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Seth Thomas Tambour Mantel Clock, Adamantine Finish and Bim-Bam Strike

Bill Stoddard — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 04:36:59 +0000

This Seth Thomas mantel clock from about 1910 – 1920 has an Adamantine (celluloid) wood-grain finish. The movement is marked “89″ and has bim-bam striking on the hour and a single tone strike (the high note only) on the half-hour. The case is 19 7/8 inches wide and 9 1/2 inches tall. The dial is silvered brass with printed numerals and a 4 7/16 inch diameter minute track. The minute hand is 2 3/8 inches long.

I cleaned the movement, polished the pivots, and installed 13 bushings. The pendulum rod and pendulum bob were previous replacements. The clock was losing time, so I shortened the pendulum rod by 3/8 inch.

I replaced the time mainspring because it was causing wear to the mainwheel teeth. I intended to keep the original strike mainspring, but it broke after cleaning and lubrication, as I was winding it into the clamp for re-assembly. The original mainsprings have the following measurements:

Time: 3/4 wide by 0.0185 inch thick (thicker than usual for a Seth Thomas No. 89 movement)

Strike: 3/4 inch by 0.017 to 0.0172 inch thick).

The replacement mainsprings are no. 280-19-003 from Colonial Clock Co., and have the following measurements:

Time: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0158 – 0.016 inch thick by 120 inches long

Strike: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0162 inch thick by 120 inches long.

The movement is a variation on the basic No. 89 having bim-bam strike. It was made before Seth Thomas started giving different model number to variations on the basic movement.

Here is a video showing the pendulum motion and the striking:

See more photos.

Repair job 5640.

Seth Thomas Tambour Mantel Clock with ST Hands

Bill Stoddard — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 01:35:04 +0000

This Seth Thomas tambour mantel clock has a heavy brass dial that is engraved and silver plated. It was made around 1910 – 1920. The hands are the modern “ST” style, with the minute hand having an “S” at the base and the hour hand having a “T”. A different style of ST hands were used back in the 1860s.

The case is 19 1/2 inches wide and 9 1/4 inches tall. The minute hand is 2 5/16 inches long. The movement is the no. 89J. It is similar to the standard no. 89, with the addition of a two-piece back plate.

See more photos.

I did limited repair on the movement, cleaning it, polishing a few pivots and installing 3 bushings. Three screw-in bushings had been installed in the past, these are not good to use, but some repairers use them because they could be installed without dismantling the movement. The screw-in bushings are large and ugly.

The original mansprings are the following sizes:

Time: 3/4 x 0.0165 inch

Strike: 3/4 by 0.0161 inch

The pendulum bob is gold painted lead, 1 3/4 inch diameter, weight 5.4 ounces.

Repair job 5586.

Late Seth Thomas Adamantine Mantel Clock, 1918

Bill Stoddard — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:54:23 +0000

This Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clock is dated June 1918 on the bottom of the case (date code 81F, where F represents the month, and 81 are the last two digits of the year reversed). I’ve seen many examples on earlier clocks where the date code has all 4 digits of the year, but this is the first time I’ve seen just 2 digits.

This later example of the Adamantine case has a simplified design with no pillars or Lion’s heads, and the dial is painted metal. See Seth Thomas Adele Adamantine Mantel Clock for an example of the earlier case design.

Case height 10 inches, width 12.5 inches, minute hand length 2 9/32 inches. The pendulum bob is lead with a brass cover on one side, weighs 5.4 ounces and is 45 mm in diameter.

The original mainsprings have the following measurements:

Time: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0175 inch thick

Strike: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0171 inch thick.

See more photos.

Job 5577. I did limited repair on the movement: cleaning, polished the worst pivots, installed 8 bushings (correcting 3 that were previously installed off-center), and tightened the strike click rivet.

Seth Thomas “Adele” Adamantine Mantel Clock

Bill Stoddard — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:00:38 +0000

The model name of this Adamantine mantel clock is “Adele”. When it was new the case was deep red, but it has faded to red-orange. The clock is 11 1/2 inches tall and 12 1/2 inches wide at the feet. The minute hand is 2 1/8 inches long.

