Clock repair forum or information?
Discussion
Sorry for disturbing the watch chat!
I picked up a late 19th century American mantel clock at auction (wasn't expensive) it seemed to have an issue striking, once it got to 8 it would strike continuously for quite some time and end up back at 1. I believe I'd found the cause but of course I broke something. I've no clue what this is called in order to look for a replacement! Where does one find such information?
Few quick pics the snaped part is pointed at with the screw driver, it's an L shaped arm that drops into the notches which are counting the strikes per hour. Front photo shows the whole mechanism of that helps someone tell me what type of movement this is!
I picked up a late 19th century American mantel clock at auction (wasn't expensive) it seemed to have an issue striking, once it got to 8 it would strike continuously for quite some time and end up back at 1. I believe I'd found the cause but of course I broke something. I've no clue what this is called in order to look for a replacement! Where does one find such information?
Few quick pics the snaped part is pointed at with the screw driver, it's an L shaped arm that drops into the notches which are counting the strikes per hour. Front photo shows the whole mechanism of that helps someone tell me what type of movement this is!
Looks more like a German movement. Probably have to repair the broken part or make a new one.
Just looked at the pics again on a bigger screen, so I can see the part you broke. Cut off the end of the lever and silver solder a new piece of steel on.
For reference, rather than trying to bend the lever so that it drops cleanly into the slots in the countwheel, the countwheel itself can often be rotated on it's arbor. Look at the collet (brass bushing) that holds the countwheel onto it's arbor (shaft). If there are one or two small slots in the collet, it can be rotated by firm finger pressure.
Just looked at the pics again on a bigger screen, so I can see the part you broke. Cut off the end of the lever and silver solder a new piece of steel on.
For reference, rather than trying to bend the lever so that it drops cleanly into the slots in the countwheel, the countwheel itself can often be rotated on it's arbor. Look at the collet (brass bushing) that holds the countwheel onto it's arbor (shaft). If there are one or two small slots in the collet, it can be rotated by firm finger pressure.
Edited by clockworks on Friday 1st March 09:24
clockworks said:
Looks more like a German movement. Probably have to repair the broken part or make a new one
Indeed it's a simple enough part I was just curious as to it's name so I can read up and see if replacements are easy to find. Otherwise I'll knock one up 
I'm new to the world of clocks so my online goto resources are zero :P
Is there a maker's mark on the movement? Most American clocks that I've seen have open springs, rather than barrels.
Some later American clocks used German movements, and there was at least one German clock factory that was run as a joint venture.
There isn't much in the way of new parts available for clocks. Mostly generic parts that need a fair bit of fettling to fit, or it's a case of making it from scratch.
You can get most parts for later Hermle or Keininger movements from stock, as well as complete movements. Same with later cuckoo clocks, as they are still being made.
There are some reproduction parts available from the USA for earlier American clocks too.
Most of the stuff I need I can make, repair or adapt. There are a few guys that specialise in making things like wheels and pinions (gears).
Some later American clocks used German movements, and there was at least one German clock factory that was run as a joint venture.
There isn't much in the way of new parts available for clocks. Mostly generic parts that need a fair bit of fettling to fit, or it's a case of making it from scratch.
You can get most parts for later Hermle or Keininger movements from stock, as well as complete movements. Same with later cuckoo clocks, as they are still being made.
There are some reproduction parts available from the USA for earlier American clocks too.
Most of the stuff I need I can make, repair or adapt. There are a few guys that specialise in making things like wheels and pinions (gears).
clockworks said:
Is there a maker's mark on the movement? Most American clocks that I've seen have open springs, rather than barrels.
Some later American clocks used German movements, and there was at least one German clock factory that was run as a joint venture.
There isn't much in the way of new parts available for clocks. Mostly generic parts that need a fair bit of fettling to fit, or it's a case of making it from scratch.
