Gilbert Tambour Mantel Clock, 1919
February 25, 2009 . by BillI just finished repairing this 1919 Gilbert Mantel clock (the movement has “19″ stamped on the front plate, meaning 1919). This movement has nickel plated steel plates with brass bushings. The brass bushings can be reamed and bushings installed, just like a movement with normal brass plates. This movement needed all the train wheel pivots polished, even the first wheel pivots, which were probably rough when the clock left the factory.
I replaced the trundles (wires) in the escape wheel pinion because they had notches worn in them. The cannon pinion has a crack, and was repaired in the same way as the previous Gilbert movement.
The video below shows the recoil escapement of this movement in action. The clock was run down about 8 days here, notice that it takes an excellent motion. The mainsprings are the original 3/4 inch wide springs. The time spring is 0.0173 inches thick, and the strike spring is 0.017 inches thick. They provide plenty of power and there is no reason to replace them (if they were being replaced, thinner springs about 0.0165 inch or thinner should be used).
Here is a slide show of the movement, gears, cracked cannon pinion, and 2 of the pivots that I polished.
Job 4728.
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