PLate 1717?

[KurtinSA]

Whenever I discuss things like this with my friend/mentor, he says I missed something. It ran when it left the factory. So, yeah, BTDT!

Kurt

 

[Wayne A]

Well theres probably something wrong somewhere. Some clocks are just marginal at best so they have to be in top condition to run. Little bits of friction add up but it sure does not take much to stop a 400 day clock.
For backwards barrel's I make an new arbor just to remove/install the spring on the winder.

Wayne

 

[Schatznut]

I've got two like this running right now and they're both making about 300-315 degrees of rotation. There's plenty of power available, provided it's going where you want it to go.

 

[Ken M]

I've got two like this running right now and they're both making about 300-315 degrees of rotation. There's plenty of power available, provided it's going where you want it to go.

Where are your forks?

 

[Schatznut]

As shown below:

 

[Ken M]

Wow! I have a normal looking anchor pin. The fork and bottom block were missing, so I'm using a regular fork. The top block that came with it I have my doubts. There are two divots on each side of the saddle, looks like something is supposed to be resting on it, like a pin. It's just a normal block. I was wondering if the fork is supposed to be in that slot. Like you said, getting power in the right place. Think I'll try that tomorrow. If that top block is supposed to be resting on top, that would make for a lot of spring between the fork and the block, so that wouldn't make sense.

 

[whatgoesaround]

That looks like a lot of space between the fork tines. That could result in a loss of power.

 

[Schatznut]

The clearance is correct on the fork. The photo perspective doesn't give a good sense of it.

 

[tracerjack]

That looks like a lot of space between the fork tines. That could result in a loss of power.

I see the top of the anchor pin is curled, which I’ve never seen before. I also see minimal clearance between it and the fork tines. Am I seeing something in the photo that isn’t really there?

 

[Schatznut]

The clearance is correct on the fork. The photo perspective doesn't give a good sense of it. I have three Hubers; two of them have this feature on the anchor pin and the third has a conventional straight pin.

 

[Ken M]

Where is your fork on the conventional? I don't think that's my problem, but a couple times after moving it, I thought it was going to run, but I was wrong.

 

[Dells]

Where is your fork on the conventional? I don't think that's my problem, but a couple times after moving it, I thought it was going to run, but I was wrong.

Lower the fork until it flutters then back up 1mm that should give you the optimal position, but even two clocks the same can have the fork in a different place .
Dell

 

[Ken M]

I found the problem. The donut on the anchor arbor that holds the anchor pin is rubbing the backplate. There was a little warpage on the backplate that pulled the saddle bracket away, so the pivot didn't keep it from hitting the backplate. It will run as long as that donut is away from the backplate, but as it runs, it works it's way back to the backplate and applies the brakes. Just got to keep it way from there, and I think it will run.

 

[Schatznut]

Makes sense. The further up the train the power goes, the less resistance it takes to stall it, and when you're at the anchor, that's the last step in the chain before the fork. I'm surprised you've found warpage in a plate - these are beefy movements.

 

[Ken M]

It was slight. But I don't know how to fix this. The donut needs to move in about 3-4 thousandths. I can't figure why it's like it is. I don't have tools or patience for it. My ideas are destructive. I'm just going to leave it alone for now, I'm losing my patience.

 

[Schatznut]

It would be a fairly simple fix, but as you noted, it would take a special tool (easily made) and a little patience. Plus a little finesse and a bit of luck. But it's doable. Contact me by PM - I could make the tool for you easily.

 

[Ken M]

It was running today, but I had to fix it. Evidence that the gear on the hour arbor was rubbing on the front plate made me think it was a problem. So I set the gear so with the arbor all the way to the back plate, it wasn't touching the front plate. Very, very close, but not touching. Then I come to find out the hour hand could not go on far enough to get a good enough grip so that when I moved the minute hand, the hour hand wouldn't move and the minute hand would loosen and fall off. So this is where Kurt's comment about the clutch thingy and the gear comes into play. So, I determined the gear had to go on another 0.2mm farther. So I did that, now the hour hand follows the minute hand like it's supposed to, but it doesn't run. So close.

 

[Ken M]

It's running without the minute hand. I'll see if it makes it through the night and try the minute hand again. I thought the minute hand cleared the hour pipe, maybe not.

 

[Ken M]

It ran all night. I put the minute hand on a couple hours ago with less force than I did yesterday, and it's still running. Hard to believe. This one had issues, with some operator error thrown in.

 

[Ken M]

It's running fast with a 0.0037" ss, I have the right ss on the way, but it's running!

 

[KurtinSA]

With a new spring on the way, why not try thinning the spring you have? How fast is it?

Kurt

 

[Ken M]

Fast, gains about 15 minutes an hour or worse. I'll wait,

 

[Ken M]

So, I revisited the backward mainspring on this today. Now I'm in a pickle. Got the spring out, cleaned and lubed, but I can't get it back in the sleeve. Improvised on top of improvised, can't get it. I'm going to have to build something just for this. Not sure how yet. I've been at it for hours, thought I broke a knuckle once, took care to move out of the ways so I don't get sliced down to my navel. It needed it, but I kind of wish I had left it alone.

 

[Ken M]

Got it done. That was no fun at all. Glad it won't need another service in my life time!

 

[tracerjack]

Perseverance wins!

 

[Ken M]

I couldn't let it win. Ended up using an old hank crank drill I've had for over 10 years to stabilize it (I knew I'd find a use for that thing!) and I tied the hole with cable, hooks were a big problem.

 

[KurtinSA]

I only found dealing with a "backwards" spring only a slight hassle if I'm understanding what you mean. On the Ollie Baker winder, I just move the sleeve over to the other side and proceed to wind the spring and eventually slip it into the barrel. I do have to reach across with my hand to manipulate the sleeve, etc., which feels a bit awkward. Maybe I'm not clear on the issue!

Anyway, glad you got it done.

Kurt

 

[tracerjack]

On the Ollie Baker it’s not a problem, simply awkward as Kurt says. With other winder styles, getting the spring out of the barrel seems fine, but getting the spring in and out of the sleeve appears to be the tricky part.

 

[Ken M]

It's a really stout spring, more so than any Kundo or Schatz I've worked with. I had to up the size of sleeve, it's much bigger. Winding it up without support at both ends of the arbor, the spring presses against the barrel. Can't get the sleeve on. I needed to find a way to support the arbor at the opposite end, which was difficult with the spring being as stout as it is. The arbor end opposite the crank end doesn't have much length, so holding the end in position was the difficult part. If it was a Kundo or Schatz spring, it would not have been so difficult,