Thank you! I embrace mistakes and failures. I try not to make mistakes, but they are bound to happen when trying something new. I accept them as part of the process and use them to get better. The only sure way to not make any mistakes is to not try at all. Thanks for watching!
I'm delighted that you calculate the ideal beats per minute from the tooth and pinion counts - I've hardly seen any TH-cam clock repairer do that, and I feel it saves a lot of time regulating the clock when everything is back together. Thanks for this video
Thanks! You can also calculate the ideal pendulum length as well, but I haven't shown that yet. It's something I calculate just in case the pendulum length is wrong. Thanks for watching!
@BradfordNeedham I actually use your website a lot to help me with the calculations. Thank you for making that available! I can't find your email to get in contact with you. Can you email me at watchoverhaulchannel@gmail.com?
I like how you were using a flat head screwdriver in a Philips head screw and it's just funny how much it went well with the observation about the flat head screwdriver being period correct for the time? This was just something that I noticed about it in the video? Thanks for sharing this with us and God bless you and have a great day
Great to see that you tubes money will help you get all the right tools for each job. And help you accheve your skills and be so professional and people will pay you what your worth. Because of the high service you give them.
lol I love @2:55 that you just triggered 3 trolls in in one blow... 1.) Using a Slotted screw driver on a 2.) (not period correct)Philips head screw. 3.) buy the correct tools.. Keep it up... its your hobby.. we are just guests invited to watch...
Haha, yeah. If I don't ruin someone's day at least once per video, then I'm not doing my job correctly :). I figured since I was getting rid of those screws it didn't matter, but I'm sure someone is going to be triggered. Thanks for watching!
@@WatchOverhaul And don't use needle to clean the dirt , use pegwood to prevent any scratches. And use gloves or finger coats to prevent contamination by sweaty fingers. 😎
Good video, but I was amused by this part too. All that care to use tweezers so he doesn't scratch those brand new screws that he just used the wrong tool on. LOL To the channel owner, thanks for a good video. Might poke a little fun at you because it wasn't perfect, but it's fun for us to watch you do this anyway. None of us are perfect. :) Keep it up!
while you are looking for tools, better screwdrivers the slot should be almost filled by the tip, this reduces damage, those nuts are not metric, use the imperial drivers on imperial screws.
Brilliant you are doing this. I have a clock shop ln solvang California, you should get a catalog both for Black Forest and time savers. Black Forest sells an ultrasonic cleaning solution called Zenith, the ammoniated solution is the good one, don’t bother with the non ammonia. It cleans very well, and also brightens up the brass well. As a hobbiest, you can get away with just a clean movement. however if you get to the point of restorations for customers, it’s important the the movement looks nice too. Although you can’t see the movements in a lot of American clocks, it’s a good finish. Once you get more advanced, crystal regulators, or any other clocks with exposed movements need to be cleaner. Simple green is kind of clever, but you don’t need to do this since it’s cheap enough to get a good solvent meant for cleaning clock parts. Also with you mainsprings, those can go in the ultrasonic tank. And you don’t need to put grease on them until the movement is assembled. Once the clock is halfway wound, you hold the movement flat and drip the grease so it flows through the crevices of the slightly wound spring. This prevents oily hands from touching the pre greased mainspring and leaving marks on the clean movement, and saves time. Defect on the winding wheel is a factory defect, you see them from time to time. Sunny to see once in a while, when you work on older movements 1820s and earlier, you’ll see more casting imperfections. Cleaning them with mineral spirits after the tank is unnecessary, just rinse with warm water in the sink. No need to waste time and solvents when you don’t need to. Not to mention mineral spirits will still leave a bit of a film. For drying parts, use an air compressor to get the majority of water off the parts, then put in a drier for a few minutes. If you don’t have a dryer, oven on low for a few minutes works fine. I’m also curious why you don’t throw all the parts together? Don’t worry about over packing the tank the components will be fine. This just adds more extra time to your project when it’s unnecessary. For heavy grease removal: sometimes clocks that are super dirty I pre clean them, kinda. I use the clock rinsing solution that Black Forest sells with a tooth brush to remove heavy grease and dirt. This does two things: removes very old caked on grease that won’t come off in the tank, like your white lithium grease. Lastly, it will save your tanks solution. Heavily dirty movements will severely affect the solution, so if you can save it, do it. More beneficial to do this before ultrasonicing than after. You’re correct about the hammer, kinda. With a real clock cleaning solution the leather will get mushy and eventually dry very hard and disintegrate. Your solution probably won’t do this. I noticed something in your last video. The time train is easy on these movements because it doesn’t matter the placement. The strike train does matter very much. In your last video, the gearing was not calibrated for the hammer to be in full rest position when not chiming. It’s lmportant to adjust the gearing on the strike to do this. This clock has the hammer lifting pins and stop pins on the same gear so you got lucky. But in full rest position, and clock going into caution at five minutes before striking, the hammer should have NO contact with the gearing. Only exceptions are earlier clocks that have just a little bit of hammer contact on the gearing which can be normal, but we’re talking old old clocks. Another thing I noticed, but could have been done off camera, make sure to oil the center shaft before you put the hour wheel on! You can not do this after you assemble the places, along with the canyon pinion (spring on the center shaft that creates tension) Your oil looks great, but you are using an application style more for watches. Invest in a syringe, doesn’t look like you’re adding enough oil. Oil sinks should not be over flowers, but not empty either. Bushings are not the only components that need oil. Lifting lever for hammer should have sinthetic grease, I use “the system” Click definitely need oil as well. Oil or grease on the stop lever of the strike as well to prevent wear, along with the lifting lever on the center shaft that lifts the levers to make the chime clock every half hour. This needs oil and or grease as well. Keep it up, feel free to message me if you have ent questions. I specialize in restorations of rare antique European clocks including music boxes and automatons.
