French clock rebuild

[torsion]

Hi all hope everyone staying safe
I am wondering if anyone knows of a video regarding rebuilding a French Japy Freres type clock as I am having trouble setting up my clock after I had to strip it due to a mainspring let go no matter how I align wheels up it just jams up I have a book that I thought may help but it’s not as much help as I had hoped.
Thanks in advance Dell

[vernon]

Hello Dell
New member here on the forum and Bobs courses but long time clock and watch restorer.
I’m not aware of any video addressing just this movement.
You posted “French Japy Freres TYPE” so not sure if my post will apply.
Normally these French clocks are manufactured from quality metals at high tolerances. They are fine quality movements
requiring same high quality repairs which fall within these close tolerances, unlike the much more forgiving American mass produced movements as well as others.
A spring that lets loose instantly releases its stored energy into the movement which can potentially damage components such as wheel teeth, pivots, arbors etc. While more forgiving lower tolerance clocks might still function from the blast the more precision movement might not. A barely perceptible bent tooth, pivot or arbor will often effect a French clocks performance. Super close examination of these more fragile, vulnerable components is essential as this is where I usually find the problem in these movements. I would section check the interaction between wheels between the plates (unless you have a depthing tool) making sure everything meshes and spins VERY freely. It doesn’t take much to stop these clock.

Good luck Dell and hope I helped at least a little.
Vern

[torsion]

Hi vernon
Thanks for the reply and sorry for the late reply but my Father in law died so things like going on the forum have been the last thing on my mind.
Anyway the main spring let go as I started to wind it up, I had only wound it about two turns so it didn’t do any damage, it is up and running again now but I was having trouble getting it to strike at the correct time but hopefully I have it sorted now thanks Dell

[torsion]

Hi all
I thought I would post to say that the clock is working perfectly now and to let people know how I addressed a problem with a broken screw in one of the corners of the case.
The stub was to small to drill and use an easy out but there was a bit stuck out so I heated the brass post and fixed the bit stuck out in the vice and turned the post by hand, I thought it’s moving but no it just broke further in, so the next course of action was an alum bath left it to soak for a week ( still there ) looked on NAWCC forum and they said it worked better and quicker hot so I heated the water and 24 hours later it had gone, see picture with new 5BA cheese head screw, all I have to do now is run a tap in to clean threads, a bit of copper slip on screw threads then assemble.
Dell

• This reply was modified 2 years ago by Tamas Richard.

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