From: casey@bradley.bradley.edu (Chris Langston)
Subject: Re: Antique Clocks
Organization: Bradley University
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 92 16:13:20 GMT

In <859@daisy.WichitaKS.NCR.COM> mwill@daisy.WichitaKS.NCR.COM (Mark Will) writes:

>Having worked on antique clocks for many years and having owned and operated a
>clock repair shop for a few years, I have some advice which may be useful for
>people seeking clock repairs.

  Dear Sir;

    I have a few problems with your artical. 

>2.) Cleaning

>A good thing to ask a repairman is "Do you completely disassemble the movement
>for cleaning?"  Some repairman simply put a movement to be cleaned in an
>ultrasonic cleaner without disassembling it.  In my experience, the
>mainsprings do not take kindly to this treatment.  For some reason, the
>cleaning solution seems to make the mainsprings brittle and usually, sometime
>after the cleaning, the mainsprings will break into many little 1-2 inch
>sections.  While the ultrasonic cleaners do a good job, there is no substitute
>for completely disassembling a clock movement for cleaning.  The movement will
>receive a much more thorough inspection and the pivot holes will be cleaned
>much better.  

  True disassembling the movement is good if the springs are in brass covers
as found in most french, english, and most American China cased and Crystle
Regulators. But if the springs are out in the open then the movement dose not 
need to be taken apart. I have cleaned meny movements over the years with
an ultrasonic and have had no problems with springs getting "brittle" or
breaking do to the cleaning. As long as you use an air copmpressor to blow out the excess solution and water out of the springs and spray them good with WD-40
or Silicon spry. The springs will give you no problems.

>5) When winding weight driven clocks, do not lift the weight with one hand
>while winding the clock.  Allow the weight to hang free while pulling down on
>the opposite end of the chain.

   Well this is interesting...most repairmen I know say to put one hand under
the weight to guide it and if something should break you can catch the weight
therfore preventing any dammage to the clock case. But I guess you do clock 
case work too and would give you more work to do. ( I have seen too meny 
clocks where the people didn't guide the weight and the cable broke or it
jumped the chain and the weight went crashing threw the bottom of the case.)

>6) Never use WD-40 to lubricate a clock!!!  This is the surest way to damage
>the dial which is usually made of heavy paper.  Use only specially refined
>clock oil to lubricate a clock.

  WD-40 or Silicon spray is very good to put on the springs. It seals the 
spring and lubricates it. It also helps pervent the spring from rusting.
But it is the only place where WD-40 or Silicon should be used.

>Hope this is useful information to all you clock owners.

                                     Chris Langston
                                     President NAWCC Chapter 66
                                     (National Assoc. of Watch and Clock 
                                      Collectors )
 

-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unknown Indian Chief "Iron Horse bad medicine"                              -
- Unknown Army Scout   "What do you think is good medicine?"                  -
- Unknown Indian Chief "Milk of Magnesia"                                     -
- Chris Langston  casey@bradley.bradley.edu                                   -
Newsgroups: rec.antiques