Clock Wear And Repair
Clock movements, like any other machine, will wear out and break down over time. With proper regular maintenance, the life of the movement can be extended almost indefinitely. The following will give you a greater understanding of how a clock movement wears and how the repair process works.
How a Clock Movement Wears.
Clock movements are made up of two plates with anywhere from five to twenty-five gears between them. Each gear has two pivots at either end of the shaft. These pivots ride in a holes in each of the plates. When the clock is wound up, it creates pressure to spin the gears. The first gear turns in one direction, that gear turns the next gear in the opposite direction, and so on. Which ever direction the pressure presses the gear to run, the pivot holes in the plates will wear in that direction. The more the holes wear, the more the gears drag as they move out of alignment, and the more power the movement needs to continue running. Eventually the movement wears to the point that the spring cannot supply enough power to run the clock. At this point the movement will need to be rebuilt.
How the Clock Movement is Rebuilt.
First the clock movement is completely disassembled. All the worn pivot holes are realigned and then drilled out to the proper size of the bushing it is to receive. The bushing is then pressed into the hole and touched up with a bushing reamer as needed to provide adequate clearance for the pivot. I use only high quality bronze bushings in my repair work. The movement is placed in the cleaning solution while the springs are addressed. The springs are removed from their barrels, stretched while being scrubbed clean, and new spring oil applied. After the cleaning and rebuilding process is complete, the movement is reassembled and thoroughly tested.