Thank you for sharing all of that information and suggestions! I really appreciate it! I haven't noticed a film from using mineral spirits, but using isopropyl alcohol leaves a white film. I don't throw all the parts together because I read that if parts rub against each other in the ultrasonic cleaner, it could damage the parts. Thanks for the tip on the hammer positioning. I haven't been oiling the center shaft. Can I just use the clock oil I use on the pivots? I have a syringe for the oil, but it's hard for me to control how much oil comes out and didn't want to over oil. I'll give the syringe a try again. In the first round of this video, I used grease on things, but not in the areas you suggested. Either way, I got blasted in the comments, and the sentiment was that I should never get grease near a clock. So, now I shy away from it. It's hard to know what to do when people say to not use grease and others say to use grease. I'm definitely going to keep learning and making more videos, and it's people like you who really help me along. Thanks for the encouragement and the thoughtful comment. Can you email me at watchoverhaulchannel@gmail.com so I can get your contact info?
The solution I sent you has been tested on many American clock movements and is 100 percent safe to use. The simple green might clean a little bit but it will never get off the hardened grease like at 20:39. I sent you in in the email. I’ll send some pictures of how well it works.
Thanks for the "Super Thanks"! So, the main reason I didn't use your formula on this clock is because I didn't necessarily want the movement to look very shiny and new. This is my personal clock that's been passed down many times and has sentimental value to me. I like that it looks antique, and making the movement look like it was made yesterday would ruin some of its charm and erase some of its aging characteristics. I do want to try the formula, though. I like the idea of making everything bright and shiny again, but just not on my clock. I will probably be able to try it on the next one.
Oh my gosh! I have this clock! It belonged to my mother, who collected antiques. It doesn't run properly, and this video makes me want to take it apart and clean it. Don't worry, I won't! I have a healthy respect (fear) of the mainsprings 😒 Thanks for a great video!
Cool! Well, you don't have to do everything all at once. I learned in stages over time. I didn't clean the mainsprings the first time I worked on this clock. If you want to work on it, you can just do what you feel comfortable with for now. Thanks for watching!
I’ve used my US Cleaner for almost 10 years now in my Gunsmith’s business. I’ve tried numerous solutions in it and by far the best one I’ve found is Dawn Dish soap.
This was a lovely revisit to a previous project. Everything was done quite nicely. I don't' know if I would trust plastic zip ties on mainsprings. If you want another cheap and reliable (and reusable) option, I strongly suggest hose clamps. You can get these in various sizes at most hardware stores for a few dollars. It's nice that your movement still has the original Geneva stops as most of these tend to get thrown away or lost. The only thing I would change are the hands. The ones currently on the clock are not period or correct. This Gilbert clock probably originally had Maltese pattern hands, which are still available as replacements. You could also consider looking for gold decals for the glass. I believe these are getting harder to find, but should still be available in limited patterns. You probably would not be able to get the same one as it had originally, but something similar would look nicer than plain glass. It's quite a nice looking clock and the case is in good shape, so may be worth it.
At the moment, I'm cautiously trusting the zip ties, and I hope it doesn't come back to bite me. From my research, there seems to be a few pounds of force required to retain a wound mainspring. Since each zip tie has a tensile strength of 60 lbs, I thought I would be in good shape. I've read that you can easily hold a spring in your hand and keep it wound. There is a nice discussion here about this topic: mb.nawcc.org/threads/restraining-mainsprings.136308. I also noticed the hands are different on this clock compared to pictures of the same clock I've found online and that the decal is missing. I might replace the hands one day, but the decal is tricky. I couldn't seem to find a common decal that was used for this exact clock, and I didn't want to put some rogue decal on. Thanks for taking the time to reach out!
To help with your mainspring winder, some form of safety clip through the hook would help, so the loop end of the spring couldnt come free. This could be done either by drilling a hole through the end to put an R clip in, or thread the end of it and just spin a wingnut on maybe?
