wind up clock service / repair

[azguzzirep]

My wife found a windup clock in our cellar and she would like to have it in our kitchen . It's not old, old but it's cool.

It will run for short intervals, say 15 or 20 seconds at a time but won't keep running constantly . I know a problem with this type clock is over winding, but I don't think that's the case here.

So what do you think? A shot of Teflon spray? Carb or brake cleaner 😆. A new spring?





Thanks!

[twowings]

When it 'ticks', are the 'ticks' evenly spaced?

[azguzzirep]

When it 'ticks', are the 'ticks' evenly spaced?

When I manually start it by spinning the 'second' spring, it ticks along for a short time, evenly, then stops like there isn't enough spring in the main spring to keep it going.

Luckily, it's a German clock and if it needs a new part, it shouldn't  be too big a problem.😊

[SED]

Emailed this guy about Smiths PA (governor type) speedometers and got a nice reply, but he's primarily a clock guy.

http://www.clockconservation.co.uk/

He's got a nice page on how the weird speedos work:
http://www.magnetic-speedometer-repair.com/gov-howSpeedometerWorks.php#

I just gotta use this icon

[Penderic]

It could be that the mainspring is broken but is still coil bound and turning enough to run for a few seconds.

Old, brittle spring, metal fatigue and over winding did that to an old antique clock of ours. Long gone. 


I wanted to go back in time to fix it, but I went the wrong way, and ended up here instead.

[neverquit]

One of my father's hobbies was a collecting and restoring antique clocks.  If there is no damage or wear then the problem is usually sticky old oil.  Soak the clock works in a container of kerosene for a week or two and then let it drip dry for a few days.  Some of the kerosene lingers around and lubricates the spring.  This alone will fix lots of old clocks.  Put some light weight oil on the ends of the shafts (a very small amount)

The second biggest problem is a shaft that has worn out the hole in the plate that positions it and it has dropped enough to no longer engage the gear, escapement or whatever in the place it should be.  The fix is easy.  Drill a hole in a little scrap of brass that is the same thickness as the two main plates.  Make this hole a close sliding fit on the shaft needing support.  Clean the surfaces and sweat solder this new plate into position on the main plate and you have a new "bearing" holding everything in place again.

[boatdetective]

Clock springs are pretty rugged and so will be hard to snap. If the unit has been dropped, it is possible that the balance pivots could be damaged. Look at the movement closely and locate the balance wheel. It's the one without teeth. The staff (axle) for the balance is supported at either end by the pivots. The pivots are mounted in holes on the plate. Good movements have sapphire jewels as the bearing points. Unjeweled movements are metal to metal contacts, so the pivots wear. Grasp the balance with tweezers and try to move it- is the staff supported at both ends?

Dried up lube usually results in less liquid drag and a movement that runs fast.