Chelsea Parts Clock

[Les Sanders]

I bought this Chelsea for a parts clock. It looks like it may have been thru a fire. What type of solution should I use to pre soak it before I put it in my cleaner?

 

[shutterbug]

Maybe you could just rinse it off. If you want to soak it, try Dawn dish washing liquid and water. Don't go for a prolonged soak though, for fear of rust.

 

[JTD]

I agree with Shutterbug, a lot of this would just wash off with warm soapy water and a soft brush. But I would take the platform off first and deal with that separately.

JTD

 

[Les Sanders]

I bought this Chelsea for a parts clock. It looks like it may have been thru a fire. What type of solution should I use to pre soak it before I put it in my cleaner?

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OK so as I continue to work on this Chelsea, the gear assembly I needed it the first place is the # 4 Wheel and arbor, this is a Old Style L movement around 1943. Anyway it has a bent pivot Chelsea arbors a hardened steel and easy to SNAP plus this has been hot enough to turn the arbor Black. Should I heat it to red and it cool before trying to straighten it or ?

 

[Uhralt]

OK so as I continue to work on this Chelsea, the gear assembly I needed it the first place is the # 4 Wheel and arbor, this is a Old Style L movement around 1943. Anyway it has a bent pivot Chelsea arbors a hardened steel and easy to SNAP plus this has been hot enough to turn the arbor Black. Should I heat it to red and it cool before trying to straighten it or ?

View attachment 484597

Just to be safe I would anneal it. You don't know how hot it got in the fire.

Uhralt

 

[Les Sanders]

Just to be safe I would anneal it. You don't know how hot it got in the fire.

Uhralt

Some of the larger gears are warped so it must have reached a fairly high temp. most of the parts are going to be junk!

 

[Karl Burghart]

Time side or strike? We may have some time side wheels.

 

[Les Sanders]

I would say the strike side looks good, by the time side are warped. The gear I am going to try and fix to day is the #4 time side. Remember this is a Old Style L movement.

 

[Karl Burghart]

Chelsea part number 1213, Fit's both the L and 4L as well as the E and 17E. We have them if you need them plus escapement parts or an overhauled and tested escapement.

 

[Karl Burghart]

I think you mean the #2 wheel. The one next to the mainspring barrel?

 

[Les Sanders]

Karl. it is the # 5406 4th unit time side The one next to the escape wheel

 

[Karl Burghart]

Ok, It looked in the photo like the 2nd wheel. We do have the 4th you need. Just send me a PM when you're done inspecting and we'll get you what you need.

 

[Les Sanders]

Karl, I was able to straighten the pivot, after putting the wheel back in it will escape a bit, I am going to check and see if the wheel is out of round, I will let you know1

 

[Les Sanders]

Karl, I was able to straighten the pivot, after putting the wheel back in it will escape a bit, I am going to check and see if the wheel is out of round, I will let you know1

Ok the 4th wheel is OK I put it in and used finger pressure it escapes fine. I am going to add one more gear at a time and see how it works out.

 

[Karl Burghart]

Always nice when you can get it straightened out! If you need anything let me know.

 

[Les Sanders]

I get all the gears in and it won't escape, tomorrow is another day.

 

[Les Sanders]

Well I am going to try another 4th wheel assembly #5406 here a 2 pics of the one I have. Karl I am going to send you a PM so we can work out the details'

 

[Les Sanders]

Back to my Chelsea Saga, Thanks to Karl Burghart for the 4th wheel assembly it is going to work just right. During final assembly of the platform escapement I ran into what I think is a minor problem, the jeweled pallets are a tad bit loose in the fork It this a normal situation?

 

[shutterbug]

The tighter they are, the better the clock will run. Loose pallets will absorb power that should be going to the crutch.

 

[Les Sanders]

The tighter they are, the better the clock will run. Loose pallets will absorb power that should be going to the crutch.

Do you think they were shellaced in place?

 

[shutterbug]

More than likely, yes.

 

[Jay Fortner]

The loose pallets are from the heat of the fire,melted the shellac. Check the roller,it's also shellaced in the hole in the table.

 

[Uhralt]

It is important to re-shellac the pallets (and maybe the roller) or they may become loose and get lost. Happened to me once.

Uhralt