38:21 you should be putting a very light coating of clock grease on the clickspring where the spring is butting up against the click it is a wear surface
For brass parts I use baking Soda and the same tea mesh like you, in the ultra sonic. 40Ç should be enaugh. I give the steel springs a good rub with Autosol. Cool Video
I've serviced more than a few of these types of movements as a hobbyist. Some things you should learn before your next one: 1. The time spring needs replaced. The inner coils are compressed and it won't run for 8 days that way. If you try and stretch it open, it will just compress again when you wind it. Basically, it's done for and should be replaced. Mainsprings aren't that expensive so the best advice is to replace both unless you know how old they are because you already replaced them. 2. Check the click pivots on the main wheels while you have it apart. The click pivots will wear and will allow the click to disengage the teeth. This leads to an uncontrolled full power unwind, usually when winding the clock, with possible injury. Any slop means you need to replace the clicks and pivots. 3. Speaking of clicks, NEVER release the click pivot spring without having the let down tool on the arbor. If the click is worn, it could let go once the spring pressure keeping it engaged is removed. That gear spinning at top speed becomes an angry buzz saw and it will shred your body parts if it can. You will not be able to get your hands out of the way fast enough. BTDT. 4. Time teaches. You still have things to learn, but you did a very good job. Well done.
Thanks for the pointers! Regarding the springs, I knew they should probably be replaced because they were really set, but this clock has sentimental value, so I felt like keeping the springs as they were. I'll have to look into how to work on the click pivots. I noticed there was a little play there as well. Thanks again for the advice and for watching!
use cheap bristle paint brush to apply keystone mainspring lubricant on part of the spring you could not get to in the middle with tight windings. you do not need to widen the hole for the end of the mainspring. just keep turning it and the pin will lift the hole edge as going up on a 'ramp' and will pop into the hole eventually. you never want to spread the hole end because it may cause problems down the road or break.
Great job.👍 I think he will be calling the hours for many years to come. However, I would paint the hands with some non-aggressive paint, from a greater distance they cannot be distinguished from the dial and the whole content is charming.
Thanks! I thought about painting them, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I kind of like how they look a little worn out - it's consistent with it's age. Thanks for watching!
I use Elma red as washing fluid in my ultrasonic cleaner. Its amonium based and on 1:10 ratio with water. Its realy good. / Amateur watchmaker in Sweden. 😀
Simple green is a good cleaner in most things but doesn’t deep clean clock movements. I would buy some ammonia and start by 1 part ammonia and 3 parts water. It should be plenty strong to clean the areas behind the ratchet wheels and Geneva stops. I’ve rebuilt many clock movements and this works for me.
Desde mi afición a la relojería y probar varios líquidos de limpieza no encuentro ninguno realmente eficaz a pesar de buscar por internet, probaré está proporción de amoniaco haber que tal resulta , gracias
Hello, I think the solution fo the winding spring is to extend the rod close to your thumb so you ca n reach to push back agains the winding side and block the handle.
ya know what. if you got 3 n 1, use it. just like this vid, if you enjoy the work, you can always revisit the movement in the near future. and a clean pivot with 3 n1 is going to far better than old oil and debris grinding away at the metal.
Yeah, that's what I had at the time. I didn't realize it would have triggered the end of the world when I used it in the first video. Based on some of the comments I received, it appeared as though I completely ruined some people's day. Thanks for watching!
I would have advised against using an abrasive like steel wool on your springs. They're blued and it protects them from corrosion. Having rubbed some of it off, now the steel is less protected. You'll need to keep an eye on it and keep them oiled. You should have just cleaned them with your machine.
I thought about using the ultrasonic cleaner, but I wasn't sure if the heat would mess up the temper on the springs. The mainspring lubricatant I use isn't just a lubricant. It also helps protect against rust and oxidation. The process I use is suggested in the NAWCC forums. I'll look more into it, though. Thanks for watching!
@WatchOverhaul the machine was set to 40 celcius, right? That wouldn't affect the springs, that's just a very hot day in some places. It's just a thought, it's your choice to use abrasives when restoring.
I tried using alcohol before, but when it dried, it left behind a thin white film on everything. This is why I use mineral spirits. Thanks for watching!
The main spring problem with getting the arbor in, the spring is set which robbs the amount of time the clock will run on fully winding, for example, a 30 hour clock would only run 29 hours
That's strange. It used to be there. I can't find it anymore either, but it's on my phone. If you google "Nitzan Hamzani cuckoo clock calibration", you might find the apk to download, but some of the download sites look sketch.
Hey! Thanks! Yeah, things have been pretty busy for me the last few years, and it's been hard to find free time to do fun stuff like this. Thanks for sticking around and watching!
I'm assuming that despite the grease and 3 in 1 oil, the clock ran for two years after your first attempt. It might not have been correct, but clearly it also didn't end the world or the clock. I think it's great you made a second attempt, doing improvements. But the tools used in the original video and skipping the main springs still made the clock work. If that encourages other people to try and save a clock with a little time and care and a little investment then that's fine by me, even if it's not technically correct. Better than the thrash heap. Not everyone can afford a professional and no doubt many clocks are more sentimental than valuable. As to the Philips screws... They worked, they were the correct materiaal and they were never going to be original. I wouldn't worry about it. Originality is only worth something on rare and valuable clocks or anything. Otherwise practicality is key, making it work is the important thing. Giving it a new lease on life.
