I love how you anticipate, explain and then flawlessly execute your strategy for repairing and cleaning these beautiful antiques. By watching your videos, as an antique clock collector myself, I'm beginning to understand and learn a lot. I'm legally blind so I don't know how good I could become at clock working. But you make it fun as well as educational James. And you are so right. Over cleaning can can damage things on the movement. I had an old friend who passed away of old age earlier this year who worked on clocks for over 50 years. He said in the old days they would use gasoline to soak and clean the movements. Not sure I would've tried this method as I would think as well that gasoline might damage the movement parts. Again sir, great job and keep up the good work. I look forward to your next video.
Thanks Sammy, Glad you were able to get something from the video. Outside from the leather used in some of the hammers, gasoline may be as good of a solvent as the others for them to use in the old days. Solvents are good to clean the oils but many times they leave the dirt particles behind so not the best cleaning solution.
Thanks James. I have one of these that needs working on. Will also post a series on it. This video is a great intro into working on one of these movements.
Thanks, Its tempting for a lot of people to over-clean these until they shine. I have seen people use steel wool and brasso on gold gilt movements? Overcleaning can remove gold gilt down to the underlying brass base metal. In time, the brass oxidizes, damage to gold gilt is not easy to repair. Best to prevent damage up front so future generations can enjoy these. Outside of the gold gilt being damaged on this movement it was in excellent shape, all pivots were next to perfect, it ended up being a good running movement.
Thank you for your great content. I'd like to see a video on rebushing and also how you remove/replace the mainspring. I'm an amature watchmaker, mainsprings in a watch are easy but I know clocks have far more power and should be treated very differently. Rebushing isn't something I've tackled in watches yet (not much call for it) so I'd be interested in seeing that. Thanks again.
These works scare me. I am afraid to tear down a unit in fear i can never assemble it. I must take the plung e or forever be a clock "tinker" i enjoy watching your skill. Kind regards David. Milton Freewater Oregon
Take your time and you will do just fine. If you have a modern camera, take lots of photos at different angles before taking it apart. Then work the movement by hand slowly watching how all the striking and chiming mechanism work with each other. When movement is at rest at the different strike positions take photos of front with a paper note in image indicating what strike position its in. When movement is at rest locate all the stop pins on the various gears, draw pictures label each wheel, take notes on each wheel from mainwheel to the governor/fan. This will help you when putting it together to align the pins in correct position, if you don't get these right it can be a long road to getting them where they will work. When you get the plate off, leave the gears in tack and take more pictures. At first it helps to mark one side of the gears with a marker for orientation. Then when removing, position the gears from each train in sequence facing their correct direction and when all lined up take a picture of them. This all helps when beginning, and believe me if this is your first one to pull apart you will need all the help you can get. It might even help to take several motion pictures of it striking, so if you get in a jamb you can look at it for reference. After a few of them you will be able to wiz through it a lot quicker.
A terrific video ! I have a similar one (1939) but I cannot synchronize/beat the 124 movement. Is there a method to do this (as I notice it does not have a traditional crutch)? As a machine tool mechanic, I must admire your abilities in the area of horology ! Thanks for taking the time in producing this video .
The crutch is flat in these, and not a round wire, it is often the case that the verge is friction tight on its arbor and by holding the verge and moving the crutch, rather than bending it you can adjust/synchronize the beat.
Another great video. It looked like the gathering pallet was still attached when you separated the plates - what is your philosophy on that? My memory is that positioning the gathering pallet was an important adjustment during reassembly. Also, is 6-8 bushings typical of what a ST 124 needs? Thanks.
Gathering pallet was removed after plate was separated. At owners request, did minimum bushing work to get movement back in service. Some of these 124s need 20 bushings or so.
