Old clock repair help needed

Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:16 pm     Post subject: Old clock repair help needed

My parents have a 40ish year old Bulova wall clock that has intermittent problems. I've repaired it repeatedly over the last couple decades, but I think wear is finally starting to take it's toll.

First the clock and mechanism does not seem to be very high quality, the only reason I am trying to fix it is because it has a lot of sentimental value for my folks and they would like to hear it chime again.

I don't know if this is common knowledge, but I'm a clock newbie, and I'll describe what I know of the mechanism:

The clock is battery driven, but indirectly (by modern standards), the chiming mechanism winds a main-spring in addition to moving the chime striker. The main-spring operates what appears to be a pretty standard pendulum clock mechanism.

Over the years, I've fixed the battery holder and contacts after battery leaks etc. Now it appears that the problem is wear. The clock will stop randomly. When the clock stops, the mainspring is still wound (IE: the motor portion of the mechanism is winding it properly as part of the chiming).

In examining the mechanism, it appears that one of the gears right after the escapement is mis-aligned due to wear of the axle of the gear. It doesn't appear that the gear is jammed when I finally get to a point where I can see the gear (after much disassembly), but the gear is really sloppy within the plates. Here's what the plates look like:

http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_13.jpg


Questions:

Do any of you have a replacement mechanism that is like this? I'd love to buy it from you; name your price.

Does the wear and thus mis-alignment of the gears typically lead to this sort of problem?

Can I fix the holes be disassembly of the main gear holding plates, and silver soldering the holes closed followed by carefully milling out the hole? Anybody actually done this? Is it possible?

Any help or advise would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance,
Sheldon


Here's some more pictures of the clock and mechanism:

http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_2.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_3.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_4.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_5.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_6.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_7.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_8.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_9.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_10.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_11.jpg
http://quadesl.com/clock/clock_12.jpg

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 2:08 am     Post subject:

this type of movement has not be made since the early seventies. You can have the bushing's redone, but it will be cost prohibitive. You may be able to find one on Ebay, as an alternative this movement will work just need to check the measurements.

http://www.klockit.com/products/dept-158__sku-12160.html

Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 8:48 pm     Post subject:

Thanks for the advise. The clock body is nothing special, it's the sound and chiming that have sentimental value for my parents. So before I put a new mechanism in the clock, I'd toss the whole thing and buy a high quality clock for them.

I'm either going to try my hand at re-bushing-ing the mechanism or pay somebody way more than the mechanism or clock is worth to do it.

I've been keeping my eyes out on ebay and will continue to do so.


Thanks for the advise, I appreciate it,
Sheldon

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:38 am     Post subject:

I have the same clock motor that you had pictures of but a different shape of the clock by it self. they do the sound if you still need them u can emaile me ( maksim_tkachuk@yahoo.com )