Really a newby – Watch Repair Clock Repair

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December 19, 2011 at 6:43 pm #48148
don1954
Participant
Hi,
I;m Really a newby on this, I dont know what clock or watch tools are or even what there used for, im trying to learn.
I got the on line course and it is bringing some of it to light. I,ve gotten into it because i have became disableded in the last couple years after fourty years of hard work.
I,m trying to get a hobby going that doesnt require hard work so i got to looking at our old Hemle Grandfather clock that i had a old clock repair guy clean and repair it six or seven years ago. After he finished it it ran for about three months and quit and of course he passed away. I’m not sure what he used on it but this stuff ran down on the gears and plates and hardend like cement, i tryed everything to get it off and finialy sofened it up with meuratic acid then soked it it brass cleaners of al types for hours and used a brass bruss and got it off finealy.
There is one thing i did’nt notice is there is three wait gears two turn one way and one turns the other way, can anyone tell me where the one goes? and how to time it.
I do have a few old clocks ive save from my childhood like mantel clocks and mantel clock bodies lot of them have spring wind up works they dont work either so i think i,ll try to fix them also.
Can you tell me what tools i should get, I know now i need a lathe but dont know whitch to get and what adapters to get with it. i,ve been looking on ebay but am confused.Do i need a staking set and thing like that if so do you have a video on how to actualy use them?
I’ll be back asking more dumb questions
Thanks Don
December 22, 2011 at 8:56 am #50918
don1954
Participant
I guess this was’nt worth posting on
December 22, 2011 at 3:20 pm #50919
oldtimers
Participant
Hello Don,
Please don’t get discouraged. I saw your post yesterday and could have replied in part but didn’t want to make only a partial post and not everything you were asking was clear to me. You posted

There is one thing i did’nt notice is there is three wait gears two turn one way and one turns the other way, can anyone tell me where the one goes? and how to time it.

You might want to describe it in more detail and put a foto up here for us if that’s possible too. At least for me because you lost me with that one. As far as a lathe goes I would say you don’t need one at this point. This is something you can buy later. The first thing would be to get some theory and repair techniques down. There are simple staking tools for clock repair but the way you word it in your post it sounds like you were asking about a staking set that is used mostly for watch repair. Bob has a video up in the watch course section where he shows how to use a staking set. I don’t remember which video though. I don’t think you need a watch staking set though. The simple hand tools that he uses in the videos like large tweezers, screwdrivers, some mainspring let down keys, pliers, files, a magnifying visor, oil, cleaning solution and a hand bushing tool set with some of the most common bushings — you can ask the supplier about which size bushings are needed the most — should take you a long way through the beginning stages and won’t break the piggy bank which is often a concern for beginners.
Try to get some pictures up here and a better description of the problem you’re having and maybe someone can help out.
I hope this helps for now Don–
John
December 28, 2011 at 4:24 pm #50920
don1954
Participant
The movement is a hermle 451-050 75cm it is chain driven> There are three gears for the chains, where does the one go that turns backwards from the other two.
December 28, 2011 at 4:38 pm #50921
don1954
Participant
I have also found why the clock loced up. The end of the arber on the escape wheel is bent any help on straighting it correctly?
Thanks Don
December 28, 2011 at 7:06 pm #50922
Bob Tascione
Moderator
Happy Holidays Don!
I’ve just returned from traveling but I don’t have a Hermle with me down here in Mexico right now that I can look at. I think that would be the strike pulley that you’re asking about. Pretty sure but going from memory. I’ll see if I have a book or something down here with me that I can check just to make sure.
I agree with what John said about not needing a lathe or a staking set until later except…you could sure use one for straightening that pivot. Chucking the arbor in a lathe and then putting a punch with a hole that “just” fits over the pivot makes for a simple repair. Short of having those tools you can still do the job by making a small v-block out of wood …just a block of wood with a v shape cut along the top… that you can lay and rotate the arbor in to locate the high point on the pivot and then using a smooth jawed pliers grab the pivot and bend slightly then check the pivot by rotating the arbor in the v-block to see it there is still a high point. Repeat the process until it’s perfectly straight. It’s really important to make very small adjustments so that you don’t bend the pivot too far because having to bend it back again could crack or break the pivot off. It’s very common for clocksmiths to replace these movements with a new one when worn. As a result we usually have a lot of them laying around for parts. You can probably find used movements up on ebay for next to nothing. Good to have around when you need something like an escape wheel and arbor! Also you may be able to order a new wheel and arbor from a supplier like Timesavers or Merritts.
I’ll check around tonight to see if I have some info on that pulley.
Enjoy!
Bob
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