Afternoon All,
I've got a Madelaine which belonged to my father. It has been sat in my loft/forgotten about for a good few years but I do recall it running with the large Flag Cell, but can't remember how good the time keeping was.
Serial number 9622
Anyway, it is complete except for a battery retaining nut. Guess nut is an imperial size. Also the cotton covered wires have been replaced. Gilt has worn away a fair amount.
Looking inside, the coil is 21.6 ohms. The contact pin seems to have lost the insulating half - tested with a D cell, the voltage drop on each side of the pin is the same.
The balance wheel turns, but doesn't continue spinning for as long as it should when held and released. The bearing grease looks a bit brown and gungy.
So it looks like a good clean up of the bearings. A new contact and flag set from Carlton Clocks - only a few miles away. And at least a simple adjustable voltage converter to run off 4 C cells at 6v. I've used the £1ish ones off eBay for a number of projects and they seem fine.
Although found alkaline flag cells - http://cpc.farnell.com/univercell/db8014/battery-flag-alkaline-1-5v/dp/BT05682
Could be interested in an electronic controller from Frank Roesky, if he still makes them. I'll try and get in touch.
And doing the diode mod to supress contact sparking. A Dutch magazine also showed a 0.2uF capacitor being used as an alternative.
Will investigate re gilting the case.
Some pics:
Look forward to any comments/thoughts/recommendations.
Colin Stone
I've got a Madelaine which belonged to my father. It has been sat in my loft/forgotten about for a good few years but I do recall it running with the large Flag Cell, but can't remember how good the time keeping was.
Serial number 9622
Anyway, it is complete except for a battery retaining nut. Guess nut is an imperial size. Also the cotton covered wires have been replaced. Gilt has worn away a fair amount.
Looking inside, the coil is 21.6 ohms. The contact pin seems to have lost the insulating half - tested with a D cell, the voltage drop on each side of the pin is the same.
The balance wheel turns, but doesn't continue spinning for as long as it should when held and released. The bearing grease looks a bit brown and gungy.
So it looks like a good clean up of the bearings. A new contact and flag set from Carlton Clocks - only a few miles away. And at least a simple adjustable voltage converter to run off 4 C cells at 6v. I've used the £1ish ones off eBay for a number of projects and they seem fine.
Although found alkaline flag cells - http://cpc.farnell.com/univercell/db8014/battery-flag-alkaline-1-5v/dp/BT05682
Could be interested in an electronic controller from Frank Roesky, if he still makes them. I'll try and get in touch.
And doing the diode mod to supress contact sparking. A Dutch magazine also showed a 0.2uF capacitor being used as an alternative.
Will investigate re gilting the case.
Some pics:







Look forward to any comments/thoughts/recommendations.
Colin Stone