Hettich Clock

[oldhippy]

Have you tried knocking it out with a hammer. It hasn't been riveted.  

[Nucejoe]

56 minutes ago, Michael1962 said:

Does anyone have any insight into how I could remove the brass post so that I could plate the parts and then to be able to restore the post?

Hi there Michael, Brass plate will come out itself once you recieve advice from OH.

Regs

[Michael1962]

It is only about 3mm in diameter. knocking it out with a hammer would be extremely difficult. If the side where the mechanical marks are has been done to spread the post into a countersunk area, I presume I will have to try and punch it out.

I will try with the smallest punch that I have and see how I go. I wish I had a steel block with various holes in it which would be awfully handy.

I have seen one with a staking set that I could buy here. Don't really know the quality of the set though. No sure how much I will need one if I am just working on clocks for now?

Edited January 15, 2022 by Michael1962

[oldhippy]

That is what I meant use a small round flat punch and hammer. 

[watchweasol]

No Need for a steel block  Get a wood block deeper thean the post drill ahole in it to accomodate the post  then as old Hippy said punch the post out use either a brass drift or a steel punch.  Apiece of suitable brass rod would work.. being wood it will not damage the surface of the metal.

[Michael1962]

I have a mod block with holes in it so that won't be an issue. Not really that fussed about messing up the rest of the plate. Have a look at it. I am not sure if I will even be able to get it back to being a flat surface to try and rechrome it. If I can't, I'll organise to sort out a nickel plating kit.

I'll let you all know how I go. I'll make some diagrams and notes before I remove the post as the hole in it is tapered for the pin that holds that end of the balance spring. Certainly don't want to put it back 180 degrees out.

Have had a lot of trouble with repainting the back door of the clock. Finally getting there though.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Michael1962

[Michael1962]

Well I have been quiet for long enough. Been polishing bits and pieces. Finally found some rubber blanking grommets which should do for replacing the pushed grommets that we’re holding the solenoid. Just have to put a hole through them for the legs of the solenoid mount. Also busy lacquering parts up again that have been polished. Still struggling with how to repaint the dial and get it close to original. Second hand also looks very much like brass plating on aluminium. The brass colouring is all mottled on it so not sure what to do there yet. Have tidied up the metal parts that the battery acid wreaked havoc on. I am going to nickel plate it. I don’t think it was chrome plated. Enjoying myself. 

[Michael1962]

pushed should be perished

[Michael1962]

Well I finally made some new solenoid anti-noise grommets by having to buy blanking plugs and making a hole through the things and then also having to do a bit of sanding to both sides of them so that I could reattach the solenoid using the spring steel 1/4 turn lock washers. Dremel came in real handy here doing that.

Polishing brass. I am at my wits end. I cannot get a mirror finish even using the buffing wheel and Dialux Yellow (both recommended by Aust Jewellery Suppliers). I get what looks fairly good, but once I apply a layer of gloss varnish to it, it looks like I finished the brass with a **BLEEP** file from Darwin.

Help please. Any advice is appreciated.

If I can't work it out, maybe I'll just emery all the brass in the same direction and go with the brushed look like a fridge.

[HectorLooi]

Are you using a Dremel tool or a bench top polishing lathe?

Anyway, for a final polish, I still do it by hand. I use Autosol and sometimes Brasso. A powered mop tends to leave lines in the final finish.

[Michael1962]

Hi @HectorLooi. Not using the Dremel for polishing. Using a soft cotton wheel on my bench grinder and then very light back and forth movements across the plate. I get what you mention. Light marks in whatever direction that I use the wheel. A friend mentioned Autosol. I have tried Brasso after using the wheel, but that still won't remove those light wheel marks. I'll grab some Autosol tomorrow on the way home. I remember using it on the alloy on my Ducati (when I was much younger) It always gave the alloy a great shine and finish.

Did someone add a **BLEEP** to my post? Quite funny.

Ahh. No. Maybe the forum changed the word that I used. Or a moderator? It is actually a grade of file. Lot more fierce than a second cut file.

[KarlvonKoln]

OOOOOOOoooooooo!  The bleep file, was it the kind that was born out of wedlock?  That kind of file?
Some brass alloys don't polish easily I'm finding.  For the fine scratches, Metal Glo polishing paste works pretty well too, and I also do it by hand, and follow up with a bit of Brasso if it looks like it needs it.  

[Michael1962]

Hi everyone. I've nbeen pretty quite of late. Sorry about that.

I have finally worked out what I am doing with the brass plates of the clock case and am getting somewhere with that.

I need to get hold of some flat spring steel. Either a strip or a flat piece to make some more 'catches' that move around a wheel that is part of the battery operated 'winding' movement. The ones on my clock were worn. The ones on the donor clock that I bought were worn even more. What I have put together will work, but I don't want to damage the wheel.

My biggest challenge at the moment is working out the original colour of the dial. I 'remember' it as a kind of silver. I have seen a photo online of one that is how I remember mine. The donor Hettich that I bought is an off white dial. It has a script Hettich pressing for the dial, where my grandmother's was a printed decal.

I can't get a decal made as I can't find the font, so I am thinking of gluing the script label onto mine.

I have bought myself some more tools and am getting my bench sorted out (still) to make a working space which makes sense. Going to design some rotating stands for pliers, tweezers, screwdrivers etc and then knock them out ob the 3D printer. Really handy item to have.

 

[watchweasol]

Still work in progress Michael, always somthing to do, keeps you busy. Cheers

 

 

[Michael1962]

Well I am in a bit of a quandary. I can't find the correct colour for the dial. I even wrote to Hettich a while back hoping they would give me the colour code for the dial. The reply that I received was "We don't make those anymore." I am thinking now to silver the dial and use a water transfer decal to put minute markers and the HETTICH logo (which is the very font that this forum uses) and the Made in Germany down the bottom. Not sure of the success rate of the water transfer method, but I have no other solution for the markers and logo. Handpainting is just not an option.

In trying to get the top piece of the clock polished, it has progressively lost its sharp edges. My stupid hamfisted effort. I am thinking of purchasing a replacement piece of brass and drilling new holes in it for the corner posts. Why I attempted to repolish using wet & dry and not simply using a paint remover to remove the old lacquer from the brass, I don't know. You whistle and I'll point at the idiot.

I also need to purchase some sheet spring steel as the two small ratchet springs that arrest the wheel that supports the weight after it is lifted by the electromagnet are worn. The two from the donor clock that I purchased are worse. I am hoping that I will be able to manufacture new springs without having to fiddle about with tempering etc to the steel. I have some ideas on that front.

How many things until the clock is no longer the original?

Like an axe. Heard a woodchopper on tv once saying that he had replaced the head on his axe twice and the handle three times, but it was the same axe that he began woodchopping with. 

I must post more often or read back through what I have previously written.

Keep repeating myself. Sigh.

[oldhippy]

If this is the clock you posted about first how about trying an artist. Can the numbers be removed, sometimes they are riveted on which is not hard to remove them. 

[Michael1962]

Hi @oldhippy,

 The dial is pressed from a single piece of brass. Will have to work around the numbers. Artist would not be much use as i can’t confirm the original colour.