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  • #49677
    danbgt
    Participant

      I am just starting into this clock thing. I am retired. Not really my choice but it is what it is. When “they” tell you you’re done, go away, I guess you don’t have much choice.
      I love mechanical stuff and have always had a passing interest in old clocks so that’s what I’m getting into.
      My first project was to bring this old Waterbury “Hillsdale” Gingerbread clock back to life. I have some woodworking tools and some experience in that field.

      It has a broken top that I hope to repair. Might just have to try and replace it with something else. The movement is in not too bad a shape. I watched Bob’s clock course two or there times, did a bunch of reading and youtube watching. I acquired the basic tools to work on the movement and was ready to start when this came along.

      This is an Ingraham built clock sold by Lovell. It belongs to my daughter-in-law. It was rebuilt by her grandfather many years ago. He passed away a long time ago. It didn’t run and she wanted to know if I could fix it. I have been working on it. The suspension spring was broken so I replaced that and, low-and-be-hold, it runs. The movement is very dirty. Looks like it has had some bushings installed. The pallets are held together was bent nails instead of proper pins. I’m finally getting to my questions:
      I have not been able to get he clock into a smooth rhythm yet. I also cannot get it to run slow enough. It gains a few minutes everyday even with the pendulum nut all the way up. It my not have the correct pendulum. Should I just not mess with it until the movement has been gleaned and oiled? Or should I try and get it to running correctly before the cleaning?

      #63319
      stevefitzwater
      Participant

        if the clock has not been serviced for awhile, I would clean the clock, then once everything has been cleaned, then worry about it hold time

        #63320
        willofiam
        Moderator

          Welcome, sounds like you have been bitten by the clock repair bug :D Steve is right about servicing the clock, remember friction is our enemy. If it is dirty, worn, sticky, ect… things wont run properly. A bit difficult to say about it being “erratic” without having it in hand. Also when you say, @Danbgt wrote:

          I also cannot get it to run slow enough. It gains a few minutes everyday even with the pendulum nut all the way up. It my not have the correct pendulum.

          It looks like it may be the correct pendulum BUT when you want to slow it down you would turn the nut to make the pendulum bob lower, “lower is slower” is what I say. In a nutshell, by lowering it you are changing the effective length of the pendulum, the center of oscillation would be longer therefore taking more time to swing thru its arch, if I remember correctly Bob covers that in one of his videos. Hope that helps, have fun. William

          #63321
          bernie weishapl
          Participant

            First thing I would do would be to disassemble the clock, clean it, polish the pivots, clean the holes and then reassemble. Then worry about how it is running. It must be put in beat and lower the pendulum as William said to slow the clock down. Without being cleaned you could be beating your head against the wall. 😆 Review Bob’s videos as William said as he tells about adjusting the pendulum and putting it in beat. Have fun.

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