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I repaired this Gilbert “Parole” shelf or parlor clock that was made about 1880. The walnut case is 19 1/4 inches tall. I polished the pivots and installed bushings (a previous repairer had punched the pivot holes to try to close them).

The clock had its original mainsprings, both of which were marked “W. Barnes Patented Nov. 27, 1866″. The strike spring was quite thick (0.02 inch). Both springs were stiff and very hard to remove from the mainwheels. I installed new Merritt’s P-1956 mainsprings that are 3/4 by .0165 by 96 inches. They provide a good escapement action and striking speed. Gilbert clocks of this type take a large pendulum swing with a small amount of supplementary arc (overswing) due to the design of the recoil escapement. I slanted the back of the mainspring arbor hooks to make the mainsprings easier to remove for future cleaning.

The video below shows the escapement action with clock fully wound and then run down 8 1/2 days, then shows the movement and then the entire clock.

Repair job 4957.

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I repaired this New Haven long drop octagon clock. Some of the pinions had worn wires, so I replaced the wires in one pinion and reversed the wires in three. I polished the pivots and installed 13 bushings.

The mainsprings appear to be original (they match in color and style and look old).

Time mainspring: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0172 inch thick. This spring provides sufficient power, as the escapement motion is excellent.

Strike mainspring: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0142 inches thick. This spring is very thin, yet the striking speed is fine.

I retained both original mainsprings in this clock. They were in good condition, operated smoothly, and provided enough operating power, so there was no reason to change them. A good old mainspring is no more likely to break than a new one. (Some repair shops install new mainsprings in every clock they repair, I disagree with this practice.)

The case is 33 inches tall, and the minute track diameter is 11 inches.

Repair job 4955.

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5. Replacing Mainsprings in American Antique Clocks

I recently overhauled this Sessions black mantel clock from around 1903 – 1910. It was a routine overhaul including polishing the pivots and installing bushings. A previous repairer had installed two screw-in bushings (a no-no!). I replaced these with KWM size 4 American bushings. The mainwheels were made with Gilbert-style clicks, which are more robust then the standard Sessions clicks.

The original mainsprings seemed too strong. The time spring was 0.0182 inch thick, and the strike spring was 0.0178 inch thick. I replaced both with thinner mainsprings, Merritt’s Antiques P-1956, 0.0165 inch thick, to reduce future wear to the mainwheel teeth. The escapement takes an excellent motion.

Repair job 4949.

Related posts:

1. Sessions Tambour Mantel Clock, Made in 1938.
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4. New Batch of Merritt’s Clock Mainsprings
5. Merritt’s Antiques P-1956 Mainsprings

I recently overhauled this movement belonging to a New Haven wall clock.

Time mainspring: The original time mainspring was broken, and measured 3/4 inch wide by 0.018 inch thick. The replacement is 3/4 by 0.0165 by 96 inches, Merritt’s P-1956.

Strike mainspring: The movement came into the shop with a 3/4 by 0.0142 inch mainspring! It may have been original, but it had a jerky action after cleaning and lubrication. The replacement spring is 3/4 x 0.0155 inch thick (Merritt’s P-1496 in the orange and red box).

The video below shows the escapement action when the time mainspring is run down 7 1/2 days and then fully wound. The motion is sufficient but not excessive.

Repair job 4926.

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1. Merritt’s Mainsprings P1496
2. Ansonia Walnut Kitchen Clock – Older, 5 Pillar Movement
3. New Batch of Merritt’s Clock Mainsprings
4. Mainsprings for American 8 Day Clocks
5. A Tale of Three Movements and a Clock (Ansonia Long Drop Regulator A)

I recently overhauled this Ansonia walnut cased kitchen clock. The strong time mainspring of 0.018 inch thick, was causing wear to the mainwheel teeth, so I replaced the mainspring with a new one that is only 0.0155 inch thick (Merritt’s P-1496 in the orange and red box).

The first video below shows how good the escapement motion is with the thin time mainspring. It is run down 9 days in the video. The second video shows the entire movement in the case and then a closer view of the clock striking the hour and half-hour.

