Help Just picked up a couple of old basketcase clocks and need some help with figuring out what kinds of parts they need

[captainclock]

Hello everyone, today I picked up an 1890s vintage Waterbury Calendar Clock and a 1928 Ingraham Short-Drop Octagon School House Regulator that both of them are mostly complete with some cosmetic parts missing on them, such as on the Ingraham School House Regulator, its missing its original dial and the Waterbury Calendar Clock is missing its original pendulum bob and its original reverse painted glass is missing (it was replaced with a plain glass years ago it seems) and month wheel is there but the paper label that had the months on it are long gone.

I was wondering if anyone had a picture of what these aforementioned things should of looked like originally and, including measurements and what not, especially the measurement of the replacement dial paper I need for the Ingragam Regulator.

Thanks for your help.

 

[LowcountryHorology]

I can't provide you with specific pictures of your clocks, but I can recommend you to a source that might help in a small way. A series of books was written/compiled by Tran Du Ly that covered all major American clock manufacturers. The series is comprised of actual salesman's catalog pictures that he collected and published. I use this series of books to give my customers "bonus" info when I repair their clocks by matching the pix to their clocks. Many of these catalog pix showed whether the dial had Roman or Arabic numerals, the type of hands, the size of the dial, the type of pendulum, as well as the name of each clock (they named the clocks back then). You can probably check the books out of the library and hopefully match your clock to the pix.

 

[wow]

We need photos of the clocks and movements.

 

[captainclock]

We need photos of the clocks and movements.

 

[wow]

Captain, I think your original dials and glass would be similar to this one.

 

[captainclock]

Captain, I think your original dials and glass would be similar to this one.

View attachment 698688

Oh, I have the original dials yet for this clock, its the door glass that's not original because it was replaced at some point in time with just straight up clear glass without the reverse painted details to hide the mechanicals when the door is shut. Speaking of the dials, where would I source the month and day labels for the month and day barrels in the calendar mechanism, I looked over at Timesavers and they didn't seem to have anything.

As for the dial on the schoolhouse regulator how do I figure out the size of the original dial so I can order the correct size dial paper?
I'm pretty sure that the original dial was handpainted straight onto the zinc dial pan, (just like how they did it on the old OG and Column and Cornice clocks from the 1800s) as I can still make out very faintly the original dial which is very badly faded.

 

[Fitzclan]

Hi Captain,
As far as the month and day labels, you will probably not be able to find a match anywhere. I would suggest making your own.
Measure the barrel carefully, and the distances between the original lettering. Any computer these days can print whatever font and size type you want. Trial and error will be your friend here, but you should be able to reproduce something quite close to the original.
Attaching it to the barrel should be easily achieved with a spray adhesive like what might be used to adhere a paper dial. You may also want to buy some paper that will resemble an antique or not-so-white appearance to print on.
As for purchasing a paper dial, I believe that the Timesavers catalog provides instructions on how to measure the time ring etc., so if you have enough of a remnant to measure, you should be able to get what you need. The paper dials are inexpensive enough that it may be worth ordering a couple of sizes just-in-case. You can also reprint them and resize to your specs.
Everyone has their preferences, but I would encourage you to think about creating your own painted dial. It’s really not that difficult and is far superior (imho) to paper, but both are certainly acceptable in my view.
Good luck, and PM if you need assistance.

 

[EscapeWheel]

One of these calendar papers might match up - go to Griffensclocks and search for "calendar".

 

[captainclock]

One of these calendar papers might match up - go to Griffensclocks and search for "calendar".

OK, thanks, will do.

 

[captainclock]

From what little I could find about this clock in my searches, it seems that these clocks were known as the "Calendar No. 44" model, and it seems that most of the examples I've seen of this clock out there for sale on feebay and elsewhere all had their original reverse painted glass on the door broken, missing or some form of it not being there or a modern replacement, what about these clocks would of made them so susceptible to having their door glass broken over the years? Also on my clock the lower gingerbread side trim on either side of the base of the clock is missing on mine.

 

[captainclock]

Well unfortunately the click-spring on the strike side of the Waterbury Calendar Clock is broken, and I can't really see how the click-spring is supposed to attach or what not, because of the complication of the movement there are several gears that are sitting in front of the wheel that the click-spring is attached to so I can't see how the click-spring assembly is supposed to work on this clock.

 

[shutterbug]

Pics?

 

[captainclock]

Pics?

Sure, sorry about that. It will be kind of difficult to photograph though because even when I tried to look at it with the naked eye I could barely tell where the click spring went to on the good side.


Broken Click Spring


Day Calendar Paper

 

[shutterbug]

It looks like you'll have to disassemble the wheel to get to the click. While you're in there, the ratchet wheel needs a touch up too.

 

[captainclock]

Hi Captain,
As far as the month and day labels, you will probably not be able to find a match anywhere. I would suggest making your own.
Measure the barrel carefully, and the distances between the original lettering. Any computer these days can print whatever font and size type you want. Trial and error will be your friend here, but you should be able to reproduce something quite close to the original.
Attaching it to the barrel should be easily achieved with a spray adhesive like what might be used to adhere a paper dial. You may also want to buy some paper that will resemble an antique or not-so-white appearance to print on.
As for purchasing a paper dial, I believe that the Timesavers catalog provides instructions on how to measure the time ring etc., so if you have enough of a remnant to measure, you should be able to get what you need. The paper dials are inexpensive enough that it may be worth ordering a couple of sizes just-in-case. You can also reprint them and resize to your specs.
Everyone has their preferences, but I would encourage you to think about creating your own painted dial. It’s really not that difficult and is far superior (imho) to paper, but both are certainly acceptable in my view.
Good luck, and PM if you need assistance.

OK so I typed up a set of Month and Day Scrolls for my clock using Microsoft Word 2007 on my Desktop Computer and I was able to make a fairly close match to the original scroll's font, see the attached PDF File below, and let me know what you think.

 

[captainclock]

It looks like you'll have to disassemble the wheel to get to the click. While you're in there, the ratchet wheel needs a touch up too.

OK, so that means I'm basically going to have to take the whole movement apart in other words, which with all of the complications that this clock has it might be a little more difficult to do, but I'm going to try my best.

 

[Fitzclan]

Sorry, not able to open your attachment.

 

[shutterbug]

Sorry, not able to open your attachment.

Depending on how you have you default apps set, it might be going directly to your download file.

 

[captainclock]

Sorry, not able to open your attachment.

Do you have an application on your computer to open PDF Files?

 

[captainclock]

Depending on how you have you default apps set, it might be going directly to your download file.

So do you think I did a decent job of recreating the calendar scrolls for this clock, (assuming you were able to get a look at the document)?

 

[shutterbug]

It looks good the way you have it. Putting it on the roller will tell the story.