The movement is labeled “4 1/2″ on the back, but it is the same as the No. 89 movement. The name “Adele” is stamped in ink on the bottom of the case. There may be a date code as well, but it is very faint.

See more photos.

Repair job 5564. This clock has its original mainsprings marked Seth Thomas. They are both 3/4 inches wide and 0.0175 inch thick.

Seth Thomas Sons & Co. Figural Mantel Clock

Bill Stoddard — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:46 +0000

Seth Thomas Sons & Co. was a division of the Seth Thomas Clock Co. from 1865 to 1879. Their figural clocks such as this one have a round time and strike movement loosely modeled after the round French clock movements. They are very good runners, but have a problem with the gear teeth bending too easily. I first repaired this clock over 10 years ago, and had to straighten some bent time mainspring barrel teeth about 7 years ago and again this month. Also there were 3 bent teeth on the strike second wheel, and the time ratchet gear has needed replacing twice.

The case is 17 3/8 inches tall and 13 inches wide. The dial’s minute track is 2 31/32 inches outside diameter.

See more photos.

Repair job 5550.

Original Hand Retaining Pin for Seth Thomas Antique Clocks

Bill Stoddard — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:00:31 +0000

It is common to use a tapered pin to secure the hands on American antique clocks. Seth Thomas, however, originally used a straight pin with a pointed end to secure the hands on many of their clocks. Here are photos of the original pins, washers and hands to a Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clock made in 1902.

The pin is 1.3 milimeter diameter steel wire with one pointed end, 9.5 mm long. It has 2 (sometimes 3) convex steel washers with square holes, 8.15 mm diameter, .3 mm thick, domed to 1.1 mm high.

Most antique clocks don’t have their original hand retaining pin, but I seen many Seth Thomas clocks over the years with pins and washers like those shown here.

Seth Thomas Cottage Clock, Late Model

Bill Stoddard — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:00:24 +0000

Cottage clocks (small simple spring driven shelf clocks) were popular starting around the 1850s. This is a much newer one, using the Seth Thomas no. 89A movement, and was probably made around the 1920s. The 89A movement is a variation on the basic no. 89 used in many Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clocks. This clock has a veneered case that is 13 inches tall, 9 1/4 inches wide at the base, with a 5 1/2 inch dial (the dial is a replacement paper dial). It is interesting that they veneered the rear of the case as well! The pendulum bob is 2 13/16 inches in diameter.

This movement has the feature of stopworks (2 extra gears on the left and right of the front plate to limit the range of operation of the mainsprings).

This movement has about 35% wear on the time and strike mainwheel teeth, even though the mainsprings are not outrageously strong. The mainsprings are original, the time spring being around 0.0165 – 0.0172 inch thick, and the strike spring about 0.0172 inch thick. The movement needed many bushings, and most of the pivots needed polishing.

See more photos.

Repair job 5470.

Seth Thomas Red & Black Adamantine Mantel Clock

Bill Stoddard — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 17:08:28 +0000

This Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clock is dated March 1901 on the case bottom (date code 1091C). The case is 12 1/8 inches tall, 17 5/8 inches wide at the feet, and the minute hand is 2 1/8 inches long from center to tip.

See more photos.

Adamantine is Seth Thomas’ patented process of applying colored celluloid to wood clock cases.

The movement has a recoil escapement located at the rear. (This is the first type of movement used in Adamantine clocks, and was phased out and replaced with the No. 89 movement around 1900 – 1901. March 1901 is the latest use of the rear-escapement movement that I have seen).

This clock has a metal dial with cutouts though which the numerals on a paper dial can be seen. The regulator is above the numeral “12″. (Clocks with No. 89 movement have the regulator below the center of the dial.)

This movement uses loop-end mainsprings that are 11/16 inches wide. This clock has the original mainsprings. The time spring is 0.018 inches thick, and the strike spring is 0.019 inches thick. If the springs needed replacing, I would use 0.0165 inch thick springs. The original springs in this this clock were fine, so I cleaned and reinstalled them.

Here is a video of the escapement, and the clock striking:

Repair job 5369.

