happy to take it off your hands.”

Having a movement without a case is like a car engine without the body

“I’m glad you like the case and glad that a simple fix got it running. Painting the hands black was an excellent idea, for I worried that reading time would be difficult. I hope you are able to send me a video of clock with chimes.

Best wishes”

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At one time the original case was painted yellow with red trim. which is probably why it was discarded

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So, its a bit of a miss-match. Imperfect but attractive just the same

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