Yeah, you have to start somewhere, and it's not the end of the world to not get everything 100% correct the first time. I don't think everyone realizes I'm an amateur, doing this as a hobby, and teaching myself how to restore antique clocks. I'm going to make mistakes - that's just part of the process. Thanks for the encouragement and for watching!
Thanks! That problem might be just as simple as removing the hands and adjusting them a bit. They could have slipped a little out of place. Thanks for watching!
Is there a reason that you can’t totally unwind the main springs on these clocks like you can with wrist watches? I’ve seen the nekkid watchmaker do it on all of his watch repairs to clean the main spring and then he rewinds the mainspring after it’s cleaned… maybe I’m wrong and you can’t do it here it I don’t see why not
You could totally unwind the spring, but I'm pretty sure it would damage the spring beyond repair. Clock springs are very strong and stiff. They aren't thin and flexible like watch springs. Just unwinding them as much as I do will even start to put kinks/bends in the spring (which isn't good). This is why I normally stop unwinding at some point. Thanks for watching!
These type of movements don’t have any safety if their spring breaks. One way to help set the movement up is to tap and thread a screw onto the plates, to act as a stop if it breaks. (So it can’t expand grossly and ruin the whole movement)
@@WatchOverhaul Before you go through all that trouble, I would ask yourself "why" it's no longer available. Could be the app was taken down for a reason, like being infected, having a major vulnerability, etc. Just saying...
@WatchOverhaul Просто вы заблокировали анкерное колесо перед тем, как установить скобу, обрезком пластикового хомутка чёрного цвета. Когда прикрепляли циферблат, кусок пластикового хомутка не был убран. Или в видеозаписи этого фрагмента нет, как вы разблокировали анкерное колесо. Просмотоите видеозапись. А механизм неплохой. Доводилось такие ремонтировать не раз. В основном "Seikosha". Вот только выработки в отверстиях для цапф большие обычно. Приходится кернить.
You could, and there are people that just do the dunk and swish method, but it doesn't really get everything clean, especially the important areas like the pivot holes. The cleaning solution can also get trapped in certain areas and not dry fast enough - rust can quickly form on steel parts. If the mainsprings are in barrels, then I'm sure moisture would certainly get trapped. You can't properly clean and lubricate the mainsprings without taking them out of the movement. You can't properly clean and inspect the pivot holes and inspect all the parts without fully disassembling the movement. It's not just about cleaning. It's also about finding where the problems are. Just dunking the assembled movement, trying to dry it off, and calling it clean might work in the short-term, but any remaining dirt will act as an abrasive and shorten the life of the movement. Cleaning without disassembling the movement is like taking a shower with your clothes on. You might look clean, but I bet some important areas were missed. Thanks for the question and for watching!
Pinch some dirt between your fingers real tight, and then swish your hands in a sink. You'll never get all the dirt out of the pivots. That dirt, mixed with oil, works like polishing compound to grind away at your pivots.
There is little I admire more than someone willing to own their mistakes and to do it graciously. You are a stand up guy!
Thank you! I embrace mistakes and failures. I try not to make mistakes, but they are bound to happen when trying something new. I accept them as part of the process and use them to get better. The only sure way to not make any mistakes is to not try at all. Thanks for watching!
I'm delighted that you calculate the ideal beats per minute from the tooth and pinion counts - I've hardly seen any TH-cam clock repairer do that, and I feel it saves a lot of time regulating the clock when everything is back together. Thanks for this video
Thanks! You can also calculate the ideal pendulum length as well, but I haven't shown that yet. It's something I calculate just in case the pendulum length is wrong. Thanks for watching!
@BradfordNeedham I actually use your website a lot to help me with the calculations. Thank you for making that available! I can't find your email to get in contact with you. Can you email me at watchoverhaulchannel@gmail.com?
Thank you for learning about clocks and helping them to tick-tock again!♥️
Thank you, and thanks for watching!
I like how you were using a flat head screwdriver in a Philips head screw and it's just funny how much it went well with the observation about the flat head screwdriver being period correct for the time? This was just something that I noticed about it in the video? Thanks for sharing this with us and God bless you and have a great day
👍
Great to see that you tubes money will help you get all the right tools for each job. And help you accheve your skills and be so professional and people will pay you what your worth. Because of the high service you give them.
Thank you!
lol I love @2:55 that you just triggered 3 trolls in in one blow...
1.) Using a Slotted screw driver on a 2.) (not period correct)Philips head screw. 3.) buy the correct tools..
Keep it up... its your hobby.. we are just guests invited to watch...
Haha, yeah. If I don't ruin someone's day at least once per video, then I'm not doing my job correctly :). I figured since I was getting rid of those screws it didn't matter, but I'm sure someone is going to be triggered. Thanks for watching!
