Home › Forums › General Discussion Forum › “The Herschede project” our new old family clock
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February 7, 2014 at 1:55 pm #54656
<span style=”font-size:150%”>The test run, running like clockwork….a bit of final polishing and it goes in the case</span>



February 7, 2014 at 2:13 pm #54657That is a fine looking clock and looks like you did a great job on the restore. Well done.
February 7, 2014 at 8:40 pm #54658William,
That looks so good I think even Steffen Pahlow would be impressed.
davidFebruary 7, 2014 at 8:52 pm #54659It’s simply beautiful William, and you have done just a magnificent job……
February 7, 2014 at 10:31 pm #54660Thanks guys, your way too kind…..now here is a question. with the amount of time and effort invested in this project I do not think I will ever have the gumption to sell it, now what will happen if I build a movement from scratch? will I become a hoarder of my own work? how do guys that spend sssssooooo much time in creating and building a watch or clock part with it? William
February 9, 2014 at 3:14 pm #54661William, I am down on my knees worshiping you as one of my new gods

Fantastic work buddy and a very interesting thread, you’ve saved an historical piece from rot and ruin..
Chris
February 9, 2014 at 4:45 pm #54662William, Truly beautiful! I can’t wait to be able to do that quality of work. When I grow up, I want to be just like you
MahlonFebruary 25, 2014 at 8:41 am #54663<span style=”font-size:150%”>ALL DONE!</span>

February 25, 2014 at 5:21 pm #54664Looking good buddy, the polishing is wow
what a difference and it’s interesting what you say about hoarding what we repair, I for one am guilty a vous, after spending so much time, they just imprint on us 
Would be kinda funny not to give a customer their watch back after spending days on it… Sorry, it’s mine now 😆
February 25, 2014 at 6:20 pm #54665Chris, William,
I think it is a state of mind. When Frank Loyd Wright was asked what his favorite building was he said “THE NEXT ONE’. It is a mind set that I will never have but people who become legends think very differently than I do. Like many people I have a “horder” mentality and when I pour my heart into a project I want to hang on to it until the cows come home.
davidFebruary 25, 2014 at 6:40 pm #54666She’s simply beautiful William..any chance of recording her, and posting it somehow ( You tube ??? )
February 26, 2014 at 12:18 pm #54667Great thread. I also have gotten a idea or two from it.
February 27, 2014 at 12:38 am #54668Just for my own interest William, what were your choices for lubrication and did this clock, or clocks in general, require grease? I ask this because I haven’t done any clock work so I’m curios.
Did you pre lube prior to assembly and then perform a running service? How do you set the timing on something like this?
February 27, 2014 at 5:58 am #54669Thanks guys, Randy, I would like to video it for you, have to decide where and how as I am not that smart.
Bernie, thank you for letting me know that. that is the whole idea of being involved on the forum. it helps me learn and hopefully will help someone else out too. do you have any specific idea you would like to hash over?
Chris. for the winding arbors (great wheels) I used keystone medium, it is a high pressure non creeping mainspring oil. On most clocks I will put a bit on the great wheel arbors first, then add a bit after assemble. I think it helps “get it where it needs to be” better by doing it this way. On most clocks I do this very thing with the great wheels.There are some grandfather clocks that originally used a graphite grease for the great wheels, you can tell by the left over pile of graphite after the grease has dried up. from there up the train I oil pivots after assembly, reason being that there is more of a chance of getting it all over the place if oiling each pivot first. Up the train I used the Novastar type H clock oil, type R for smaller escapements and small clocks (what oil to use is a great debate and I do not want to get into that right now) grease or oil can be used on the sliding surfaces of lifting levers and such. I do not oil the levers pivot points. After assembly I inspect and manipulate the trains by hand to ensure everything is proper. Set it up and start the test run, initially I hook up the clock timing machine to get the beat set and beats per hour, this clock has 3600 beats per hour. regulating is done by the thumb screw at the bottom of the pendulum on this cloak and in alot of clocks, others will be adjusted by the length of the suspension spring. when I get it pretty close I put the dial and hands on and let if go, adjusting each day until it is keeping proper time. you can regulate this way if you do not have a timing machine.
Chris, I know you like the pocket watch (me too), there are some small clocks that have escapements that are very similar, also old car clocks (do you have cars over there?) , carriage clocks ect…ect….I think Paul has been involved with carriage clocks, maybe we could talk him into a thread on his next job…..refurbishing one can be as satisfying as a pocket watch, some even have the movements visible thru the case and make for a pleasing piece.
Have a great day everyone, William
February 27, 2014 at 4:20 pm #54670William,
Clocks have a lot of power and the pivots are reasonably large. Is there a reason bearing grease would not work in the pivots for a clock that size? Would the viscosity of the grease affect the timing of the clock the way it would in a watch? I don’t work on clocks so I have no idea. Watch oils are expensive but the oil used in a watch is critical to the way the mechanism works.
david -
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