Annoying Fault

Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:34 pm     Post subject: Annoying Fault

Can you help?

I have a wall clock, decent quality, Westminster Chime and 3 wind-up holes.

The central hole is, as usual, the main spring. Anyway, it is this one which is giving me trouble.

When I wind up the chiming spring and striking spring everything is fine ... the central main spring winds up about 4 turns and then rapidly unwinds again. If I stop winding after about 4 turns all is fine and the clock works for about 10 hours - then stops, of course.

It feels like the spring (as it tightens and gets smaller in diameter) un-hooks from the inner surface of the drum ..... like a tang has come loose? Maybe even snapped?

Anyone help? What would it cost to repair?

Thank you in anticipation.

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:16 am     Post subject:

sounds like the winding ratchet assembly is worn,

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 11:17 pm     Post subject:

A common cause is the end of the mainspring which breaks off and cannot hook on the barrel stud.

Cost depends on where you take it, what they recommend, how difficult it is to strip and re-end and assemble and what effect any wear, if any, may have on the correct working of a part repair.
Not something i recommend - better to have the whole clock serviced by a good repairer.

Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2010 8:18 pm     Post subject:

Thank you for your reply.

The clock is only about 10 years old - would the ratchet be worn?

Regards to the rachet idea - wouldn't that make the key spin back as you are winding? The rachet is the easier repair than the broken spring conclusion ........ how do I ckeck it? Do I take the workings out of the case and watch what happens with the rachet?

Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:59 pm     Post subject:

I can tell by what you said it is NOT the ratchett wheel.
Take the mechanism out and you will see damage to the ratchett if any.
the mainspring is broken at the outer end which should be hooked to the barrel . It needs taking out and repairing.

DON'T UNSCREW ANYTHING UNTIL YOU HAVE LET THE POWER OFF THE MAINSPRINGS OR YOU WILL INJURE YOURSELF, WHICH IS WHY I RECOMMEND YOU TAKE TO A REPAIRER.

It should be safe enough to remove from the case but anything you do afterwards is at your own risk if you don't heed my warning.

if you want to go further yourself you need to read up thoroughly beforehand how to do it from a repair book.

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:02 pm     Post subject:

Thanks again for that reply ..... your diagnosis makes sense.

I guess it could just be that the tang on the end of the spring has become detached?

I am an Engineer - so, understand the principles and could probably fix - but, I am no expert though so will leave it to an expert.

Any idea of cost? In pounds?

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:37 pm     Post subject:

you could get a 'part - job' repair done which means just the repair to the faulty parts. However, most decent repairers would frown on this because 99% of the time the clock needs a proper service.

Cost depends on who you go to basically, no two places will have thesame price. Let's go on the assumption you find someone to do a part job.
Stripping down and locating the problem = probably 30 minutes.
Repairing the end or fitting a new one = probably 30 mins to one hour.
testing the clock over at least 24 hours or a week.
Most repairers (or shops) charge between £25 -£30 per hour plus parts.
So maybe £40 - £60 if you took it to a high street shop jewller.

Look for a repairer who specialises in clocks because some watchmakers don't know much about clocks. I'm located around Birmingham UK.

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:12 pm     Post subject:

Thanks again.

I doubt the clock needs a Service to be honest - it's about 10 years old - it simply appears to be a broken tang/mainspring ...... could just be the tang has become detached?

I would pay £50 to get it repaired .... the clock means more to me than just a clock - although, I know I could probably replace it with new for £200