Wall Clock.

[Joe]

This is my latest auction purchase:-

   

It worked as was but I gave the movement a partial clean as I wanted to take it out while I did the case up. The suspension spring has previously been bodged up but it didn't seem to effect its operation.

   

All this involved was taking the escapement off and allowing it to run down in kerosene, I don't have access to petrol, and after it had dried re-oiling it.

       

I had intended to strip and French polish the case but after getting it thought it was in good enough condition to salvage.

I looked much better after just a coat of linseed oil rubbed in with a pan scrubber.

   

The only woodwork needed was repairing some loose veneer on the base which was in danger of snagging on the duster while polishing it. Due to the shape clamping it would be challenging to put it mildly. It also seemed too springy to secure with tape.

I tried putting the iron on it in the hope it would re-stick with the original glue but it didn't, maybe it had previously been repaired with PVA or the like. I therefore cut some paper-thin slivers from a hot-melt glue stick and put them between the veneer and wood and clapped the iron on top and this worked very well indeed.

After that the case came up very nicely with a couple of coats of wax.

I didn't want to end up with a toffee apple and as there are marks on the face, about which I can do nothing, making the rest look too good would make these stand out all the more.

   

I'm certainly happy with the result.

   

It's now soaking and will no doubt need regulating. The striking sounds very nice too.

- Joe

[Mark R]

Nice one Joe

[Yorkie]

Excellent Joe!

It was obviously unloved and neglected, but basically sound, and seeing it on the wall doing what it's supposed to do is quite a transformation.

As I mentioned in an e-mail to you, it's almost identical to the one that we have in our hall, which I rescued from a skip at work back in 1970, and like you, I fettled it up to give it a new lease of life. The clock face was badly discoloured so a neighobur who was into clocks sourced a replacement for me, back in pre-internet days - much easier to find a replacement now I guess. It's moved around with us from Grimsby to Mansfield, Sheffield and Hull, keeps perfect time and has never had any attention in more than 40 years. (As you say, the strike has a nice tone, but I disabled the striking as it kept waking us up in the night). I think a lot of these clocks were made in Germany between WW1 and WW2 - I suspect in the late 20s early 30s, and found a ready market in the UK.

[Tedzed1]

That looks splendid Joe, well done.

[Joe]

I like to hear clocks striking in the night so that's no problem. I am, if anything, a bit disappointed that its tick isn't louder.

Cheers

Joe

[Alistair D]

Joe,
I gather you are saying petrol is better than kerosene. I must try that out.
After my grandmother passed away in 1978 I was given her Westminster clock from the side board. I got it going again and it ran for another 20 years. Now it is not transmitting enough power to the pendulum to tick for more than a few seconds. Removing the pendulum allows it to run down so I am hoping a clean and relube will work. What oil do you use? Are there any pivots that should not be oiled?
It is amazing how the ticking of a clock is so soothing. I always remember coming back from holiday and the first thing that I noticed was that the clock needed rewound.

Al

[Joe]

I think the main advantage of petrol is that it evaporates quicker.

I use 'Windle's Clock Oil.' A small bottle cost me about three quid getting on for twenty years ago and the level has hardly dropped. The trouble with machine oil is that in the very small quantities needed it soon goes sticky. That said modern stuff is probably better.

To apply it I use a large sewing needle with the point cut off. On finer things a strand from a wire brush serves well.

   

I oil all the pivots, though don't claim that this is 'correct,' along with a couple of drops on the teeth of the 'scape wheel. I also do the bits of the striking/chiming mechanism which are subject to friction.

- Joe

[Paula A]

The only bearings you don't oil are any which have jewels. Really instead of just soaking the whole thing in a thin oil you should strip and peg out every bearing hole checking for scoring and shake on every bearing and spindle. These 20's and 30's clocks aren't really worth all the effort.. unless you like that sort of thing. My grandfather was a clockmaker and watch repairer as a sort of semi-professional hobby after his radio building escapades in the 20's and 30's.. It's supposely where I got my aptitude for very tiny work. I have soldered single strands like hair to points that people can't see.. and replaced the pots on a playstation laser assembly with fixed "black dot" surface mount resistors.. and it worked..

[Joe]

Quite right, Paula, on both counts. I have completely stripped clocks before as the French ones especially need to be dead right. On the more robust ones it just doesn't seem worth the risk of damaging something - if it hadn't worked then I'd have had to do it.

- Joe

[Joe]

Here's some info on clock cleaning.

- Joe