@@WatchOverhaul And don't use needle to clean the dirt , use pegwood to prevent any scratches. And use gloves or finger coats to prevent contamination by sweaty fingers. 😎
Good video, but I was amused by this part too. All that care to use tweezers so he doesn't scratch those brand new screws that he just used the wrong tool on. LOL To the channel owner, thanks for a good video. Might poke a little fun at you because it wasn't perfect, but it's fun for us to watch you do this anyway. None of us are perfect. :) Keep it up!
while you are looking for tools, better screwdrivers the slot should be almost filled by the tip, this reduces damage, those nuts are not metric, use the imperial drivers on imperial screws.
Brilliant you are doing this. I have a clock shop ln solvang California, you should get a catalog both for Black Forest and time savers. Black Forest sells an ultrasonic cleaning solution called Zenith, the ammoniated solution is the good one, don’t bother with the non ammonia. It cleans very well, and also brightens up the brass well. As a hobbiest, you can get away with just a clean movement. however if you get to the point of restorations for customers, it’s important the the movement looks nice too. Although you can’t see the movements in a lot of American clocks, it’s a good finish. Once you get more advanced, crystal regulators, or any other clocks with exposed movements need to be cleaner. Simple green is kind of clever, but you don’t need to do this since it’s cheap enough to get a good solvent meant for cleaning clock parts.
Also with you mainsprings, those can go in the ultrasonic tank. And you don’t need to put grease on them until the movement is assembled. Once the clock is halfway wound, you hold the movement flat and drip the grease so it flows through the crevices of the slightly wound spring. This prevents oily hands from touching the pre greased mainspring and leaving marks on the clean movement, and saves time.
Defect on the winding wheel is a factory defect, you see them from time to time. Sunny to see once in a while, when you work on older movements 1820s and earlier, you’ll see more casting imperfections.
Cleaning them with mineral spirits after the tank is unnecessary, just rinse with warm water in the sink. No need to waste time and solvents when you don’t need to. Not to mention mineral spirits will still leave a bit of a film. For drying parts, use an air compressor to get the majority of water off the parts, then put in a drier for a few minutes. If you don’t have a dryer, oven on low for a few minutes works fine.
I’m also curious why you don’t throw all the parts together? Don’t worry about over packing the tank the components will be fine. This just adds more extra time to your project when it’s unnecessary.
For heavy grease removal: sometimes clocks that are super dirty I pre clean them, kinda. I use the clock rinsing solution that Black Forest sells with a tooth brush to remove heavy grease and dirt. This does two things: removes very old caked on grease that won’t come off in the tank, like your white lithium grease. Lastly, it will save your tanks solution. Heavily dirty movements will severely affect the solution, so if you can save it, do it. More beneficial to do this before ultrasonicing than after.
You’re correct about the hammer, kinda. With a real clock cleaning solution the leather will get mushy and eventually dry very hard and disintegrate. Your solution probably won’t do this.
I noticed something in your last video. The time train is easy on these movements because it doesn’t matter the placement. The strike train does matter very much. In your last video, the gearing was not calibrated for the hammer to be in full rest position when not chiming. It’s lmportant to adjust the gearing on the strike to do this. This clock has the hammer lifting pins and stop pins on the same gear so you got lucky. But in full rest position, and clock going into caution at five minutes before striking, the hammer should have NO contact with the gearing. Only exceptions are earlier clocks that have just a little bit of hammer contact on the gearing which can be normal, but we’re talking old old clocks.
Another thing I noticed, but could have been done off camera, make sure to oil the center shaft before you put the hour wheel on! You can not do this after you assemble the places, along with the canyon pinion (spring on the center shaft that creates tension)
Your oil looks great, but you are using an application style more for watches. Invest in a syringe, doesn’t look like you’re adding enough oil. Oil sinks should not be over flowers, but not empty either.
Bushings are not the only components that need oil. Lifting lever for hammer should have sinthetic grease, I use “the system”
Click definitely need oil as well. Oil or grease on the stop lever of the strike as well to prevent wear, along with the lifting lever on the center shaft that lifts the levers to make the chime clock every half hour. This needs oil and or grease as well.
Keep it up, feel free to message me if you have ent questions. I specialize in restorations of rare antique European clocks including music boxes and automatons.
Thank you for sharing all of that information and suggestions! I really appreciate it! I haven't noticed a film from using mineral spirits, but using isopropyl alcohol leaves a white film. I don't throw all the parts together because I read that if parts rub against each other in the ultrasonic cleaner, it could damage the parts. Thanks for the tip on the hammer positioning. I haven't been oiling the center shaft. Can I just use the clock oil I use on the pivots? I have a syringe for the oil, but it's hard for me to control how much oil comes out and didn't want to over oil. I'll give the syringe a try again. In the first round of this video, I used grease on things, but not in the areas you suggested. Either way, I got blasted in the comments, and the sentiment was that I should never get grease near a clock. So, now I shy away from it. It's hard to know what to do when people say to not use grease and others say to use grease.
