Services | Time & Again | James Anderson

Parts Fabrication

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:41:20 -0500

Specialty parts.

Most clock movements are made up of dozens of individual parts. Time & Again is equipped to fabricate almost any type of part that is missing or broken. Sometimes, commercially available parts are directly applicable for replacement, and other times, a commerically available part can be modified to fit a specific movement. In either of these cases, this is a less costly alternative to fabrication "from scratch".

Unconventional Clock Movement Repairs

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:38:16 -0500

Note the broken teeth on the small pinion gear at the center of this photo.

There are hundreds of types of clocks that each require special skills in order to perform proper repairs. Time & Again is equipped to carry out repairs on such movements. Examples of "non-standard" movements are those containing platform (hairspring) escapements, and novelty clocks such as 400 day/Anniversary, Atmos, 120 VAC electric (e.g., Telechron), woodworks and many others. If you don't see your type of clock mentioned, please ask.

Gear/Wheel Replacement

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:26:42 -0500

This is a photo of a brass gear being cut on a milling machine. The blank gear blank is turned on a lathe to the proper diameter and then placed on the milling machine, held in place with a dividing head. The dividing head is a precision tool that can divide a circle into nearly any number of equal parts. So depending on how many teeth are required, the dividing head turns precisely 1 increment at a time. The cutter cuts a groove and the dividing head then turns the gear to the next position.

In the event that a gear is damaged or worn beyond repair, Time & Again is equipped with the most modern machine tools to fashion a replacement on most medium to large clock movements. This requires a lathe, vertical mill and dividing head along with the proper assortment of cutting tools to properly perform this task. Replacement gears are indistinguishable from their original counterparts.

Escape Wheel Repairs/Replacement

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:19:14 -0500

The escape wheel (the gear with the pointy sharp teeth on the right) is really the heart of the clock. This wheel is truly the "ticker", in that it is responsible for properly apportioning the power from the mainspring by giving the pendulum a small push at each end of its swing. (Note the badly worn bushing in the very middle of this photograph).

The escape wheel is the heart of the time train. It is a specially cut gear with sharp pointy teeth that, along with the pallets, is responsible for time regulation and supplying power to keep the pendulum in motion. The Time & Again logo is actually a detailed drawing of an escape wheel and it's interacting pallets. The escape wheel and pallets are responsible for the ticking sound of a clock. Since the escape wheel teeth are long and thin, they are often prone to wear and misalignment. Time & Again is equipped with the special tools to straighten and align escape wheel teeth for proper operation. We are also equipped to make replacement escape wheels if the original is worn or damaged beyond repair.

Mainspring Repair/Replacement

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:02:07 -0500

This photo illustrates what often happens when a mainspring ages. The old mainspring on the left is the same length as the new mainspring on the right. The left mainspring has taken a "set" meaning that it has lost some of it's springiness. The old coil has 4 extra turns of the spring permanently set. This means that it has lost four turns of strength and may not keep the clock running for a full week.

Mainsprings are hard workers. They store a great deal of energy. Unfortunately, they don't last forever. If they don't fail by breaking, they can loose their effectiveness by taking a "set" (see photo). If a mainspring is noted to be failing during overhaul, replacement springs are available for most clocks. If a mainspring breaks while the clock is in service, the explosive release of energy can often damage other parts of the geartrain. Sometimes, a spring will fail at it's its end connection. If the rest of the spring is still good, the broken end can be removed and a new attachment point (hole or loop) can be fashioned. It's good practice however to simply replace a failed mainspring if it is still commercially available.

Gear Tooth Replacement

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:48:44 -0500

This photo illustrates the locking dovetail method of tooth replacement. I performed this repair on an old English great wheel. The clock came into the shop with these two teeth bent and cracked. (Note the original maker's hand filing marks on this 200 year old handmade wheel)

Damage can occur to one or more teeth of the gears (wheels) that transmit energy from the weight or mainspring to the rest of the geartrain. Most often this occurs when a mainspring breaks. As long as the damage does not involve too many teeth, the damaged or broken tooth or teeth can be removed and replaced with new. A new piece of brass is dovetailed into the wheel and soldered. New teeth are then filed into the replacement brass that precisely matches the toothform of the original teeth. The area of repair is then polished to make the final repair nearly invisible.

Bushing Replacement

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:40:58 -0500

NOTE THE WORN BUSHING AT BOTTOM OF THIS PLATE (SECOND HOLE FROM RIGHT)

The most common wear points in clocks are the bushings. These are the bearing surfaces located in the endplates within which the pivots of the various clock gears (wheels) turn. In most cases, the endplates are made of brass while the shafts (arbors) of the gears are mild steel. This is a reasonable arrangement since it's easier to replace bushings than pivots and/or arbors. As they wear, they either enlarge in diameter or wear from round to oval. If wear is allowed to continue, the operation of the clock will be jeopardized. Many times, clock repair people simply use a punch and hammer to physically close a worn bushing hole. While this will generally work, it is unsatisfactory since this process defaces the endplates as well as thins the metal in the area of the bushings. The only proper method (the method used by Time & Again) is to precisely drill out the old worn bushing and replace it with a commerically available or custom-made insert. A properly replaced bushing will be nearly undetectable.

Movement Overhauls

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:26:13 -0500

A VERY COMPLICATED MOVEMENT

In order to assure that your clock will give you many years of faithful service, our movement overhauls are comprehensive.

Upon receipt of your clock, we first bench test it to determine operability. If desired, a pre-disassembly report is made to the owner, making every effort to provide an accurate estimate of the cost of overhaul and repairs.
All movements are photographed and documented prior to disassembly.
At Time & Again, we believe that "cleaning" a movement without disassembly is at best a half measure. All* movements are completely dissassembed and ultrasonically cleaned in professional cleaning solutions.
After cleaning and while the movement is disassembled, all parts are checked for damage and wear. All damaged and worn parts are repaired or replaced at reasonable additional charge. (Most of the time, repairs are preestimated in Step 1, but until the movement is disassembled some damage and wear could go undetected).
After cleaning and repairs (if needed), all pivots and bushings are burnished. The movement is reassembled and dry tested prior to lubrication. The various trains are synchronized for proper operation.
The movement is then lubricated with a variety of professional clock lubricants depending on the point of application.
The movement is thoroughly bench tested through at least 2 winding cycles to assure proper operation. At this time, the movement is also adjusted for proper timekeeping.
Finally the movement is reunited with it's case.

Note: * It is not cost effective to completely disassemble certain movements. In such cases, a partial disassembly is performed to keep your costs down.

Case Repairs and Restoration

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:24:01 -0500

This clock case was completely disassembled. The case parts were stripped to remove the old, darkened crackled finish. The case was then re-glued and refinished. Before refinishing, the secondary wood used for the ornate trim was indistinguishable from the white oak base.

Time & Again is equipped to do most types of cosmetic case repairs. Peeling or missing veneer can be repaired/replaced as well as regluing of failed wood-to-wood joints. Missing parts such as crests, doors, glass and finials can be repaired and/or reproduced. Old finishes can be stripped and refinished or just rejuvenated. The inset numerals of silvered dial clocks can be renewed.