Vienna Regulator

[mwilkes]

Fellow Clockies, 

 

My next project is restoring my wife's Vienna Regulator. The movement, though horribly rusty, works well and is a real beauty - grand sonnerie and everything. Watch this space.

 

Suggestions on rust removal most welcome - I might try electrolysis. Suggestions about how to prevent future rust are also welcome.

 

[RicardoG]

Hi mwilkes. Nice photo, ugly clock... Sorry I am not a Clocky, and I never got luck when I did try to work on one. But appreciate who does and his expertises.

About the rusty, I have some experience with rusty metals (some goods some bads). In your case, you can remove the rusty grabbing with a steel coton (same used to clean pans at kitchen) soaked in penetrant oil. However, the rusty goes but stay the scars  that is difficult to remove, and depending how dip the rusty "eat" the steel. I believe (I never did it, but I saw the results) the good way is to give a sand spray in all rusty parts. whit this, the scars goes too. But must have carefull, find some way to fix the parts over a wood or metal board and use the small sand spray machine you can find, or you will bent or broke sevaral parts. I did see, in pictures, some sand spray machines with size very close to an aerograf (small paint pistol). But you must find someone that have one.

To protect for future rusty, only a fine coat of grease (of course this kind of parts you cannot paint them). You can try grease for motorcycle chain in spray, before assemble them. It is very liquid when spray, like an aerosol paint and a few seconds after sprayed it turn in a viscous grease.

Hope I can helped you. Any doubt, just ask.

Good luck.

Ricardo

[mwilkes]

Thanks ricardo - I think, as you say,  sandblasting might be too much for the poor thing! Staining's fine - it'll all be invisible anyway. It's more about conservation, really.

[Geo]

Good morning Mark. Is there anyone near you that does soda blasting? It is very easy on the parts but will remove all the rust and crud and leave a nice satin finish that is easy to polish (except for the rust pitting). You could leave the satin finish and just lightly oil the surface with the likes of this http://www.napieruk.com/acatalog/Oils__Cleaners_Etc.html or others.

I made a small soda blaster for cleaning the carburators on my classic motorbikes and the results were really good. Another good thing is you can blast the parts in the back garden as the soda is easily dissolved when hosed.

[RicardoG]

Hi Geo, that's a good idea. Unfortunately, I don't have this facilities and products here in Portugal. I even knew this products.  :(

[frenchie]

That's interesting...

For your rust problem, steel wool, the finest you can get, could work. It's very gentle.

[ro63rto]

I used to use 4 aught (0000) steel wool on my beetle bumpers. Didn't scratch the chrome at all but removes any rust residue.

[Blacklab]

Suggestions on rust removal most welcome 

Horolene, Cilit Bang or vinegar.

 

Suggestions about how to prevent future rust are also welcome.

 

FullSizeRender.jpg

Light coating of oil.

[Lawson]

For the rust problem, have a look at this product.

 

http://www.evapo-rust.com/

[oldhippy]

I'm cringing reading some of the suggestions in removing the rust.

First of all you have quite a valuable clock. So work must be undertaken with extreme care. What I would do many years ago in my workshop. You need a rust remover I had such stuff that I painted it on, then I used pumice powder which is very fine and very fine steel wool I can't remember which gauge but anyhow the finest that they make, using this method you are able to get in all the hardest places. Other steel parts are cleaned with emery cloth or emery sticks but make sure you finish with only the very finest. Never ever use any polishing machine on any clock movement.

If you would like any other advice on the movement just ask.    

[ro63rto]

I used to use 4 aught (0000) steel wool on my beetle bumpers. Didn't scratch the chrome at all but removes any rust residue.

very fine steel wool I can't remember which gauge but anyhow the finest that they make, using this method you are able to get in all the hardest places.

This stuff. Edited June 10, 2015 by ro63rto

[clockwatcher]

Has anyone ever experimented with using a fine abrasive in an ultrasonic cleaner? I visualise an inch or so of fine sand with an inch more of water or solvent that provides gentle abrasion to the metal parts. Optionally, enough dry fine sand to cover the parts, in a plastic bowl placed on a vibrating surface. This is specifically for the more robust clock parts of course.

[mwilkes]

Thanks for the comments, folks. In the end I just used very fine steel wool and elbow grease. 

 

The movement was drowned in oil and caked grease, but really only needed cleaning - all the pivots were, remarkably, fine!

 

 

Almost all back together - not too worried about the staining

 

 

The clock - unusually elegant for a Vienna regulator, I think. Poor thing has had a hard life.

 

 

Here's a quick youtube movie of the striking mechanism in action:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72og4a_EL_0

[oldhippy]

Well done with the movement. Nice to see you blued the screws. One thing I always did is clean up the barrel arbors you can do that just by using emery sticks fine. These clocks were made of top quality brass and steel. The case is not that bad, in the past I've had them handed to me in bits where they have fallen of walls. How about having a clean up of the weights and lacquering them.

[Geo]

That's a great job you've done Mark, the clock really does look good. :)

[IndianaMatt]

Very nice!