groove worn in count wheel hook

[Dave D]

I have a Waterbury 30 hour cottage clock that has a groove worn into the flat area of the count wheel hook. The groove is from where the hook has been hitting the count wheel and extends almost half way into the flat area, far more that I believe could be filed out. I am wondering about "slippering" a piece of metal onto the count hook. If it works for verges, why not in this situation? I could try to make a whole new hook, but I am not sure how successful I would be. Slippering sounds faster and easier. I am open to any advice, funny jokes, etc.

I always appreciate the help and humor that this board offers.
Dave

[bchaps]

Although as a rule we abhor using solder on clocks. In an identical situation, I filed off much of the existing"shovel" and soldered a small piece of mainspring to the stub. Because the attachment was hardened steel, it was shaped using a small stone in the Dremel. Solved the problem.

[Heritage-Clocks]

Take a hammer and flatten a new shovel to the one you have.Cut off the part that has the groove and file clean and readjust the lever for the count wheel.This is easy to do.

H/C

[al_taka]

That shovel should lightly and slowly touch the countwheel. I've seen so many of those shovels slamming and jumping around due to misadjustment of the warning lever being hit by the warning pin at high speed. It should be adjusted correctly because the next casualty will be a loose or missing warning pin.
I just took care of one of these last night on a Gilbert mantel. Its amazes me that American clocks work at all being so far out of adjustment. Try being that far out with a French clock. :eek:

[Willie X]

al,

If you are good at soldering, your repair is a good one. The end result will be a little taller than the original but don't try to make it to short, as the now thicker (original shovel plus the cap) will cause problems. The cap will need to extend the full depth of the deeper slots in order to work dependably. A slight bend near the root of the count hook will acomodate the repair.

An old pocket watch mainspring is a good material to use, many old clocks actually use a piece of spring material for this part.

Willie X

[al_taka]

Good idea Willie,

But HC deserves the credit for the first repair idea.

[Heritage-Clocks]

Good idea Willie,

But HC deserves the credit for the first repair idea.


Thank You this was kind of you.

Don't add anything that isn't already on the clock. Make the new shovel it's easy.

Glue,solder,tape,and wirer. Oh My

No matter how strange some things become
Given enough TIME (clocks to work on)
It seem normal (because you may get away with it)

[bchaps]

Heritage...thank you for your suggestion for correcting the shovel. I pondered your suggestion and realized the count lever normally rests beyond top-dead-center, so shortening the length by 1/8"- 1/4" should not require significant re-bending and a new shovel could be hammered out if the rod end was rebent slightly

Now for a call to common sense.

I will take the risk of being flamed and state our "obsession" to not consider using any other materials but those original to the clock is very narrow. I see the "purist" concept more frequently within watch forums, but it has become the mantra of many. Yet, most of us have no difficulty using Bergeon or KWM manufactured bushings instead of turning our own...sorry Bergeon and KWM bushings didn't exist when these clocks were manufactured. Throw out your synthetic Moebius oils and let's kill some more dolphins, and don't even think of using LocTite! And those old French clock makers...they had the temerity to solder wheels to the arbor!!!

Now imagine carrying this purist concept into our working world...New software...nope, not original to that PC. The latest and greatest brake pads and tires...don't put them on my 72 Ford clunker...not original! Need a pacemaker, bypass surgery or heart valve?...definitely not original. Our desire to maintain absolute originality with clocks is perverted purism when considering how freely we accept "new and improved" elsewhere. If you still use a crank telephone, drive a horse and buggy, have a foot-powered treadle lathe while living in your turn of the century home, I will accept your purist position. But, I suggest most of us are willing to enjoy the convenience of electricity, medicine and even cell phones despite the fact our homes have lost any sense of authenticity.

Now for the irony... this "purist" ideal within horology is a relatively new concept coming about only since clocks have gained collectible status (think $$) within the past 30 - 40 years. Read Fried and de Carle telling us friction jewels are the greatest invention and unless the watch is really super-high end, had no difficulty using them in "common" watches. These two "giants" of horology saw no problem using a "foreign" repair practice on common pieces. And to make matters worse, many of the same repair people who faithfully adhere to the "purist" ideal see no harm replacing worn Hermle movements instead of performing restorations on more recent clocks. I assure you, 50 - 100 years ago, no one thought twice about switching Seth Thomas movements or making practical repairs that may have included.gasp, ... solder. My father was a jeweler in the 1940's and 50's and one of his primary repair tools was an electric soldering machine which allowed him to quickly and effectively repair jewelery, bracelets, and yeah...he even showed me how to use a piece of pocket watch mainspring to repair a worn shovel without disassembling the movement.

[bangster]

What Bill said.

bangster

[Dave D]

After reading all the posts, I decided to just file away the worn part. It was not as deep as I had remembered and I think it will still function just fine. I have found another, more troublesome problem. The pins on the cam arbor that also trip the hammer are very worn. I need to learn how to remove this whole set up from the arbor, repair the pins and put it back together. I hope to learn how to do this in the lathe class Mr. Jerry Kieffer is teaching in a couple of weeks at the NAWCC.
Dave

[shutterbug]

After reading all the posts, I decided to just file away the worn part. It was not as deep as I had remembered and I think it will still function just fine. I have found another, more troublesome problem. The pins on the cam arbor that also trip the hammer are very worn. I need to learn how to remove this whole set up from the arbor, repair the pins and put it back together. I hope to learn how to do this in the lathe class Mr. Jerry Kieffer is teaching in a couple of weeks at the NAWCC.
Dave
Yeah, that sounds a lot harder than it is. I'm sure he'll show you how to go about it. Bring it up if he doesn't - the whole class will benefit. Not sure you'll need a lathe for it though :)

[Heritage-Clocks]

I don't think this repair will need a lathe either.Maybe a staking set and a hammer.and some thick wirer to the same gage as the clock has and a pair of pliers.

No solder,glue.or tape needed.

H/C