Old English Longcase Clock

[Bob Tascione]

Hi Paul,
Since there was only one pulley with the clock that’s not a dumb question at all!
Yes you do need another one. You would hang the weight from the loop on the pulley (the weights have open hooks) and would run the gut from the winding drum around the pulley and back up to the seat board. There might be a hook in the seat board but much more likely there’s a hole that the gut can pass through. You can tie the gut around a small dowel or to secure it or there may be a hook or something else to attach it to on the other side of the board. Some people just tie a big knot and heat it just a bit with a flame to cause the knot to stick (slightly melt) together. I personally like to secure the line to something like a dowel with a groove around the center.

You can order gut from Timesavers and possibly from a supply house near you in the U.K. If you want you can also go with a braided nylon or dacron line which you can get from a fishing supply store. It’s important to make sure it’s braided though as anything else will stretch quite a bit when the weight is added. I like to use gut but many people prefer synthetic. It’s a matter of preference.

Hope this helps Paul!
Bob

[willofiam]

Bob, when ordering or finding a “string” for the weights how critical is it to get something that will fit correctly into the barrel groves, I think the supply houses do sell different diameters, and in more than enough length. a wall clock I havnt gotten to yet required 0.70mm and came in a 16′ length, I ordered the gut clock cord. William

[Bob Tascione]

Hi William,
Very good question! it’s very important. If you go too large the line will fill the spool too quickly and will spool back (double) over on itself. This can result in possible binding.

Bob

[arutha]

Thank you very much for the answers, it all makes sense now I kept a piece of the old gut so will check the diameter when ordering. I have put a bid on a complete pendulum on e-bay so will let you know if I win it. Almost finished cleaning the mech up now so will soon be ready for pivot polishing and bushing.
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[Bob Tascione]

You’re welcome Paul!
Good luck on that auction. Looking forward to more pics…gonna be a beautiful clock!
Enjoy
Bob

[arutha]

Lost out on the pendulum so bought this one as it was a buy it now
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170856413369?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
I can play with the bob later once the mech is done, hopefuly its not too big but then I suppose I can always turn the brass cover down.
I have enough lead to be able to cast my own weights once I know what size they need to be, not sure how I am going to make the mould yet but I will worry about that later.

[Bob Tascione]

Hi Paul,
Great. Looks like it may work well for you. I don’t thing the bob diameter is too large. If you do decide that you would like to buy lead or cast iron weights Cousins has both as well as a lot of other tall case material. Here’s a couple of links to the weights.
http://www.cousinsuk.com/catalog/8/2328/1184.aspx

Enjoy,
Bob

[arutha]

Hi Bob,
having looked at the prices I think I will have a go at casting my own. I have cast my own lead fishing weights in the past so it shouldnt be too difficult. I just need to come up with something to use as a mould, I am not sure what to use yet but it will come to me if I dont think about it. I find that when I dont think about stuff it just comes to me, but then I have always been a bit weird like that

[Bob Tascione]

Wow, you’re sure right about that Paul. I thought those prices were per pair not just one weigh and that still sounds a bit high.
Seems like pretty steep prices for a chunk of lead and then shipping on top of that. I don’t know what lead is selling for though so maybe the price is warranted. Either way the project would be fun and my guess is you’ll save quite a bit too.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Bob

[willofiam]

Hey Paul, I would just be guessing but what if you cut a steel pipe in half the long way and use hose clamps to hold it back together, if you had a threaded end you can use a cap for the bottom. :ugeek: Just thinking. William

[arutha]

Hi Bob, the pendulum turned up today, the postal company had managed to bend the rod almost 90 degrees but I have strightened it out. I have also ordered the gut line and have almost finished cleaning the mechanism. Will get some pictures posted up of the cleaned mech as soon as it is finished. The dial is going to my artist friend next week, once I have the mech back together I can then start looking for a bell and also what style of hands to make, I have the second hand which I will also post up a picture of for you to have a look at.
I have managed to get some oak veneer and a few lengths of oak to try and make the missing bits of trim. Not looking forward to that part as I have no idea how to form the shape, but I will do it
Paul.

[Bob Tascione]

That’s great Paul!
Looking forward to seeing more pics.
Hey you may have missed Williams post which is up the page a couple of posts from this one. Looks like he was posting at about the same time you were putting your last post up.
Enjoy for now,
Bob

[arutha]

I did miss Williams post!
William, thanks for that idea, I have been talking to a friend of mine who has made weights before using aluminium pipe, he said if I grease the inside of the pipe the lead wont stick to it and will just slide out when it cools as it will contract. I just need to find the right size aluminium tube and figure out how to cap one end, or another thought I had was popping down the auto garage where I used to work and seeing if they had an old piece of exhaust pipe of the right diameter, they could then weld a cap on one end which I could then cut or grind off again once the lead has cooled. A piece of wire coat hanger to make the loop, job done

[willofiam]

Hey Paul, one more idea on the weight, how about doing some research on how it was done around the time your clock was originally made, probably something easy and you may teach us all something. William

[arutha]

I think back then it was done with cast iron, most longcase clocks have cast iron weights or lead filled tubes like regulator clocks. I am not too worried about the style or look of the weights as this clock is staying in the house once it is done and not many people are going to want to see the weights. I will however swap them for a real pair if I ever come accross some cheap enough

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