Removing mainspring cap from a Proclock grasshopper clock

[dorsetman]

I am having trouble getting this clock to go for a whole week despite complete strip down, clean, polish, lube etc etc and have reached the conclusion that the mainspring probably needs replacing. Normally I would just thump the winding arbor to ping off the cap at the opposite side but this barrel appears to have a cap at both ends and very close fitting at that. See picture. Can someone simply tell me if the usual method is the right one. I don't particularly want to lever off a cap by the edges. Peter

 

[wow]

Your clock has weights, not mainsprings. There is no spring inside that barrel.

 

[gmorse]

Hi Will,

Your clock has weights, not mainsprings. There is no spring inside that barrel.

This looks like a fusee to me, there doesn't appear to be a great wheel on that barrel.

Regards,

Graham

 

[gmorse]

Hi Peter,

Is this the same clock as the one in your earlier thread? If it is, may I suggest that you ask a moderator to merge them, just to avoid confusion and duplication of effort? You can do this via the 'Report' button at bottom left.

Regards,

Graham

 

[wow]

Hi Will,


This looks like a fusee to me, there doesn't appear to be a great wheel on that barrel.

Regards,

Graham

Ok. Makes sense. Can’t tell from photo. We need to see the spring barrell.

 

[dorsetman]

There IS I can assure everyone that there is a large heavy spring inside the barrel. Can someone answer my question directly...please. How to I remove the cap? Prise it off or thump the winding arbor?

 

[wow]

There IS I can assure everyone that there is a large heavy spring inside the barrel. Can someone answer my question directly...please. How to I remove the cap? Prise it off or thump the winding arbor?

Sorry. Never seen one with a spring and cable. Have no idea how to get it off.

 

[tracerjack]

Perhaps it is a sealed mainspring not meant to be opened? Masters 400 day clocks have sealed barrels. Although you have ticked all the boxes, weak mainsprings are seldom the problem when a movement won’t run They won’t power the clock for the intended duration, but can run the clock. Typically problems are between the mainsprings and the escapement. Couldn’t hurt to reach out to Proclocks.