You can get most parts for later Hermle or Keininger movements from stock, as well as complete movements. Same with later cuckoo clocks, as they are still being made.
There are some reproduction parts available from the USA for earlier American clocks too.
Most of the stuff I need I can make, repair or adapt. There are a few guys that specialise in making things like wheels and pinions (gears).
Thanks, it seems what I'm looking at is the "count lever" which is sitting in the "count wheel" it wasn't square which it should be which was causing the multiple strikes I was seeing, (the stop arm was resting under the stop pin slightly) all I need to do is undo this pin and then I should be able to get it apart, make a new piece and get it all adjusted. Some later American clocks used German movements, and there was at least one German clock factory that was run as a joint venture.
There isn't much in the way of new parts available for clocks. Mostly generic parts that need a fair bit of fettling to fit, or it's a case of making it from scratch.
You can get most parts for later Hermle or Keininger movements from stock, as well as complete movements. Same with later cuckoo clocks, as they are still being made.
There are some reproduction parts available from the USA for earlier American clocks too.
Most of the stuff I need I can make, repair or adapt. There are a few guys that specialise in making things like wheels and pinions (gears).
what materials do you use for new pieces?
clockworks said:
In theory this part isn't under any real load, so a strip of steel or brass will do the job. Butt joint a piece of steel and silver solder it, or use brass and soft solder or rivet a lap joint.
Steel and a butt joint will be pretty much unnoticeable with a bit of care.
Good to know! I assume you'd unmount the part before doing this? fix it in isolation? I'm going to look tonight into removing the tapered pin and getting the broken part outSteel and a butt joint will be pretty much unnoticeable with a bit of care.
MDMetal said:
clockworks said:
In theory this part isn't under any real load, so a strip of steel or brass will do the job. Butt joint a piece of steel and silver solder it, or use brass and soft solder or rivet a lap joint.
Steel and a butt joint will be pretty much unnoticeable with a bit of care.
Good to know! I assume you'd unmount the part before doing this? fix it in isolation? I'm going to look tonight into removing the tapered pin and getting the broken part outSteel and a butt joint will be pretty much unnoticeable with a bit of care.
No need to dismantle any further. The shaft will be pressed on, but really tightly, so leave it in place.
If you are just doing this repair on your own clock to get it working, soldering a piece on with ordinary electrical solder will work fine. I wouldn't do it that way myself, but it will do the job. Cut a strip the right width and length, overlapping the remains of the lever about halfway to the brass collet. Clean up the mating surfaces, apply a bit of flux if you've got any, then "tin" the surfaces. Clamp them together with forceps or small pliers, then heat until the solder melts.
Clean everything up (making sure to remove all traces of flux), and put it back together.
Chances are the lever will fall into the slot in slightly the wrong place. If the countwheel is moveable on it's shaft, rotate it to line up. If not, tweak the new piece on the lever a little.
A repair like that will be functional, and will be reversible if you ever want it sorted by a clockmaker as part of a good service.
If you are just doing this repair on your own clock to get it working, soldering a piece on with ordinary electrical solder will work fine. I wouldn't do it that way myself, but it will do the job. Cut a strip the right width and length, overlapping the remains of the lever about halfway to the brass collet. Clean up the mating surfaces, apply a bit of flux if you've got any, then "tin" the surfaces. Clamp them together with forceps or small pliers, then heat until the solder melts.
Clean everything up (making sure to remove all traces of flux), and put it back together.
Chances are the lever will fall into the slot in slightly the wrong place. If the countwheel is moveable on it's shaft, rotate it to line up. If not, tweak the new piece on the lever a little.
A repair like that will be functional, and will be reversible if you ever want it sorted by a clockmaker as part of a good service.
clockworks said:
No need to dismantle any further. The shaft will be pressed on, but really tightly, so leave it in place.