I'm definitely going to keep learning and making more videos, and it's people like you who really help me along. Thanks for the encouragement and the thoughtful comment. Can you email me at watchoverhaulchannel@gmail.com so I can get your contact info?
The solution I sent you has been tested on many American clock movements and is 100 percent safe to use. The simple green might clean a little bit but it will never get off the hardened grease like at 20:39. I sent you in in the email. I’ll send some pictures of how well it works.
The simple green does not make the plates shiny and might confuse repair people to believe it hasn’t been cleaned in a while
If you still wanna go with the simple green route mix it with 2 cups of acetone
Thanks for the "Super Thanks"! So, the main reason I didn't use your formula on this clock is because I didn't necessarily want the movement to look very shiny and new. This is my personal clock that's been passed down many times and has sentimental value to me. I like that it looks antique, and making the movement look like it was made yesterday would ruin some of its charm and erase some of its aging characteristics.
I do want to try the formula, though. I like the idea of making everything bright and shiny again, but just not on my clock. I will probably be able to try it on the next one.
@@WatchOverhaul I agree good job
Oh my gosh! I have this clock! It belonged to my mother, who collected antiques. It doesn't run properly, and this video makes me want to take it apart and clean it. Don't worry, I won't! I have a healthy respect (fear) of the mainsprings 😒
Thanks for a great video!
Cool! Well, you don't have to do everything all at once. I learned in stages over time. I didn't clean the mainsprings the first time I worked on this clock. If you want to work on it, you can just do what you feel comfortable with for now. Thanks for watching!
I’ve used my US Cleaner for almost 10 years now in my Gunsmith’s business. I’ve tried numerous solutions in it and by far the best one I’ve found is Dawn Dish soap.
Thanks for the tip. I might try just Dawn Dish soap. I was using that with my smaller ultrasonic cleaner. Thanks for watching!
This was a lovely revisit to a previous project. Everything was done quite nicely. I don't' know if I would trust plastic zip ties on mainsprings. If you want another cheap and reliable (and reusable) option, I strongly suggest hose clamps. You can get these in various sizes at most hardware stores for a few dollars. It's nice that your movement still has the original Geneva stops as most of these tend to get thrown away or lost. The only thing I would change are the hands. The ones currently on the clock are not period or correct. This Gilbert clock probably originally had Maltese pattern hands, which are still available as replacements. You could also consider looking for gold decals for the glass. I believe these are getting harder to find, but should still be available in limited patterns. You probably would not be able to get the same one as it had originally, but something similar would look nicer than plain glass. It's quite a nice looking clock and the case is in good shape, so may be worth it.
At the moment, I'm cautiously trusting the zip ties, and I hope it doesn't come back to bite me. From my research, there seems to be a few pounds of force required to retain a wound mainspring. Since each zip tie has a tensile strength of 60 lbs, I thought I would be in good shape. I've read that you can easily hold a spring in your hand and keep it wound. There is a nice discussion here about this topic: mb.nawcc.org/threads/restraining-mainsprings.136308.
I also noticed the hands are different on this clock compared to pictures of the same clock I've found online and that the decal is missing. I might replace the hands one day, but the decal is tricky. I couldn't seem to find a common decal that was used for this exact clock, and I didn't want to put some rogue decal on. Thanks for taking the time to reach out!
@@WatchOverhaulbuy some metal C clamps they are reusable and you won’t have to waste zip ties
To help with your mainspring winder, some form of safety clip through the hook would help, so the loop end of the spring couldnt come free. This could be done either by drilling a hole through the end to put an R clip in, or thread the end of it and just spin a wingnut on maybe?
Yeah, I've thought about that, too. I plan to make some mods to it. Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!
38:21 you should be putting a very light coating of clock grease on the clickspring where the spring is butting up against the click it is a wear surface
Thanks for the information. I really appreciate it. Thanks for watching!
For brass parts I use baking Soda and the same tea mesh like you, in the ultra sonic. 40Ç should be enaugh.
I give the steel springs a good rub with Autosol.
Cool Video
Thanks for the info and for watching!
My settings on the ultrasonic is 35 C for 10 minutes and another 5 min. if needed to prevent any discoloring of the brass.
That's good to know. I'll have to tweak my settings next time. Thanks for watching!
I've serviced more than a few of these types of movements as a hobbyist. Some things you should learn before your next one:
1. The time spring needs replaced. The inner coils are compressed and it won't run for 8 days that way. If you try and stretch it open, it will just compress again when you wind it. Basically, it's done for and should be replaced. Mainsprings aren't that expensive so the best advice is to replace both unless you know how old they are because you already replaced them.
2. Check the click pivots on the main wheels while you have it apart. The click pivots will wear and will allow the click to disengage the teeth. This leads to an uncontrolled full power unwind, usually when winding the clock, with possible injury. Any slop means you need to replace the clicks and pivots.
