Thank you for the informative content. my great grandfather used to make clocks he was called Thomas kefford of London. I have some questions that might sound a bit out of the ordinary but maybe you could help me. Question 1 what is the maximum torque that can be achieved with the correct spring. 2 would it be feasible to upsize one of the Springs to a 20-in diameter. 3 is there a way to stop the spring from uncoiling after it's been released without damaging it. Like a type of braking system. so that you could be in control of how much you let it unwind and the speed of the unwind. I know that's not sort of how a clock works but I was thinking for a different project requiring the ability to control unwind. 4 is there a way to pre wind to achieve more speed and power but also a limit to stop it unwinding past a certain point. 5 what do you think it would cost to you have something like that custom-made. My goal is to achieve 12 Newton metres of torque at 7000 RPM. 6 is that even feasible or am I kidding myself😂 Obviously I'm talking about much larger Springs than what you're working with. But my calculations if we were to make the identical model that's in your hand but sized up you'd be talking 1200% increase. If you've managed to read this far thank you I'm sorry for the out of the box questions I just can't find the answers anywhere else. Your help is much appreciated
Hi Scottie - Thanks for sharing the informative Video about Main Springs - very interesting. At last a man who knows what he’s talking about! 🙂 I recently purchased an Antique American Striking Clock (no Makers name) so very cheaply made I guess. However, it keeps excellent time and Strikes perfectly - and so very satisfied, but I noticed something odd; when I come to wind the Springs, the Strike, seems far less run down compared to the long winding I do for the Main Spring? Odd! I’m pretty certain it can’t be a longer running Clock than a 30hr, and that the Main Spring is just stopping too soon, as when it stops, there is a long full wind for the time - but like I say, the Strike has very little run-down... You don’t happen to know why this may be? I even thought perhaps the Strike should give one gong on each quarter as well as the half hour (which it already does) to use up the Spring, but I really don’t think it was that an expensive Clock when it was made - but of course it would have explained why there’s so much Spring tension left... I also wondered if because it was cheap, they just used identical Springs - even though half of the Strike one wouldn’t ever really get used as a possibility? Very grateful for any help you can give to solve this very frustrating mystery! Many Thanks.
you said to use grease not oil. What about mainspring lubricant, which is labeled specifically for lubricating clock mainsprings. It is like a thick tacky oil. They sell it specifically for this purpose. Is the grease still better to use and if so what type of grease?
I have a wind-up Howard Miller wall clock that has 3 winding ports. Right one is for the chime, bottom center is for the mainspring - but what would the 3rd one be used for?
@@ScottiesClockWorld Thank you - this makes sense to me now, that it never seems to "unwind", because we usually have the chime turned off. If the clock doesn't chime, then it will never unwind.
Just stumbled on this. Good information, I just subbed!
Excellent, thanks.
Thank you for the informative content.
my great grandfather used to make clocks he was called Thomas kefford of London.
I have some questions that might sound a bit out of the ordinary but maybe you could help me.
Question 1 what is the maximum torque that can be achieved with the correct spring.
2 would it be feasible to upsize one of the Springs to a 20-in diameter.
3 is there a way to stop the spring from uncoiling after it's been released without damaging it.
Like a type of braking system.
so that you could be in control of how much you let it unwind and the speed of the unwind.
I know that's not sort of how a clock works but I was thinking for a different project requiring the ability to control unwind.
4 is there a way to pre wind to achieve more speed and power but also a limit to stop it unwinding past a certain point.
5 what do you think it would cost to you have something like that custom-made.
My goal is to achieve 12 Newton metres of torque at 7000 RPM.
6 is that even feasible or am I kidding myself😂
Obviously I'm talking about much larger Springs than what you're working with.
But my calculations if we were to make the identical model that's in your hand but sized up you'd be talking 1200% increase.
If you've managed to read this far thank you I'm sorry for the out of the box questions I just can't find the answers anywhere else.
Your help is much appreciated
Hi Scottie - Thanks for sharing the informative Video about Main Springs - very interesting. At last a man who knows what he’s talking about! 🙂 I recently purchased an Antique American Striking Clock (no Makers name) so very cheaply made I guess. However, it keeps excellent time and Strikes perfectly - and so very satisfied, but I noticed something odd; when I come to wind the Springs, the Strike, seems far less run down compared to the long winding I do for the Main Spring? Odd! I’m pretty certain it can’t be a longer running Clock than a 30hr, and that the Main Spring is just stopping too soon, as when it stops, there is a long full wind for the time - but like I say, the Strike has very little run-down... You don’t happen to know why this may be? I even thought perhaps the Strike should give one gong on each quarter as well as the half hour (which it already does) to use up the Spring, but I really don’t think it was that an expensive Clock when it was made - but of course it would have explained why there’s so much Spring tension left... I also wondered if because it was cheap, they just used identical Springs - even though half of the Strike one wouldn’t ever really get used as a possibility? Very grateful for any help you can give to solve this very frustrating mystery! Many Thanks.
you said to use grease not oil. What about mainspring lubricant, which is labeled specifically for lubricating clock mainsprings. It is like a thick tacky oil. They sell it specifically for this purpose. Is the grease still better to use and if so what type of grease?
My horology instructor was a chemical engineer and he recommended PTFE grease over the thicker mainspring oil. It may be a personal choice.
where do you go to buy new mainspings and main spring housings? Thanks.
There’s plenty of suppliers out there. In the UK, I think Cousins is the big supplier. In the US, Timesavers and Clockworks are a couple.
@@Hawk89gt Thanks
I have a wind-up Howard Miller wall clock that has 3 winding ports. Right one is for the chime, bottom center is for the mainspring - but what would the 3rd one be used for?
The bottom centre winds the Time train mainspring, the other arbor winds the mainsprig for the Strike train.
@@ScottiesClockWorld Thank you - this makes sense to me now, that it never seems to "unwind", because we usually have the chime turned off. If the clock doesn't chime, then it will never unwind.