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Posted

Hi everyone!  I'm David and I'm pleased to meet all of you.  I inherited some ship's clocks which didn't work (of course) and that started my interest in clock repair and watchmaking.  I learned the basics of watch operation from these clocks since they are very similar to your watches in most respects....   Once the word got out that I can repair clocks and watches, the floodgates have opened!  Everyone wants a watch or clock repaired.  So I'm taking my time but working through them one-by-one.  I can see how professional watchmakers get so backlogged. 

Fun hobby and open to learning more and passing on any tips I learn along the way!  

  • Like 1
Posted

Thank you for your introduction and welcome to this friendly forum.

We all look forward to your contributions and continued involvement. 

Clocks are my thing. How about some photos of what you are working on?

Posted
22 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Thank you for your introduction and welcome to this friendly forum.

We all look forward to your contributions and continued involvement. 

Clocks are my thing. How about some photos of what you are working on?

Certainly!  One is a brass ships clock style with the Hermle 132-071 Movement .  The other is a Chelsea off of the Coast Guard 40 footer that my Father-in-law served on.  It was gifted to him when they decommissioned it... both were non running when I got them, now they run like champs!

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  • Like 1
Posted

The Hermle is modern. Your  Father-in-law's one is most interesting. Do you know what the case is made of? I see both have the hands in the style of what are called spade. They are so easy to see.  

Posted

Yes, the Hermle is modern - it was purchased in the early 80's.  It was taken to a clock repair shop for a service in the 90's (I have the receipt for the service...)  It was absolutely dripping with oil when I opened it.  Runs just fine now and does the nautical "8 Bells" chime like it should.     

The case on the Chelsea is made of Bakelite.  It's a bit discolored, but it kind of adds to the character.  I've attached a couple of pictures of the movement that I took while disassembling it. 

 

 

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  • Like 2
Posted

Thank you for the movement photos. Not a bad little movement. Looks nice. I did wonder if it was Bakelite and then I though no as Bakelite can break easy, so I thought it would have to be more robust being in a ship. 

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    • Hi Mike I did a ships clock a long while ago, not a Hermle though and without getting the beast in my hands to refresh my memory I can’t recall the timing.  This doesn’t help I know but will start the grey matter turning.
    • Of course it will continue Richard.
    • I have stripped and cleaned a Hermle ships clock. It was just oily, no major faults, and I reassembled it, following my photos in reverse order. The time train is fine but the strike train will not play the ships bell strike for half-past. Ships bells play a four hour sequence for the 'watches' and play double 'ding' for the hour and the double dings plus one for the half past (eg half past the second hour is 'ding-ding' 'ding-ding' 'ding'). Sounds complicated but it isn't really. The strike wheel consists of pairs of bumps (for the ding-ding) and no single bumps. There must me some mechanism on the half-past that lifts the strike lever over one of the bumps so only one ding is played. When I get to a half past, it still plays double ding. I have a feeling it is to do with the lever in front of the rack (there is a sprung attachment  on it) and the position of the wheel (to the right) with the two pins that lets that lever fall, but no matter where I place that wheel I cannot get a single ding at half past! Please can someone help with advice on positioning so I can fix this? BTW Happy Easter 🐣 
    • No it's not 52. I had looked at the Pocket Watch lift angles thread, which lists Elgin 6s as something really high like 62° but visually that is not at all what this watch is doing. I think 42° is more correct and that's where my machine is setup. The watch has a million problems but I have made solid progress. Impulse jewel replaced. Hairspring didn't match the balance (which also doesn't match the serial) but I got it down into range this weekend with 8 or 10 huge timing washers. Replaced the mainspring, balance and train are nice and free. At this point it is running consistently and in beat at about 160°, the third wheel has a bend that sends the timegrapher on a little roller coaster every 8 minutes or so. Remaining amplitude problems may be down to the escapement. The banking pins were way out and it didn't run at all before I started. It has one of the old brass escape wheels rather than steel, and I assume the faces its teeth are probably worn or scored in a way I can't yet fix (or see without a microscope). I know this watch is not going to run above 250° but I am going to keep trying to get above 200. But the best part about this watch? Some unscrupulous person stamped "21 JEWELS" on the train bridge sometime in the past, right on top of the Damascening. It's a 15 jewel movement.
    • I think it would rather be the blast of high current drain that would do the damage. But if used occasionally to maybe fix a mainspring or do dial feet it might be worth trying especially if the mainspring or a replacement couldn’t be found.    Tom
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