I wanna clean my cone

[RJSoftware]

Hello all;

How does one clean and perhaps burnish the inside of a balance wheel cone?

I have an alarm clock with balance wheel.

It runs fine as long as I set the clock on it's face, face side down. This puts the balance wheel arbor in a verticle (up and down position).

It works fine that way and keeps rather good time.

However, this is not practicle because to tell the time I have to take a quick peek and set it down on it's face.

But, if I set the clock like normal eventually the balance wheel stops.

I tried tightening the cup the most I could before pressure would lock the motion. I did this face down.

I let it run a while that way, thinking maybe the tip of the arbor might hone the area in the cup back to smooth maybe...?

Anyway, if I set the clock back up normal, it stops.

I set it on opposite side of face where balance wheel arbor is verticle but opposite direction and it stops too...!

I figure maybe there is some kind of mish mash in the cone. What's a fella to do?

RJ

[Bob Reichel]

I use a piece of soft wood, like an old stick match type. Smear a little rubbing compound or Simichrome and go at it. Nice and shiney. Be sure to clean it well after.

[Grant Perry]

Should the end of the pointed pivots be oiled as well? I do put a small amount of oil but always wonder if I should :?|

[Storer]

You should oil the balance pivots.

RDS

[Tzmandevil]

I use a dremel, toothpick and 2000 grit sand paper. Gets it really smooth.

You might have scored cones.

Here is a process I use to remedy that.

Reconing a Balance Screw (http://members.cox.net/yauctioneer/Repair%20/Reconing%20a%20Balance%20Screw.pdf)


Taz

[RJSoftware]

Hmmm, I like the idea of using the dremel. Not sure if I could fit any sand paper arround toothpick to fit in there.

Maybe some mild abrassive paste and the toothpick. Some thick paste of Comet or Ajax...

[Mike Phelan]

RJ
As others have said, the problem is usually wear in the female cones - sometimes these are hard, so you cannot drill them without annealing first.

Look carefully at the pivots on the balance staff, though, as these wear as well.

I use an Arkansas stone whilst spinning it in the lathe. They should be oiled, but not so much that it fills the holes in the screws.

[RJSoftware]

Also forgot to mention. This Alarm clock is very small parts as clock go. Certainly not as big and bulky as some of my Gilbert balance wheel clocks.

Not quite as small as a pocket watch balance wheel, hairspring, but pretty small.

RJ