My SWCC master clock is running pretty well except for one problem I hope someone can assist me with: The minute hand frequently runs up on the hour hand causing the two to lock or freeze up. When this happens the clock seems to continue tick-tocking but, obviously the hands don't move. The Hour hand fits onthe shaft with a colete (?) and a very small application of wood glue so that it won't merely slip on it's shaft. The Minute hand, of course, has a square drive and correspondingly has a square opening that secures it and prevents slippage entirely. My clock has a tiny brass washer that is concave or convex depending on which side you view it from and it, as well, has the small square hole in it's center to fit over the minute hands square shaft. My thinking is that the brass washer's purpose is to mount, possibly, between the minute and hour hand and preventing any chafing and to keep the two hand from entangling each other. Or does the brass washer fit on last, after both hands are mounted on the shaft, just before the threaded nut screws on and holds everything together? The function of the brass washer with the square hole is unclear to me and I am wondering where it mounts (sequenchaly) and which side (convex or concave) faces the room Lastly is it's purpose to somehow block the hour and minute hands from getting crossed on one another? Thanks for any tips to clarify this. Roger D in the nation's capitol.
Never seen the washer btwn the hands on any clock, is there room to push the hour hand in closer to the dial? I would clean off the wood glue and compress the collar on the hour hand to fit tight on the shaft and push on close to the dial. Then install the minute hand with the outside convex of the washer against the hand with a tapered pin, then bend the hands so they don't come in contact. (if thats possible)
Thanks Stovebolt. I pretty much took your advice except for my slight dab of wood glue which is essential. (there is no means of tightening the hour hand on the shaft I had to ream it out slightly to make it fit - the period hands were not original to this clock but seem perfect for the clock aesthetically). Problems developed when trying to speed the clock up a minute or two an hour. In the process of this correction I broke the suspension spring and as you may know replacing it involves removing both hands, the face and the works just to get to the spring. All back together now - those 20 lb. +/- pendulums weigh so much there is not much tolerance for rough handling of one on the suspension spring. That was my error! Battery is charging up right this minute after which my ticking and tocking should resume. The clock is LOUD. I miss it when things are so quiet around here and slept poorly last night. Thanks for the suggestions, Stovebolt.