1940s Seth Thomas 8 Day Time and Strike Clock Movement

Bill Stoddard — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 01:53:21 +0000

The Seth Thomas No. 89 clock movement was used in many mantel clocks from ca. 1900 – 1940. Around 1940, a cost-reduced movement was introduced. It uses smaller gears and plates, and has rack and snail striking. To save cost, 5 gears are the same. It has a deadbeat escapement with diamond-shaped steel pins (whereas the No. 89 movement has a strip deadbeat escapement). Each gear train has 6 gears (compared to 5 in the No. 89).

An article in the January 2002 Clockmakers Newsletter covers this movement. An example dated 12 48 with model number A200-018 is shown (in a Sharon steeple clock). The mainsprings are listed as 11/16 inch wide, 0.018 inch thick, and 80 inches long, but I recommend thinner (0.0165 inch) springs when a replacement must be made.

An example I owned several years ago (in a tambour case) had a weaker time mainspring, but the strike spring felt very strong (I didn’t take it apart to measure the springs). The strong strike spring could lift the hammers one hammer head’s distance and strike for over 2 weeks.

Notes on job 2959 completed 1-27-03:

The movement is dated 41-8 (August 1941) on the back plate behind the time mainwheel, and has the numbers 45-03 on the hammer lifter bridge. It appeared to have had both mainsprings replaced with 11/16 x 0.015 x 108 inch springs. The very long springs barely fit in, and made it difficult to use mainspring clamps to let the spring down (I had to use cable ties on the strike spring).

After repair, the time train ran very well, with a great overswing. The striking stalled, even after adjusting the hammers to lift 1/2 hammerhead distance. After rounding the pawl that the lift points lift, and smoothing the lifting points, the strike will run for over 2 weeks with 1/2 hammer head lift.

Notes on job 5216, completed 12-13-10 (illustrated above):

This clock did not receive a complete repair, I just disassembled and cleaned it, and replaced the broken time mainspring. The original time spring measured 11/16 inch wide and 0.018 inch thick. The replacement mainspring is from Empire Clock, Inc., part number 280-17-505, 11/16 inch wide (specified as 11/16 inch wide but actually 23/32 inch wide), 0.0165 inch thick, and 96 inches long). I cut 16 inches off the outer end to make the spring 8o inches long. This spring provides plenty of power, with a good amount of overswing (supplementary arc).

At the top of this article are photos of the clock and its movement. The case is 20 inches long, and the dial’s minute track is 5 inches diameter. The movement is dated 10 – 40 (October 1940) on the rear plate behind the time mainwheel, and has the number 4503 on the hammer lifter bridge.

Mainspring Recommendations: Leave the original springs in if they are ok, and not causing excessive mainwheel tooth wear.

If a replacement must be made, use a mainspring such as Empire 280-17-505, Mile Hi CML 175.3, or Timesavers 20506; 11/16 x 0.0165 x 96 inches, shortened to 80 inches. (A 0.015 inch time spring may be acceptable, but I need to verify this in more examples – however, I don’t have this type of movement in for repair very often.)

Seth Thomas Oak Kitchen (Shelf) Clock

Bill Stoddard — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:38:25 +0000

Oak and oak veneer case 22 7/16 inches tall and 14 7/8 inches wide.

The movement is an earlier version of the no. 89 movement. It is marked “8 1/4″ on the front plate. It uses 11/16 inch wide loop end mainsprings (later examples use 3/4 inch wide springs. It can run reliably on thin, weak mainsprings, but was given quite strong springs originally. The original time mainspring was 0.0195 inch thick, the original strike spring was 0.0185 inch thick. The time mainspring was broken when the clock came in for repair. I replaced both mainsprings with thinner springs (time spring 0.0163 inch thick, strike spring 0.0168 inch thick). The mainsprings are part no. CML 175.3) from Mile Hi Clock Supplies.

This movement has a strip deadbeat escapement. The pendulum takes an excellent swing with this mainspring, and an even thinner time mainspring could be used (if it were available)! The video below shows the escapement motion when run down for 8 days, and fully wound:

The movie below shows the complete clock, the movement, and the clock striking the hour and half-hour:

See more photos.

Repair job 5179.