If you are just doing this repair on your own clock to get it working, soldering a piece on with ordinary electrical solder will work fine. I wouldn't do it that way myself, but it will do the job. Cut a strip the right width and length, overlapping the remains of the lever about halfway to the brass collet. Clean up the mating surfaces, apply a bit of flux if you've got any, then "tin" the surfaces. Clamp them together with forceps or small pliers, then heat until the solder melts.
Clean everything up (making sure to remove all traces of flux), and put it back together.
Chances are the lever will fall into the slot in slightly the wrong place. If the countwheel is moveable on it's shaft, rotate it to line up. If not, tweak the new piece on the lever a little.
A repair like that will be functional, and will be reversible if you ever want it sorted by a clockmaker as part of a good service.
Perfect! I'll give that a go tomorrow, thanks for the help I'll be sure to post the results.If you are just doing this repair on your own clock to get it working, soldering a piece on with ordinary electrical solder will work fine. I wouldn't do it that way myself, but it will do the job. Cut a strip the right width and length, overlapping the remains of the lever about halfway to the brass collet. Clean up the mating surfaces, apply a bit of flux if you've got any, then "tin" the surfaces. Clamp them together with forceps or small pliers, then heat until the solder melts.
Clean everything up (making sure to remove all traces of flux), and put it back together.
Chances are the lever will fall into the slot in slightly the wrong place. If the countwheel is moveable on it's shaft, rotate it to line up. If not, tweak the new piece on the lever a little.
A repair like that will be functional, and will be reversible if you ever want it sorted by a clockmaker as part of a good service.
In some ways I like seeing little repairs of my own, adds to the story! But we'll see, I bought it to enjoy not for its value 😁
There should be a makers identification mark somewhere on the movement. They're normally marked directly into the brass but occasionally were paper labels stuck on (which someone might have cleaned off).
Here's a link to the older German manufacturer marks,
http://www.twigsdigs.com/cot/bulletin/old_factorie...
And a more global listing.
http://www.nawcc-index.net/Identification.php
Old clocks are brilliant for playing with. You don't need magnifying glasses to see what you're doing, you can use b&q pliers, screwdrivers and hammers, and the best lubrication comes out of a can of 3-in-1 oil. As you note, they're also remarkably cheap to buy. I went through a phase of buying old clocks at local auctions, cleaning and repairing them, working out what was good and what was bad about their movements and then selling them on ebay. General purchase price for a broken grandfather clock from the late 1800's or early 1900's was £40. General selling price on ebay wasn't really all that much more mind you and postage was a right bugger, but that wasn't the point.
I still regret selling the grandmother clock (slightly smaller than a grandfather) I once repaired. Got the thing back to making the most marvellous hourly chimes and moved it from my study to the hallway so it could chime away in an original victorian setting. My wife complained, insisted I tie up the chiming mechanism as it was annoying her and then suggested I get rid of it as it was 'another piece of junk you've found in a dump'.
Here's a link to the older German manufacturer marks,
http://www.twigsdigs.com/cot/bulletin/old_factorie...
And a more global listing.
http://www.nawcc-index.net/Identification.php
Old clocks are brilliant for playing with. You don't need magnifying glasses to see what you're doing, you can use b&q pliers, screwdrivers and hammers, and the best lubrication comes out of a can of 3-in-1 oil. As you note, they're also remarkably cheap to buy. I went through a phase of buying old clocks at local auctions, cleaning and repairing them, working out what was good and what was bad about their movements and then selling them on ebay. General purchase price for a broken grandfather clock from the late 1800's or early 1900's was £40. General selling price on ebay wasn't really all that much more mind you and postage was a right bugger, but that wasn't the point.
I still regret selling the grandmother clock (slightly smaller than a grandfather) I once repaired. Got the thing back to making the most marvellous hourly chimes and moved it from my study to the hallway so it could chime away in an original victorian setting. My wife complained, insisted I tie up the chiming mechanism as it was annoying her and then suggested I get rid of it as it was 'another piece of junk you've found in a dump'.
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