My first 400 day clock

[Dave P]

Harold thanks for the response, do you have a schematic or a picture of where the washer goes, let me explain what I have done. If I put a flat washer over the arbor that protrudes through the plate but before the minute barrel, the clock continues to work fine but the minute had will turn the arbor until the hand drops to the 6:00 position. If I placed a spring washer (one that is slightly con vexed) where the arbor protrudes from the plate with the con vexed side away from the plate facing towards the hands, my minute hand will stay in place and follow as suppose to, but the clock will stop in 20-40 minutes. No problems if I just run the clock with the hour hand on. I think I have isolated the problem, just not sure how to correct. Thanks to all in advance for your suggestions. DAVE

 

[shutterbug]

You need a very small convex (spring) washer under the hour wheel (it sits next to the minute arbor that the hands fit on). That will hold everything tight, and it can be done without totally dismantling the movement again. Some of them have the spring under the minute arbor (bottom pivot). These are very tiny springs.

 

[any400day]

Dave,

I have attached two pictures of how the hand tension washer should be installed. Do not over-tighten the hands-nut. It should be just tight enough so that it carries the hands.

Another possible cause for this model of clock to run for a period of time and then suddenly stop is because there are burrs on either the minute hand collect, the bottom of the hands-nut or both. If the two surfaces are not smooth, the burrs will cause the hands-nut to tighten and stop the clock. There are several ways to overcome this. You can smoothen the burrs with fine emery cloth. Place a thin smooth washer between the minute hand and hands-nut or put a small drop of glue in the hands-nut hole before you tighten it to the required tension.

Good Luck.

Vic

 

[Dave P]

Vic, thank you for the picture. Is that a reflection, left side of your picture next to the plate of the "gear on the minute barrel" or is there another gear on your clock? I'm going to place the tension spring washer on the arbor protruding through the plate with the con-cave side facing the hands. I've attached a picture will let you know how it works? My washer does not look very "springed" in the picture. DAVE

 

[ChuckR]

Dave,
That is just a reflection off of the Front plate in Vics picture. You have it set up right in yours, I do not know if your washer will work, but let us know. Hopefully all goes well.

Chuck

 

[analogtime]

It appears that you have a hand washer instead of a tension washer under the cannon pinion. The tension washer should be convex and fairly flexible,and when in place you should be able to see movement when depressing the cannon shaft.

 

[Dave P]

My clock will run, but when I put the minute hand on I have to tighten the hand nut to keep the minute hand snug. I have polished both sides of the minute hand and the back side of the nut, I have used a flat washer between the nut and the minute hand. The nut has to be tightened more than is reasonable to get the minute hand not to just spin the minute barrel. The minute hand fits nicely on the minute barrel, but the minute barrel turns very very easily on the arbor. I'm wondering with my taking the clock apart and putting it back together again numerous times trying to find my problems have I worn that snug friction fit of the minute barrel over the arbor so that I need to crimp it (the minute barrel) tighter onto the arbor? If so how and where do I crimp? DAVE

 

[harold bain]

It appears that you have a hand washer instead of a tension washer under the cannon pinion. The tension washer should be convex and fairly flexible,and when in place you should be able to see movement when depressing the cannon shaft.

This is where your problem is. Don't make it worse by trying to crimp things that shouldn't be crimped.

 

[Dave P]

In my post # 54 my washer looks like a contact lens. I took my caliper and placed it across the center of the hole in the washer, and on the rim and I measure right at 1 mm of rise in my washer. If this is not enough spring in the hand tension washer then I need to purchase the correct washer. I have an order going into Merritts later this week. If this is the correct rise for a hand tension washer what is my next step. Thanks folks for hanging in there with me. DAVE P.

 

[harold bain]

Dave, I think you should call Bill at Horolovar and get the right tension washer for the clock. A cupped washer doesn't have the same springiness as the proper washer will, which is why you have to put so much tightness into the hand nut.

 

[Dave P]

Dave, I think you should call Bill at Horolovar and get the right tension washer for the clock. A cupped washer doesn't have the same springiness as the proper washer will, which is why you have to put so much tightness into the hand nut.

Harold good suggestion. I just got off the phone with Bill and ordered the correct hand tension washer for my clock. I will keep you all posted once I get the washer. Dave P.

 

[shutterbug]

I think Harold was referring to the other tension washer - not the hand washer

 

[harold bain]

I think Harold was referring to the other tension washer - not the hand washer

I think Dave was as well, SB

 

[Viennaman]

I've just got hold of my first Anniversary after nothing but wall and floor clocks for years.

It's a lovely little Kundo with a black dial face with roses. I got it absolutely dirt cheap on eBay, and it needs a good clean-up, a service, a new glass dome and a new suspension spring.

I can't wait! I'll soon have her singing like a bird. It's brass, not plastic, and it's torsion- not battery-driven.

I think I'll hang on to this one. She's truly a thing of beauty for just 20 quid. I reckon the seller's a mug, because the movement looks in perfect condition, well cleaned if a touch over-oiled. But I'll soon fix that.

I'll post pictures when I'm done.

Su-weet!

 

[shutterbug]

Don't forget the "before" pictures, vienna

 

[Viennaman]

Ah, sorry, shutterbug. <slaps wrist> Ouch!

The clock wouldn't run even with a new suspension. I found that the previous owner had absolutely drenched the thing in a thick green gunk like engine oil. It was all over every surface and even ate into the lacquer.

So it was a case of stripping the movement down, degreasing, stripping the lacquer off with baking soda solution and relacquering before I could reassemble. I let the mainspring down using the key - foolish - but got off lightly with a cut and bruise on a finger when it got away from me.

Reassembly was straightforward enough, and I oiled the clock properly. I got it running beautifully, but I need to sort the hand tension out - it stops running when I fit the minute hand.

I'm only getting 1/2 a revolution a time, and I'd prefer to see more like 3/4, but I'm getting 8 beats a minute as specified, so it should be right enough.