3. Speaking of clicks, NEVER release the click pivot spring without having the let down tool on the arbor. If the click is worn, it could let go once the spring pressure keeping it engaged is removed. That gear spinning at top speed becomes an angry buzz saw and it will shred your body parts if it can. You will not be able to get your hands out of the way fast enough. BTDT.
4. Time teaches. You still have things to learn, but you did a very good job. Well done.
Thanks for the pointers! Regarding the springs, I knew they should probably be replaced because they were really set, but this clock has sentimental value, so I felt like keeping the springs as they were. I'll have to look into how to work on the click pivots. I noticed there was a little play there as well. Thanks again for the advice and for watching!
You do not replace original springs if you don’t have to lol
use cheap bristle paint brush to apply keystone mainspring lubricant on part of the spring you could not get to in the middle with tight windings. you do not need to widen the hole for the end of the mainspring. just keep turning it and the pin will lift the hole edge as going up on a 'ramp' and will pop into the hole eventually. you never want to spread the hole end because it may cause problems down the road or break.
I couldn't get it without widening the hole. I tried for a very, very long time.
Great job.👍 I think he will be calling the hours for many years to come. However, I would paint the hands with some non-aggressive paint, from a greater distance they cannot be distinguished from the dial and the whole content is charming.
Thanks! I thought about painting them, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I kind of like how they look a little worn out - it's consistent with it's age. Thanks for watching!
I use Elma red as washing fluid in my ultrasonic cleaner. Its amonium based and on 1:10 ratio with water. Its realy good. / Amateur watchmaker in Sweden. 😀
Thanks for sharing that 🙂. I might try something else once I run out of the crystal simple green. Thanks for watching!
A suggestion for reassemble use two rubber bands on the plates to provide just enough pressure
That's a really good idea! I'll have to try that. Thanks for watching!
Simple green is a good cleaner in most things but doesn’t deep clean clock movements. I would buy some ammonia and start by 1 part ammonia and 3 parts water. It should be plenty strong to clean the areas behind the ratchet wheels and Geneva stops. I’ve rebuilt many clock movements and this works for me.
I've read about using ammonia. I might try that sometime. Thanks for watching!
Desde mi afición a la relojería y probar varios líquidos de limpieza no encuentro ninguno realmente eficaz a pesar de buscar por internet, probaré está proporción de amoniaco haber que tal resulta , gracias
Hello, I think the solution fo the winding spring is to extend the rod close to your thumb so you ca n reach to push back agains the winding side and block the handle.
That's a good idea. I have a couple of other ideas, but they are a little more complicated. I'll have to experiment a little. Thanks for watching!
You did a good job……😊
Nice video looks much cleaner
Thanks 👍
ya know what. if you got 3 n 1, use it. just like this vid, if you enjoy the work, you can always revisit the movement in the near future. and a clean pivot with 3 n1 is going to far better than old oil and debris grinding away at the metal.
Yeah, that's what I had at the time. I didn't realize it would have triggered the end of the world when I used it in the first video. Based on some of the comments I received, it appeared as though I completely ruined some people's day. Thanks for watching!
Put a plate on the open end with a hole in it to act a a guide instead of your hand- hold the plate with your left hand as well as the spring ..
That's a good idea. Thanks for watching!
I would have advised against using an abrasive like steel wool on your springs. They're blued and it protects them from corrosion. Having rubbed some of it off, now the steel is less protected. You'll need to keep an eye on it and keep them oiled.
You should have just cleaned them with your machine.
I thought about using the ultrasonic cleaner, but I wasn't sure if the heat would mess up the temper on the springs. The mainspring lubricatant I use isn't just a lubricant. It also helps protect against rust and oxidation. The process I use is suggested in the NAWCC forums. I'll look more into it, though. Thanks for watching!
@WatchOverhaul the machine was set to 40 celcius, right? That wouldn't affect the springs, that's just a very hot day in some places.
It's just a thought, it's your choice to use abrasives when restoring.
Do the pre-cleaning with kerosene before the ultra sound! Rinse with alcohol after to get rid of any water. residue.
I tried using alcohol before, but when it dried, it left behind a thin white film on everything. This is why I use mineral spirits. Thanks for watching!
The main spring problem with getting the arbor in, the spring is set which robbs the amount of time the clock will run on fully winding, for example, a 30 hour clock would only run 29 hours
Yeah, the springs were really set, which I expected due to their age.
I'm not finding that app in the play store that you used
That's strange. It used to be there. I can't find it anymore either, but it's on my phone. If you google "Nitzan Hamzani cuckoo clock calibration", you might find the apk to download, but some of the download sites look sketch.
I was able to save off the apk on my phone. I can email it to you if you want. Email me at watchoverhaulchannel@gmail.com and I can send it.
