Gilbert Tambour Mantel Clock with Oval Dial, 1928

This Gilbert tambour mantel clock is unusual in that the dial is oval instead of round. The clock looks as though a clock with a round dial was stretched vertically! The overall height is 10 1/8 inches, and the width is 20 inches. The dial’s minute track is 6 5/8 inches tall and 5 3/16 inches wide. The minute hand is 2 5/8 inches long, center to tip. The movement has date code 28 (1928) in the back. The clock strikes bim-bam on the hour and strikes a single rod once on the half-hour.

Most of the pivot holes have been punched by a previous repairer in a poor attempt to close them (punched on both sides of the plate!). I installed brass bushings to create smooth bearings once again. The canon pinion had developed a crack in the past and had been soldered on. I drilled a hole through the pinion and arbor and inserted a steel pin to ensure that the pinion stays in place. The gear that drives the count wheel was loose on the second wheel arbor, I used Locktite to secure it.

Both mainsprings were original, 3/4 inch wide by 0.0173 inch thick with loop ends. They had a squeaky action during winding, so I replaced them. The original springs had special ends which allowed removing them without movement disassembly.

Time mainspring: 3/4 x 0.0165 x 120 inches, Timesavers 15959

Strike mainspring: 3/4 x 0.0168 x 120 inches, Timesavers 15959

The mainspring arbor hooks on the mainwheels were very tall, so I shortened them, to reduce the danger of mainspring breakage.

See more photos.

Repair job 5446.

 


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