Currently working on

[arutha]

I bought this 1950’s bakelite Enfield clock from ebay. It is a real mess so I took it to the workshop and got started on it. No, it didn’t run.

[daryn]

Got a buyer there fella ??

[arutha]

No, not for this one yet but because it is bakelite it will sell quick at the craft centre.

[mahlon]

very nice Paul. Bakelite seems to sell here in states pretty good also. The problem is they scrap it for the bakelite, to make jewelry. It’s shame, baklite polishes up very nice, and can be really pretty. Here anything that is the butterscotch color sells the best. Mahlon

[arutha]

Bakelite is quite popular here too but in its original form, they made so much stuff out of it but I suppose its because it was the only equivalent to plastic.

as you can see the movement has been very well looked after. It has had a whole range of lubricants used on it including water, wd40, fluff, cooking oil and plenty of nicotine. The only steel on this mechanism that is not rusty is part of the pallet faces where the escape wheel has been keeping them clean.

So after having a good look around it I get it stripped down.

[arutha]

The movement came apart ok, some of the pivots were a bit tight coming out of the plates because of the solidified dirt that had collected on the ends of them. The mainspring was the cleanest thing in the movement, a quick stretch out and clean with scotchbrite and it was ready to be lubed and put back. Because this movement was so dirty……

….I gave it a scrub in brake and clutch cleaner and let it dry before going in the ultrasonic tank as I didn’t want to ruin my cleaning fluid. The back plate didnt go in as it is painted with a gold paint and I wanted to keep this original finish so it was just hand polished with a little car colour restorer (T-cut).

First I cleaned off all of the rust using different grades of wet & dry paper, buff sticks and a glass scratch brush. I would normally save polishing until last but I ran all the brass through the polisher as I wanted to see what I was doing and be able to inspect everything properly.
Pivots were burnished, faces of the pallets were stoned to get rid of wear grooves. Barrel arbor pivots polished. The pinions were still not clean so they were polished using Autosol metal polish and pegwood.
Wheels were put back between the plates to check for pivot wear now I could see them properly. Both escape wheel and 3rd wheel needed both sides doing and 1 on the centre arbor.

Run through the cleaner again and re-assembled.

[arutha]

Here is the movement back together after lubricating everything, I just put all the parts in a bag and shook it hard until it all went together. I left it running in the workshop and will get to work on the case on Monday.
Paul.

[arutha]

I also forgot to mention, if you look at the 3rd wheel pivot on the front plate you can see it is very close to the edge of the plate and a normal bergeon bush would have meant having to break out of the plate to get it to fit so I used a french bouchon https://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/clock-parts/french-mantel-bushes/bushes-french-clock-large#select
If you are not familiar with these they are just a long but fine bush with a snap off bit on the top, so you cut your new hole, hammer in the bush and then snap of the top bit. Just makes them a lot easier to handle.
Paul.

[mahlon]

Very nice Paul. I can hardly believe that is the same movement. I had a guy show me how to clean off the silver on the back of a mirror one time using muriatic acid. Every piece of metal in my shop looked the way that movement looked. That was ten years ago and I still find evidence of it from time to time. Needless to say, I don’t use muriatic acid in the shop anymore. I do know people who soak heavy brass parts in it. It cleans them pretty good, but I am sure it is not real good for the brass. Can’t wait to see the case when you are finished. Mahlon

[arutha]

Thanks Mahlon,
it was so bad it took me almost all day, on a small time only movement like this I would expect it to take just 2 or 3 hours.
Paul.

[chris mabbott]

Paul, the satisfaction of cleaning something in this condition is priceless, especially when it comes up nice and shiny like this one. Nice job buddy, you saved yet another one from the elements and obscurity. Hopefully someone buys it for a nice timepiece and not scrap! I dislike very strongly people who destroy something for a few $$ in scrap. One thing is using other movements for parts, which I try my hardest not to do, but at least that, I feel, is justified by getting another piece running.

Great job.. Is it a chimer?

I think I showed you a PW that I have on the way that’s in similar condition, can’t WAAAAIT for it to arrive and start cleaning

[bernie weishapl]

Beautiful job Paul. I have did a movement or two like that. I did it because I was determined to get it to run no matter the time. You should have a sense of great satisfaction on that job. That clock movement is a beauty now. On the bushing when they are that close I just turn one that slightly thinner that a normal KWM which is what I use. Most time on the old antique clocks the 2nd wheel generally is also close to the edge.

[willofiam]

Hey Paul, as always Fantastic job, you will always have a position here doing the cleaning Like the guys are saying, there is something about working on the ones that are in the worst shape, must be the transformation gratification. if they are all original and dug out of 100 year old dirt I am most excited. William

[Bob Tascione]

Incredible work Paul!
That can’t possibly be the same clock. It looks like a new movement now!
Great job.

Bob

[arutha]

Thanks for all the kind comments

Chris, no, it is just a time piece, if you look at the clock case you will see just 1 winding hole, this usually signifies time piece only, 2 holes and it will mainly be a strike although a very few 2 hole clocks chime as well, 3 holes and it will be a chiming clock.
Paul.

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