Hi all - I picked up a Waterbury Kitchen Clock a little while back and I'm finally getting around to restoring the movement. I took the movement out of the case and put it in a test stand to have a closer look. I was slightly confused by the bushings (see photos). Has this clock been re-bushed or are they factory original? Note that the bushings all protrude from the plate slightly, which I found very strange. I've seen stamped bushings on ST clocks I've worked on, but never something like this. Thanks, Steve
I believe you probably have steel plates with brass inserts for bushings. Check it with a magnet. That's factory original. You can bush the inserts, if you find that's what you have. It's a way better design than the steel plates without them
Indeed they are steel plates. When I disassembled this last night I noticed the mainsprings had worn the finish off on the inside. So, what would be the recommendation for bushing this? Do I bush inside the existing brass bushings or do I knock the factory bushings out and replace with my own? Also, should I apply some sort of finish to make it look like brass again after it's all cleaned up and bushed? Thanks!
I added to my post after you saw it Just bush them like normal plates. No need to knock the inserts out.
I'll add one thing to what Shutterbug has already said; The actual pivot holes are often not centered in the brass "inserts". When installing bushings, leave the brass inserts in place and use the smallest practical diameter bushing. These are really very good running movements. RC I would just clean the plates and leave them as they are. These movements are usually out of sight anyway.
Thanks RC - that is extremely good to know. I would definitely have (incorrectly) assumed the holes were centered in the inserts. So, still one question I have about this one: It has a brass-looking finishing on it that has worn off in spots and will likely be further worn by my clean efforts. Is there something specific I need to reapply a finish?
Don't try. Like RC said - no one will see it in the clock. They used a brass color to 'cover' the steel and make it look brass.
The finish would have been a brass plating so yes you would need special equipment to replate the frame. You would likely need to first remove all the old plating. Then you would not want to plate the inside of the pivot holes or the pillars. It would be easy to copper plate it but a lot of prep work. I'm not sure what chemistry you would use to brass plate it. You could spray with "brass" lacquer or enamel but that would make it more difficult to clean the next time. I would just leave it as is - no need to hide what it is as it is part of the history of this clock. RC
Thanks again RC and sorry for skipping what was after your sig in your first reply. No way I want to do anything like brass plating. I'll just leave them.
And thank your lucky stars that the movement has those brass inserts. I finally finished my second all-steel Ingraham kitchen clock and I think my life will be complete if I never see another. The steel plate Ingrahams are, however, an interesting demonstration of bearing materials, for it is the steel pivots that wear out, not the holes in the steel plates. To restore it, I repivoted the arbors and pressed a brass bushing into each hole without having to worry about depthing. Mark Kinsler
