Simple clock mechanism question / sourcing
Discussion
Morning- quick and easy one I hope.
I recall back in the days of school making clocks in DT, one mechanism for the masses.
The Mrs has an old clock that has borked although can still be heard ticking. I bought a replacement - but seems they are not all the same after all. Can you help me find a replacement please (note the central needle type mount for the minute hand)
Original Borked on the left, Generic Amazon job that is not suitable for the hands on the right.
I recall back in the days of school making clocks in DT, one mechanism for the masses.
The Mrs has an old clock that has borked although can still be heard ticking. I bought a replacement - but seems they are not all the same after all. Can you help me find a replacement please (note the central needle type mount for the minute hand)
Original Borked on the left, Generic Amazon job that is not suitable for the hands on the right.
Possibly a silly question, but have you tried replacing the battery in the “borked” clock? Mum has a cheap clock that will continue to tick for months on end but doesn’t have enough power to move the hands when the battery gets low. A fresh battery and it sounds the same but the hands actually move!
LunarOne said:
Possibly a silly question, but have you tried replacing the battery in the “borked” clock? Mum has a cheap clock that will continue to tick for months on end but doesn’t have enough power to move the hands when the battery gets low. A fresh battery and it sounds the same but the hands actually move!
Yes ! Tried that. I can for fun try another battery again though.it would appear that we don't have a 'standard' mechanism out there to choose from ?
clockworks said:
The "needle fitting" is actually for a seconds hand. My guess is you pulled the minute hand off, and the fitting came off with it. Pics of the minute hand will help.
UserName checksout 
Annnnnd confession time. Earlier investigations in the week saw the minute hand would droop. So I applied a dab of threadlock..... and so that collar is firmly now attached to the minute hand.
Seems I have bodged myself in to a corner here.
I shall revert !
There are 2 types of basic movement to case fitting:
German/Japanese, which uses a tube nut, male thread into the body of the movement. This is your original
Chinese, which uses a hex nut onto a male thread. This is your replacement.
There are 2 types of hand fitting:
Non Euro Fitting (NEF), where the hour and minute hands have plain round holes, and push onto plastic spindles. This is your replacement.
Euro Fitting (EF), where the hour hand is push fit, and the minute hand hole has "flats" and is held onto a brass spindle with a knurled nut. I suspect this is your original, but you pulled the brass part out.
Each type is available in several shaft lengths, and the German type tube nut is also available in several lengths to accommodate different case thicknesses.
There are also normal and high torque versions of the German style. Yours has a green adjusting wheel, so it's a high torque movement, for longer or heavier hands.
Then there are the standard "one second tick" and "sweep" movements.
Best thing you can do is buy an identical movement to the original. It's made by UTS, who are still producing movements.
Measure the length of the hand shaft, from the plastic body to the tip of the seconds shaft in mm.
Work out whether you have EF or NEF type by looking for the bit that came off with the minute hand.
Make sure you order a high torque movement if you can, as it should last longer.
Cousins Material House will have the exact movement you need to replace yours.
Edited to add: Sounds like you've got an EF movement then, so all you need is the shaft length.
Get one from here: https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/hi-torque-uts
German/Japanese, which uses a tube nut, male thread into the body of the movement. This is your original
Chinese, which uses a hex nut onto a male thread. This is your replacement.
There are 2 types of hand fitting:
Non Euro Fitting (NEF), where the hour and minute hands have plain round holes, and push onto plastic spindles. This is your replacement.
Euro Fitting (EF), where the hour hand is push fit, and the minute hand hole has "flats" and is held onto a brass spindle with a knurled nut. I suspect this is your original, but you pulled the brass part out.
Each type is available in several shaft lengths, and the German type tube nut is also available in several lengths to accommodate different case thicknesses.
There are also normal and high torque versions of the German style. Yours has a green adjusting wheel, so it's a high torque movement, for longer or heavier hands.
Then there are the standard "one second tick" and "sweep" movements.
Best thing you can do is buy an identical movement to the original. It's made by UTS, who are still producing movements.
Measure the length of the hand shaft, from the plastic body to the tip of the seconds shaft in mm.
Work out whether you have EF or NEF type by looking for the bit that came off with the minute hand.
Make sure you order a high torque movement if you can, as it should last longer.
Cousins Material House will have the exact movement you need to replace yours.
Edited to add: Sounds like you've got an EF movement then, so all you need is the shaft length.
Get one from here: https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/hi-torque-uts
Edited by clockworks on Tuesday 5th January 09:03
No problem.
This comes up quite often. I get customers asking if I can just sell them a movement so they can fit it themselves, or asking me why the replacement they bought online doesn't fit.
Thing is, I can normally supply and fit for between £10 and £15 - depending on how long it takes to get access to the front and back.
This comes up quite often. I get customers asking if I can just sell them a movement so they can fit it themselves, or asking me why the replacement they bought online doesn't fit.
Thing is, I can normally supply and fit for between £10 and £15 - depending on how long it takes to get access to the front and back.
Oh, and if you do order it from Cousins, they are basically a business to business supplier. You don't need an account, and they are happy to sell to consumers, but they don't do refunds unless the item is faulty (standard trade terms).
You just need to tick a box at checkout to say that you accept their trade terms, basically waiving your rights under the distance selling regs. In 20 plus years, I've never had a problem with them.
You just need to tick a box at checkout to say that you accept their trade terms, basically waiving your rights under the distance selling regs. In 20 plus years, I've never had a problem with them.
Nice little French clock, late 19th century rack strike movement.
These tend to be very nicely made movements, and don't normally suffer from too much wear unless someone has tried oiling it without stripping and cleaning it first. They are quite delicate - some of the pivots are very thin, and very hard, and snap if you so much as look at them in the wrong way!
Definitely not a DIY job.
It will probably need 2 or 3 bushes, a new set of mainsprings, possibly a suspension spring, and it seems to be missing the minute hand. Repairing the movement isn't a problem for a clockmaker - I charge £130 for these.
Finding a new minute hand might be tricky. Reproductions are available, but not cheap.
These tend to be very nicely made movements, and don't normally suffer from too much wear unless someone has tried oiling it without stripping and cleaning it first. They are quite delicate - some of the pivots are very thin, and very hard, and snap if you so much as look at them in the wrong way!
Definitely not a DIY job.
It will probably need 2 or 3 bushes, a new set of mainsprings, possibly a suspension spring, and it seems to be missing the minute hand. Repairing the movement isn't a problem for a clockmaker - I charge £130 for these.
Finding a new minute hand might be tricky. Reproductions are available, but not cheap.
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