Scottish Longcase Hour Hand

[JB]

Hi all,
I'm having a little trouble securing this hour hand. Not sure what you call it, what do you call it? ..but someone has already attempted making a washer /slot concave to apply pressure. Its not working and a poor fit. Any suggestions as to how to make a better one? I'm also think this hour hand is a repo and little thin ..so that's not helping.
My experience with my two London tower clocks is apply pressure with two pins on the hour hand. This is the first time I've come across this ..I'm not liking the way this one works.

Thanks,
Joe

 

[JB]

I think ..I'm may just be understanding as i wrote my post whats going wrong with the hand being too thin.

 

[bruce linde]

no idea what i'm looking at in the photo.

can you please provide a straight-on photo that shows the entire end of the hour hand cannon with the hand sitting on it? even if loose?

and... what is that thing touching the square minute hand cannon end?

more photos that show more, pls

 

[JB]

Not sure what more to show. You see my fingers holding a clip of sorts that slides into the groove of the snail that holds the hour hand. I think now the actual hour hand is to thin ...looking for ideas as to make that clip again so that it puts pressure on the hand and holds it in place. My thoughts are this is a terrible design. I'm hoping someone familiar with these movement will lead me in the right direction.

 

[Bill Stuntz]

To me, it looks like 1 leg of the clip is in the groove and the other leg is being jammed onto the minute arbor instead of into the other side of the groove, so the clip isn't inserted fully into the groove.. But because of the depth of field/focus/crop, I couldn't tell that the pink things were part of a hand holding the clip. The hour hand doesn't look thin to me.

 

[bruce linde]

Not sure what more to show. You see my fingers holding a clip of sorts that slides into the groove of the snail that holds the hour hand. I think now the actual hour hand is to thin ...looking for ideas as to make that clip again so that it puts pressure on the hand and holds it in place. My thoughts are this is a terrible design. I'm hoping someone familiar with these movement will lead me in the right direction.

we can’t see what you’re seeing… or have seen.

Again, a photo showing more of the front would help. a photo of the clip would help. knowing the thickness of the clip… and the slot it goes into… would help.

looks like 1 leg of the clip is in the groove and the other leg is being jammed onto the minute arbor instead of into the other side of the groove, so the clip isn't inserted fully into the groove

agree.

The clip that holds the hour hand in place might want to have a bit of curve to it so it pressure fits in.… But it’s hard to tell without better photos.

I’m not sure why people… not just you… are resistant to posting photos, when every photo is worth 1000 words. hope you figure it out.

 

[Bill Stuntz]

The clip that holds the hour hand in place might want to have a bit of curve to it so it pressure fits in

Looking at the existing photo, I find it hard to believe that if that clip (looks like an overgrown circlip) were fully inserted with 180 degrees of contact with the hand/slot, it wouldn't provide adequate friction to insure that the hour hand doesn't slip too easily. And if the weight of the hand does cause it to slip as the snail rotates, a little more curve in the clip would probably increase the friction enough to do the job. Definitely no lubrication on the clip/slot.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

Is that hand brass? How old is the clock? I've never seen a brass spectacle hour hand.

 

[shutterbug]

Maybe there should be a spring behind the hand that the clip holds in place?

 

[JB]

Sorry about not getting the proper photos. Nick has hit on the what I think is my frustration. This is an 19th century Scottish longcase movement. The hour hand is a repo . It is thinner than the shoulder it sits on. Unfortunately I dropped the clip ..I realize both prongs needed to be in the slot ..I was merely holding it so as to use one photo. Now I can't find the clip , funny how when you drop something it disappears.
The clip was a poor attempt at fabricating by someone ..it wasn't original.
What I was looking for in terms of information is what that clip should look like? Should it be wedged shaped to apply pressure to the hand as it sets deeper or should it be a concave washer type thing. My thought is wedge/ shim type fork..and if the hand is thicker than the shoulder it will apply the needed pressure.
If someone could show me theirs that would be great.

Thanks
Joe

 

[Mike Phelan]

As there's a groove on the hour wheel pipe, iit looks like all that's needed is a "C" clip holding the hand in place - just make it from hammered brass so it's springy.