tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock

[Mick F]

I'm a clock lover.
There was a time we had fifteen clocks tick tock-ing away, but these days it's only four ............. until yesterday when people we know offered one up locally on FaceBook.
We said we'd have it, and went round and collected it yesterday.

Belonged to the lady's grandmother handed down to the lady's mother and was running for years and when she died, it was handed down again, but by that time hadn't been running for years.

I found that there was no key, but having other clocks, one of them fitted, but the clock was wound up tight!
Two springs - clock and striker (hour and half-hour). The movement is for seven days.

Got it running, but the case had to be lifted on one end over half an inch! to get it tick-tock-ing as opposed to tick tock-tick tock-tick .......... you get the idea.

Sorted it now by bending the pendulum hanger, and almost regulated it over the last 24hrs ...........and it's sort of ok now.
Maybe it'll keep time over the next few hours, and it should be ok for the next five or six days so long as I keep tweaking the pendulum adjustment up and down.

Yes, that's my Garmin Montana on the shelf above left.

[rjb]

Very nice. What do you use for lubrication?. I wondered about using very thin penetrating mineral oil to lube mine but haven't done so yet. I know you can obtain clock oil but how different is this from normal thin lube?

[Mick F]

Usually, clocks don't need any lube as they are steel shafts in brass, as brass in naturally oily.

We have a clock been ticking all our married life - married 47 years this November - and has never been touched other than winding it once a week. It was a wedding present to my grandmother and grandfather back in 1910(or whenever).

Also, a clocking-in clock dated from the early 1950s that's been ticking with us for 40odd years untouched other than winding it.

We have clock that's steel/steel propelled by a chain and weight, and that needs a dribble of oil every year or so.
Engine oil dribbled a tiny bit on the escapement and it seems to permeate through gravity and down through the mechanism and eventually gets onto the chain too.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

Got it running, but the case had to be lifted on one end over half an inch! to get it tick-tock-ing as opposed to tick tock-tick tock-tick .......... you get the idea.

Sorted it now by bending the pendulum hanger, and almost regulated it over the last 24hrs ...........and it's sort of ok now.
Maybe it'll keep time over the next few hours, and it should be ok for the next five or six days so long as I keep tweaking the pendulum adjustment up and down.IMG_0576.jpgYes, that's my Garmin Montana on the shelf above left.

Was it necessary to bend something?
Was it already bent?
Give us a piccy of the pendulum hanger

[Mick F]

One thing you MUST do when storing or moving a pendulum clock, is to lift off the pendulum, as unless you do and tip the clock over to put it away, the hanger bends.

It's a very thin bit of steel or brass, and unless the escapement is "central" so the clock tick-tocks evenly, it won't run.
this clock hasn't been ticking for years, and obviously been lying down or in a box on its side with the pendulum still connected.

You need to get the hanger so it's even and the clock tick-tocks nicely.

Photo of the inside to follow!

[Mick F]

Insides, plus the thin bit of steel that connects to escapement.
Also, the clocking-in clock and Nystagmus.

Nystagmus was a clock that an aunt gave to my sister before I was born. It never really ran for donkeys years until Big Sis badgered me to sort it out. Been ticking away for the past few years but is difficult to get to keep good time.
Nick-named Nystagmus due to the eyes going back and forth as the pendulum swings.

[Mick F]

Instructions.

[Cyril Haearn]

I am puzzled, I thought Mick F was retired, many retired people do not bother about the time, but Mick even has a clocking-in (and out?) clock
I try not to bother about the time, reading my book by the window now. When I can no longer see enough to read: zzzzz

[Mick F]

What have clocks got to do with "bothering about the time"?

I love clocks for the pure mechanics of it all, and how the beats are regulated and accurate, and getting them precise is an art form in itself.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,

What have clocks got to do with "bothering about the time"?

I love clocks for the pure mechanics of it all, and how the beats are regulated and accurate, and getting them precise is an art form in itself.

Here Here, or is that Hear Hear You tell em Mick
Reminds me I gota sort some of my clocks, that electronic substitute you can barely hear in the other room let alone outside
Sure I have that mech same in one of my clocks.

[Tangled Metal]

I really could do with you as a neighbour to get my Grandad's long service clock from BR. It's nothing special in terms of make or look. A kind of lower Hutt what version in the OP. It does however have what I understand to be Westminster chimes. The hour chime is amazing, the hair hour is not as long but still nice and the quarter hour is short but sweet. I really wish I could keep it going.

The issue is the chimes don't match the time. Quarter past chime might happen at 17 minutes to the hour, half hour chime at 2 minutes to and so on. We have to let the clock run down then note the time and then restart it at a best guess to match the time with chime. There must be an easier way but my dad got it cleaned and set up by a professional clock restorer and they couldn't find a better way.

We got it close by a 2 minutes lag in chimes then a holiday went by so the clock stopped. It's not been used since other than something to fill the centre of our mantelpiece.

It's not a special clock, it's totally impractical as a timepiece in the modern times but it's chimes are clean and really quite beautiful. It's a shame to not have them ring out.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I have several westminster chiming clocks, nothing beats the sound, oldy worldy and that suits me fine.
They tend to get overwound springs break, and then shortened springs by amateurs mean they dont work full time.

[philvantwo]

For somebody who doesn't wear a watch you seem to be obsessed with old clocks cluttering up your bungalow!

[simonineaston]

chap's gotta have a hobby or two...

[Bonefishblues]

Sign of the times (see what I did there?) that I expected a social media thread