Winding an old clock - torque measurement

Has anyone tried using a battery screwdriver to wind up an old clock?

My mother has an old bracket clock that is now becoming too heavy for her to wind - and I was surprised how long a wind it is too. My thoughts were to get a replacement key and modify is to fit in the driver chuck, but I would prefer to know the driver I have in mind has enough torque before I start.

So a) has anyone done this ... and b) what simple methods for torque measurement exist ?

Thanks Rob

Reply to
robgraham
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Sounds like a good way of having an oops moment and over-winding it, surely? How about getting another key and making a bigger handle for it so it takes less effort to wind?

Reply to
Jules Richardson

Impact driver!

Reply to
PeterC

Jules - it's a drum to drum cable mechanism (a horologist would correct my crude description) - the essence of this is that 'stop' is very positive and the torque selector on the driver will sense it easily.

Your option did cross my mind, but Mum is now not very strong and a larger handle though making the effort requirement lower would increase the whole body energy demand and that would be counter productive.

Rob

Reply to
robgraham

No and don't know, but I reckon this would be capable

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low speed it does 200rpm, max torque of 5.6 Nm - and 21 torque settings. The motor actually stops when the setting is reached. On the lower settings its possible to do up the screws on a plastic electrical socket/box without cracking the plastic - its that good.

The handbook gives torque guides for each setting, or trial & error.

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

You can get torque adjustable electric screwdrivers: at their lowest setting they would be hard put spin a teaspoon in a cup to tea - all you get is a furious clicking as the mechanism 'slips the clutch'. I suggest experimenting with one of those at various torque settings until you find one that is sufficient to wind up the clock, but slips when the clock is near enough fully wound. I'm assuming the resistance to being wound increases the more wound-up the clock mechanism gets.

Sid

Reply to
Sidney Endon-Lee

I was concerned about over winding as well but that doesn't sound as if it would be a problem. Get one of the adjustable torque drivers and set it so it slips at the right point. I then suggest finding some way of locking the torque setting to prevent future adjustment by Mum.

Bear in mind she will still have to resist the torque required even if she doesn't have to twist at the same time and also the weight of the driver.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

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