Repair job 4899.

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I just repaired this Seth Thomas mantel clock in a mahogany color Adamantine case. It has a No. 89 movement with a solid back plate. The case is 16 1/4 inches wide (including feet) and 11 inches tall. The bottom of the case has date code 81B (February 1918).

The escape wheel had two teeth that were too short due to damage by a previous repairer. The slide show below shows that the damaged teeth were removed, a brass plug inserted, and then 2 teeth filed to shape.

Both mainsprings were original Seth Thomas springs, one .0177 inch thick and the other .0165 inch thick. I don’t know for sure which one was originally on which side (time or strike). The .0177 inch thick spring was too strong. The thinner spring did not unwind smoothly. I replaced both with Merritt’s P-1956 springs 3/4 inch wide x 0.0165 inch thick x 96 inches long.

One thing strange about the case is that one end is mahogany Adamantine, but the other end is black! (see slide show below). It appears to have been made this way.

Repair job 4830

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I just serviced an E. N. Welch “Arditi” perpetual calendar clock. I disassembled the movement and cleaned it, but the only repair was replacing the click rivets, as the original brass rivets were coming loose.

This clock has a 27 3/8 inch tall walnut case, and was made in the 1880′s. The movement has very old mainsprings which appear to be original. They are thin (0.0153 inches thick for the strike spring and 0.0156 inches thick for the time spring) and do not seem very “springy”. Yet, they provide plenty of power and have no visible damage, and so I kept them in the clock. If a mainspring has lasted for over 120 years, it is likely to keep on working.

The video below shows how well this clock runs, even with the weak mainsprings (and it is run down several days, not fully wound).

Here is a slide show:

Repair job 4880

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I recently overhauled this clock. The repairs included:

• Polished all of the train wheel pivots (some were rough when the clock left the factory);
• Installed 10 bushings (including rear time mainwheel bushing). One bushing had been installed by a previous repairer. It was crooked in the movement plate. To correct this, I installed a bushing with a hole too small for the pivot, then used a cutting broach to open the hole while uprighting it. Then the hole was polished with a smoothing broach;
• Replaced the click on the strike mainwheel, as it was very worn, and had been filed down. I installed a steel clickspring, and a steel rivet;
• Filed wear from the click on the time mainwheel, replaced the wimpy brass clickspring with a steel one, and replaced the brass rivet with a steel one;
• Installed the correct size suspension rod, and installed an original Sessions mantel clock pendulum bob;
• The strike mainspring was a replacement that was too thick (0.018 inches). I replaced it with a spring 3/4 inch wide, 0.0165 inches thick, and 96 inches long, Merritt’s Antiques part no. P-1956;
• The time mainspring had been ground narrower by a previous repairer. It was rough with sharp edges. I installed the same type of mainspring as above, Merritt’s Antiques part no. P-1956;

The new mainsprings mentioned above (in the last two items) provide plenty of power to operate the clock. The movies below show the operation of the escapement, the clock striking, and the movement with pendulum. This clock strikes bim-bam on two chime rods.

Here is a slide show of some of the repair steps:

The label on the rear door says the following:

No. 277 P

Eight-day Turn Back

Striking the hours on Two-Tone Chime

Half-Hours in Harmony

The Sessions Clock Company

Forestville, Conn., U.S.A.

NOTICE

The Pendulum Ball and Key are fastened to bottom of clock.

DIRECTIONS FOR STRIKING

In order to make Clock strike the hour desired, turn the long hand up to twelve and allow the clock to strike. Then turn back to nine and forward again to twelve. Continue in this way until the Clock strikes correctly.

TO REGULATE

Should it be desired to have the clock run faster, place the small end of the key on the arbor at twleve and turn TOP of key to the left toward F. To run slower turn TOP of key to the right toward S.

There is a date code of 9-38 (September 1938) stamped on the label.

Repair job 4836.

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1. Gilbert Tambour Mantel Clock, 1919
2. Mainsprings for Seth Thomas No. 89 Movements
3. Ansonia Iron Mantel Clock
4. Mainsprings for Seth Thomas Adamantine, 89C Movement