An Ugly Repair Job Corrected
November 24, 2007 . by BillThis is a good looking Seth Thomas oak kitchen clock.
Date stamp on the back reads 7981 which translates to the year 1897.
Movement Before Repair
Front of movement showing two crudely soldered on “Rathbun” bushings (on pivots T3F and T5F). This type of work is done by someone who does not like to take the movement apart.
The “Rathbun” bushing on the back of the movement (on pivot T4B).
Movement After Repair
The movement after repair. The previous repairer had gouged the brass very deeply. I didn’t want to remove too much material, so the gouges are still visible.
Movement Assembly
Showing the relationship of the lift/warning lever to the j shaped turnback lever. The turnback lever is riveted to the back plate. Its function is to hold the warning lever in the correct resting position so that the minute hand may be turned back past the numeral “12″ without damaging the movement.
Partially assembled movement showing the gears and levers.
Related posts:
Good Evening,
I have a seth thomas mantle clock like the one on your site only it has 2 columns.
I decided to bring the clock upstairs. I was extremely careful. Set the clock on the mantle and leveled the clock. Now the pendulum won’t work at all. So, I have a clock that will not work. Had the clock serviced last year for maintenance and everything was well. What went wrong?
Thanks much for you help!
Regards,
Tom (Reading, PA}
The thing to check is the suspension rod (the rod with a thin flat spring at the top, and a hook at the bottom that the pendulum hangs from). Make sure that the top of the flat spring is in the brass post with a thin slot in it at the top rear of the movement. Sometimes it can fall out when moving the clock. Also make that the rod is near the center (not touching the back or front) of the brass loop near the center rear of the movement.
It is quite possible the clock is just out of beat.It does not take much to be out, and the clock will not run.
Hi there, I have almost an identical clock to this one, the only difference is the design on the glass. Do you know what year that clock was made? Or have a ballpark? I would love to have an idea of how old my clock is.