Same. I would like to have it!
same :/// i need it too really bad my clock badly ticks and idk where to adjust it
Send me an email at watchoverhaulchannel@gmail.com and I'll send you the apk. I don't know why it's not in the play store anymore.
yooooooo welcome bakc
Hey! Thanks! Yeah, things have been pretty busy for me the last few years, and it's been hard to find free time to do fun stuff like this. Thanks for sticking around and watching!
I'm assuming that despite the grease and 3 in 1 oil, the clock ran for two years after your first attempt. It might not have been correct, but clearly it also didn't end the world or the clock.
I think it's great you made a second attempt, doing improvements. But the tools used in the original video and skipping the main springs still made the clock work. If that encourages other people to try and save a clock with a little time and care and a little investment then that's fine by me, even if it's not technically correct. Better than the thrash heap. Not everyone can afford a professional and no doubt many clocks are more sentimental than valuable.
As to the Philips screws... They worked, they were the correct materiaal and they were never going to be original. I wouldn't worry about it.
Originality is only worth something on rare and valuable clocks or anything. Otherwise practicality is key, making it work is the important thing. Giving it a new lease on life.
Yeah, you have to start somewhere, and it's not the end of the world to not get everything 100% correct the first time. I don't think everyone realizes I'm an amateur, doing this as a hobby, and teaching myself how to restore antique clocks. I'm going to make mistakes - that's just part of the process.
Thanks for the encouragement and for watching!
nice woek.
i want to ask, i have a Chinese clock, that tricks befor time at the mnt 59, the same at the at the half it stikes at 29nmt
Thanks! That problem might be just as simple as removing the hands and adjusting them a bit. They could have slipped a little out of place. Thanks for watching!
@@WatchOverhaul thank you sir
Is there a reason that you can’t totally unwind the main springs on these clocks like you can with wrist watches? I’ve seen the nekkid watchmaker do it on all of his watch repairs to clean the main spring and then he rewinds the mainspring after it’s cleaned… maybe I’m wrong and you can’t do it here it I don’t see why not
You could totally unwind the spring, but I'm pretty sure it would damage the spring beyond repair. Clock springs are very strong and stiff. They aren't thin and flexible like watch springs. Just unwinding them as much as I do will even start to put kinks/bends in the spring (which isn't good). This is why I normally stop unwinding at some point. Thanks for watching!
ammonia floor cleaner mixed with water is old school clock cleaner
Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!
These type of movements don’t have any safety if their spring breaks. One way to help set the movement up is to tap and thread a screw onto the plates, to act as a stop if it breaks. (So it can’t expand grossly and ruin the whole movement)
Thanks for the suggestion!
i cant find the app in the google play store that u pinned :((( ://
Send me an email at watchoverhaulchannel@gmail.com and I'll send you the apk. I don't know why it's not in the play store anymore.
@@WatchOverhaul okay
@@WatchOverhaul Before you go through all that trouble, I would ask yourself "why" it's no longer available. Could be the app was taken down for a reason, like being infected, having a major vulnerability, etc. Just saying...
I wouldn’t be putting the hands with the screws if it were me
Yeah, that's a good point. I didn't think about that at the time. I'll have to keep that in mind for the next one! Thanks for watching!
@@WatchOverhaul you’re welcome!
Как-то странно: закрепил циферблат, не разблокировав анкерное колесо.
I'm not sure what you mean.
@WatchOverhaul Просто вы заблокировали анкерное колесо перед тем, как установить скобу, обрезком пластикового хомутка чёрного цвета. Когда прикрепляли циферблат, кусок пластикового хомутка не был убран. Или в видеозаписи этого фрагмента нет, как вы разблокировали анкерное колесо. Просмотоите видеозапись. А механизм неплохой. Доводилось такие ремонтировать не раз. В основном "Seikosha". Вот только выработки в отверстиях для цапф большие обычно. Приходится кернить.
♥️👍🇲🇦
👍Thanks for watching!
Couldn’t you just set the entire mechanism into a parts cleaner?
You could, and there are people that just do the dunk and swish method, but it doesn't really get everything clean, especially the important areas like the pivot holes. The cleaning solution can also get trapped in certain areas and not dry fast enough - rust can quickly form on steel parts. If the mainsprings are in barrels, then I'm sure moisture would certainly get trapped. You can't properly clean and lubricate the mainsprings without taking them out of the movement. You can't properly clean and inspect the pivot holes and inspect all the parts without fully disassembling the movement. It's not just about cleaning. It's also about finding where the problems are.
Just dunking the assembled movement, trying to dry it off, and calling it clean might work in the short-term, but any remaining dirt will act as an abrasive and shorten the life of the movement. Cleaning without disassembling the movement is like taking a shower with your clothes on. You might look clean, but I bet some important areas were missed.
Thanks for the question and for watching!
@@WatchOverhaul wow, great points! I did not think of this. Thanks much!
@idv1328 No problem!
Pinch some dirt between your fingers real tight, and then swish your hands in a sink. You'll never get all the dirt out of the pivots. That dirt, mixed with oil, works like polishing compound to grind away at your pivots.