Install a Fly

[bostonwellington]

Hi,

I have an old NH shelf pendulum movement and I need to install the fly. However, I don't know anything about clocks!

Any advice is welcome!!

Thanks!

[The Tick Doc]

I do have some advice,, take the clock to some one who has the skills to to so , otherwise you will be picking clock parts up off of the floor and the floor and then going back to plan a .

[shutterbug]

We can help, but we'll need more information. Why do you need to install the fly? Pictures would be a big help.

[al_taka]

Maybe you should start with gnat or a fruit fly and work your way up.

Sorry, I couldn't help it after reading about the five foot Lithuaninan.

[Willie X]

Bos,

First, you have to learn how to let down the springs on BOTH sides.

Second, you would remove the corner post nut near the fly and loosen slightly the other 4.

Third, spread the plates at the fly's pinion by carefully pressing your fingernail against the post where you removed nut. Usually the pinion end comes out easiest.

Fourth, fix or make a replacement fly, making sure it will slip (rotate) on the arbor with light finger pressure but not be able to slide back and forth laterally on the arbor.

Reverse these steps and you are done.

Willie X

[shutterbug]

Boston - stay with me here :) Give us a picture of what you have and don't do anything until we know for sure how to guide you. We don't want you to do anything you'll regret :)

[Dave B]

Boston - stay with me here :) Give us a picture of what you have and don't do anything until we know for sure how to guide you. We don't want you to do anything you'll regret :)


Yeah - What HE said.:)

[bangster]

Maybe you should start with gnat or a fruit fly and work your way up.

Sorry, I couldn't help it after reading about the five foot Lithuaninan.

I was going to say: Depends on whether you want button or zipper. :}

But show us some pictures.

bangster

[bostonwellington]

Thanks. Attached are a couple of pictures.

[al_taka]

Your getting into the clock repair world now which sometimes seems easy then it turns around and shows its fangs.

With that said, pop out the fly arbor without distorting the plates permanately and loosing the timing of all the gears and levers. It takes quite a bit of practice before a person can feel comfortable doing that.
When done, the fly should not hit or rub on anything else in either its front or back shake position. Hopefully you have the correct size fly, too small will allow it go too fast.

If you feel nervous about this, find a clock repairer or chapter in your area to do it or teach you how to do it. It takes years of practice to get as confident as we are.
Welcome

[harold bain]

Your getting into the clock repair world now which sometimes seems easy then it turns around and shows its fangs.

With that said, pop out the fly arbor without distorting the plates permanately and loosing the timing of all the gears and levers. It takes quite a bit of practice before a person can feel comfortable doing that.
When done, the fly should not hit or rub on anything else in either its front or back shake position. Hopefully you have the correct size fly, too small will allow it go too fast.

If you feel nervous about this, find a clock repairer or chapter in your area to do it or teach you how to do it. It takes years of practice to get as confident as we are.
Welcome
First step is to let down the springs, before spreading the plates.

[R. Croswell]

Time to put the jokes aside and give this guy some help!

Nice clock and I can see that you DO need a fly. That's a pretty easy task on this clock. FIRST and most important, you need to let down the springs. That is, you need to completely relax the springs so there is no power left in them. It’s hard to do with the winding key and you really need a special letdown key that’s basically a smooth round handle winding key. You turn the key slightly then release the “click”, which is the little ratchet dog on the main wheel, then slowly allow the spring to completely unwind. You need to do both springs. You can leave the movement attached to the backboard to help you hold it. Warning: these springs store a lot of power so be careful!

With the springs let down, work out the tapered pin that holds the plates together closest to the fly. You may have to loosen the other tapered pins but don’t let them come all the way out. With the one pin out, you should be able to gently spread the plats just enough to slip the fly arbor out, one end at a time. Be careful not to bend the small tips on the end of the arbor (the pivots). Now with the fly on the arbor, put it back in just like it came out.

Before putting it together, make sure that the new fly won’t hit anything. It may be necessary to trim the ends or corners. The fly should be a friction fit on the arbor but not so tight that you can’t turn it by hand. Don’t solder or glue it – it needs to be able to slip. Some people put a tiny amount of oil where the fly grips the arbor – some do not.

Good luck with this project.

Bob C.

[al_taka]

Your right, springs need to be let down, so many things need to be taken in consideration that I do not think about anymore. Like getting directions to a local store, they never include how to drive the car.

Getting back to letting down the springs, what came to mind is I would always capture the springs power in flat retainers. Just letting down the springs in the case and movement would cause pressure up against nearby arbors or mainspring posts. As soon as the plate is moved by a novice, the plates could pop apart releasing some stored energy. If that were to happen, a newcomer would now be in a pickle.
I think the spring retainers would be the way to go.

My opinion, a novice need to read a book and be shown how to do this procedure. Too many variables may cause a disaster otherwise and spoil a newcomers first experience.

Bostonwellighton, I offer my help if your in the Jefferson Maryland area.

[R. Croswell]

Al, you are right about giving directions. I forgot to mention the spring retainers - definately a requirement - just something I do automatically and never think about. The retainers work best but a strong wire should do ok if this is a one time operation.

Good advice to read a book, or several, and to have someone demonstrate how to do this in person, but I wouldn't want to remove all the adventure! I remember my first clock back in 1967 - an Ansonia time & strike black mantel clock with a broken spring. That was an adventure! No books, no advice, no instruction, no experience.......and arguably no common sense! 40 years later she's still running! (I'll skip the bloody and frightning parts).

Bob C.

[bangster]

If the fly to be installed is the one in the middle picture, I think it might be possible (not really easy, but possible) to install it without removing the arbor from the plates.

Fabricate a spring (or something similar) to go up thru one hole, across over the arbor groove, and down thru the other hole. Put it thru one hole, locate the arbor in the groove, and worry the spring over the arbor into the other hole. Then figure out a way to tighten it against the arbor so there's the right amount of slip.

Might work.

bangster

[al_taka]

Bob, We've all been there
Clock Repair 101
Grab the Bull by the Horns and YEEE HAAA and learn from all the mistakes.

I still have my first, a god help me 8 day cuckoo with music

[shutterbug]

Looks like the pictured fly is broken. Good advise has been given, except where to get the supplies. Try here (http://timesavers.com) :)