I love how you anticipate, explain and then flawlessly execute your strategy for repairing and cleaning these beautiful antiques. By watching your videos, as an antique clock collector myself, I'm beginning to understand and learn a lot. I'm legally blind so I don't know how good I could become at clock working. But you make it fun as well as educational James. And you are so right. Over cleaning can can damage things on the movement. I had an old friend who passed away of old age earlier this year who worked on clocks for over 50 years. He said in the old days they would use gasoline to soak and clean the movements. Not sure I would've tried this method as I would think as well that gasoline might damage the movement parts. Again sir, great job and keep up the good work. I look forward to your next video.
Thanks Sammy,
Glad you were able to get something from the video.
Outside from the leather used in some of the hammers, gasoline may be as good of a solvent as the others for them to use in the old days.
Solvents are good to clean the oils but many times they leave the dirt particles behind so not the best cleaning solution.
Thanks James. I have one of these that needs working on. Will also post a series on it. This video is a great intro into working on one of these movements.
Thanks James can't wait to have it back home.
That is the exact clock I had growning up
Must have brought back memories...
Not overrestored and so exelent fine work!
Thanks,
Its tempting for a lot of people to over-clean these until they shine.
I have seen people use steel wool and brasso on gold gilt movements?
Overcleaning can remove gold gilt down to the underlying brass base metal.
In time, the brass oxidizes, damage to gold gilt is not easy to repair.
Best to prevent damage up front so future generations can enjoy these.
Outside of the gold gilt being damaged on this movement it was in excellent shape, all pivots were next to perfect, it ended up being a good running movement.
Thank you for your great content. I'd like to see a video on rebushing and also how you remove/replace the mainspring. I'm an amature watchmaker, mainsprings in a watch are easy but I know clocks have far more power and should be treated very differently. Rebushing isn't something I've tackled in watches yet (not much call for it) so I'd be interested in seeing that. Thanks again.
Thanks,
Will do,
I show these items in some of my older videos if you want to check into them.
“Great job”
These works scare me. I am afraid to tear down a unit in fear i can never assemble it. I must take the plung e or forever be a clock "tinker" i enjoy watching your skill. Kind regards David. Milton Freewater Oregon
Take your time and you will do just fine.
If you have a modern camera, take lots of photos at different angles before taking it apart.
Then work the movement by hand slowly watching how all the striking and chiming mechanism work with each other.
When movement is at rest at the different strike positions take photos of front with a paper note in image indicating what strike position its in.
When movement is at rest locate all the stop pins on the various gears, draw pictures label each wheel, take notes on each wheel from mainwheel to the governor/fan.
This will help you when putting it together to align the pins in correct position, if you don't get these right it can be a long road to getting them where they will work.
When you get the plate off, leave the gears in tack and take more pictures.
At first it helps to mark one side of the gears with a marker for orientation.
Then when removing, position the gears from each train in sequence facing their correct direction and when all lined up take a picture of them.
This all helps when beginning, and believe me if this is your first one to pull apart you will need all the help you can get.
It might even help to take several motion pictures of it striking, so if you get in a jamb you can look at it for reference.
After a few of them you will be able to wiz through it a lot quicker.
A terrific video ! I have a similar one (1939) but I cannot synchronize/beat the 124 movement. Is there a method to do this (as I notice it does not have a traditional crutch)?
As a machine tool mechanic, I must admire your abilities in the area of horology ! Thanks for taking the time in producing this video .
The crutch is flat in these, and not a round wire, it is often the case that the verge is friction tight on its arbor and by holding the verge and moving the crutch, rather than bending it you can adjust/synchronize the beat.
For disassembling the spring barrels themselves, I assume you used a proper mainspring winder to get them out and get them back in again?
I find the Ollie Baker Style with sleeves work great on this style of movement.
Another great video. It looked like the gathering pallet was still attached when you separated the plates - what is your philosophy on that? My memory is that positioning the gathering pallet was an important adjustment during reassembly. Also, is 6-8 bushings typical of what a ST 124 needs? Thanks.
Gathering pallet was removed after plate was separated.
At owners request, did minimum bushing work to get movement back in service.
Some of these 124s need 20 bushings or so.
Ressemble aux pendules Allemandes de 1920
Je me demande si l'un d'eux a copié le design des autres?
Hy