New Guy

[Larry Orr]

My name is Larry Orr. I’m 66 and live in Crestview FL.  Just got started with the ultra horology course, taking the Hermle course first and it’s really opened my eyes on the right way to disassemble and assemble these movements. My interest in timepieces started 30 years ago when I started collecting and repairing pocket watches.  When our cuckoo clocks stopped working, I disassembled, cleaned and repaired them.  I did the same to our German Grandfather clock.  Once friends, family and neighbors found out I liked to work on clocks they asked me to fix theirs.  Not always successful I found I enjoyed working on mechanical movements the best.  I also have done quartz movement replacement, anniversary clock repair and wristwatch repairs.  I’ve accumulated lots of watch and clock repair tools and continue to buy them or make them when I need a new one.  Looking forward to learning more….

[drichards]

Hi Larry, Careful or you just might end up with a full time business there!

Just kidding of course! That’s what happened to me with watches many years ago.  I still do a lot of helping out whenever I can. It’s always a great feeling to get a timepiece going for an old friend or acquaintance. I too love working on all mechanical whenever possible. The fascination never ends.

Welcome to the forum.  Looking forward to hearing more from you!

All the best to you Larry,

Dean

 

• This reply was modified 1 year ago by drichards.

[Dell]

Welcome Larry

I have retired now and I do a lot of torsion clocks ( 400 day ) because over here in the UK so called clockmakers will not touch them, anyway I have the ultra course I purchased it when I needed to make something for a clock as I had never used a lathe before and I must say it was very helpful and informative, I haven’t looked at it in a long time now but it’s there if I need it.

enjoy Dell

[Larry Orr]

Dell,

I recently acquired several 400 day and 1 Shatz 1000 day clocks.  I’ve been successful on 3 and they run quite well.  The others need parts.  I’ve tried to find replacements but haven’t had much luck.  Have you had any success finding parts for Schatz clocks particularly the 1000 day variety?  I need the main or first wheel.  I’ve tried several times to repair the original but haven’t as of yet.

Thanks, Larry

[Dell]

Hi Larry

sorry for the late reply , I have a 1000 day sent to me by a friend in America ( I am in uk ) that had the mainspring let go and it caused no end of damage, it bent the first wheel arbor and stripped 50% of the teeth, bent second wheel arbor, snapped pivot off the third wheel, snapped pivot  on escape wheel and bent teeth, bent centre arbor, you will find that the Schatz 53 and the JUM/7 have mostly the same mobiles except the first wheel and escape wheel, the first ( wheel ) is the same but the pinion is larger, what I did was remove the wheel from a JUM/7 and fitted it to the original arbor after I had straightened it.

not sure what part of the world you are in but Horolovar in USA have lots of spares

Dell

[Larry Orr]

Thanks Dell.  I’m in the Florida panhandle.  I’ve used Horolovar and you are right they have lots of parts.  I did a similar repair on the first wheel.  Everything works really well until I put the pallet in.  I put a new suspension spring assembly in, wound the main spring and started the pendulum and get nothing to work.  I’ve tried to ensure the pallet is level so it can engage with the escape wheel.  I’ve thought about replacing the jewels with bushings but not there yet.  Any advice?

Thanks, Larry

[Dell]

If the movement is all clean and friction free ( way to check is without anchor the escape wheel should start to spin with 2 clicks on the winder), if that’s all good and the clock is in beat then as the anchor pivot is in the suspension bracket that would need to be setup, a tooth should land on the pallet just above ( not on ) the polished part on both the entry and exit pallets and be as equal as possible, if you didn’t mark the position of the suspension bracket before removing it that is more than likely your problem as the suspension bracket has a elongated slot on the right looking from the back and it only needs to be very slightly out for it not to run, personally I would not remove or change the jewels because there is less friction with a jewel than a brass bush.

Please let me know how you get on Dell

[Larry Orr]

Dell I was able to acquire a 1st wheel and 5th wheel from Horolovar.  I tried to repair both the original wheel had success with the 1st wheel but had lots of fun with my lathe trying to fix the fifth wheel pivot…need to practice more.  I’ve got the movement running like you said with a couple clicks on the winder, but now am patiently trying to set the suspension bracket set.  Unfortunately, the suspension bracket wasn’t on the clock when I got it so it’s trial and error trying to reset.  However, I won’t give up.  Hope all is well on your side of the pond.

v/r

Larry

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