Does anyone know the time? Clock Repair.

With one less child in the house, I finally have a place to set up a desk. That gives me a good place to work on things that don't require lifts, welders and large hammers. 

I've been collecting clocks for a number of years. Of the 30+ clocks I have, 75% of them work. The other need a little help. Today we are starting on the first one. 

Clock number one is a French gilded clock. I acquired this one as a box of parts several years ago. The case is beautiful, but the movement wouldn't run and most of the hardware was missing. I think I paid about $15 for it. 

After examining the movement, I wrote it off as a lost cause. A lot of the pivot bearing were badly egged out. It would have taken a major overhaul to get it running again, and I've never successfully repaired a escapement movement. They have to be pretty perfect or they just don't run. I may practice on this one at a later date. 

The escapement is the little wheel with the fine coil spring just like what you would see in a watch, only 10 times bigger. 

The good news is Hermle is still in business and still makes this exact movement, so I ordered a new one. It's a little shinier than the old one. 

The main hurtle in getting this back together was a missing bushing bolt that held the movement to the face. Lots of research turned up nothing so that meant making one. The threads in the mounting plate were M10 x 1.25 and a trip to Lowes took care of that. From there it was a trip to the lathe to make it what I needed. 

I turned the bolt head down to a flange and then bored the center out to 1/4".

Chop with the cutoff tool and a little dressing on the grinder and we were in business.

From there I just had to bolt everything up.

Hung in place.

And running. There are advantages to using a new movement. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgBvb6EL4oc&feature=youtu.be

Unfortunately, the hands I ordered don't fit. I did some digging today and found some in Canada that should work. They will take a week or so to come in. Once they are on this should be a nice addition to the collection. 

The detail on this is pretty cool.

That it. The next clock will be a Ansonia cast iron clock sometime in the next couple of weeks. 

In reply to Toyman01 :

That clock is awesome. 

Pete Gossett said:

In reply to Toyman01 :

That clock is awesome. 

Indeed. I'm in awe.

Floating Doc said:

Pete Gossett said:

In reply to Toyman01 :

That clock is awesome. 

Indeed. I'm in awe.

Thanks!

That's one of the reasons I put it at the top of the list to get running. 

Nice clock!
 

I love the fact this thread starts off with 

That gives me a good place to work on things that don't require lifts, welders and large hammers. 

And 5 photos later there's a big 'ol lathe cutting down metal parts.....

Very cool. I used to live next door to a guy who does clocks and slot machines. He has some REALLY neat stuff in his basement. Magic clocks, original gyroscopic clocks used in 15th/16th century sailing (you can imagine that a pendulum doesn't work well on a boat...), Rare clocks, etc.