Bushings for wood ?

[TEACLOCKS]

Would you use these on a wood movement ?
Thank you
Lloyd

 

[Jim DuBois]

no, not good for whatever you have left of a movement. Too large and not necessary. You end up with a mess like this. Wood or bone bushings make far better repairs.

 

[Rob M]

Where can you get wooden or bone bushings? I can imagine cutting a hardwood plug and drilling it out for a bushing... Is that what you meant? What about bone?

 

[Jim DuBois]

I don't know of anyplace to buy either bone or wood. Others have had success using Delrin rod for bushings. It has to be drilled for the pivots and cut to length and the plates of the clocks drilled for the new bushings, no matter the materials selected.

 

[TEACLOCKS]

What are there outside diameter ?

 

[roughbarked]

If it was available, Lignum vitae would be a likely choice.
As for gluing it in; Cyanoacrylates appear to be the go.

 

[Jim DuBois]

What are there outside diameter ?

Some are 1/4" some are 3/8". I prefer the smaller diameter but I had several movements with the big brass bushings that required the larger diameter. I have made many lignum vitae bushings, and restored maybe a dozen or more Ives mirror clock movements that have a lignum vitae bushing on each end of each roller as well as the same in the plates.

 

[Tom Vaughn]

For bushings in a wooden movement clock, use what was originally used. If the plates are oak, use oak. If the clock had bone or ivory bushings, use bone or ivory. Jim has perfected the process as you can see from his above statements and photos.
As for adhesive, use hide glue and hide glue only. It's reversible and standard. Using any other glue will create problems.
-Tom

 

[Peter A. Nunes]

The best quality plug cutters must be used. Theyy are available from the Fuller Company, here in Rhode Island. hardware store ones are no good. With these plug cutters, and actual Forstner brand Forstner bits, you end up with a good interference fit. I use high quality yellow carpenter's glue to hold them in, rationalizing that they won't need to be removed again- if so, they will be drilled out again anyway. I've also used hide glue. in either case, all ooze-out must be carefully removed at the time of installation. Forstner bits allow careful drilling, from the inside of the plate, just up to the inside of the "oil sinks" if the plates have them; never drill through. It makes for a nearly invisible repair, from the outsides of the plates, anyway. I use plugs cut from old movement plates, which can always be found at clock shows or on eBay. I install the plugs with the dark side out, and use a very sharp, hollow ground chisel to shave them flush with the inside of the plate. relieve the corners of the chisel a bit, and they won't scrape the plates. I then color the fresh wood, and they blend in pretty well. Using a centering drill, I drill a pilot hole, then broach the hole to the correct size. It's a pretty quick process once you've done it a few times. I stay away from Delrin and any other modern material. The yellow glue is a compromise!