Cleaning a clock.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Have a Victorian mantle clock. The sort with one chime. No idea of the value, except sentimental.

It has taken to stopping every few hours. Not surprising given the last time it was cleaned was perhaps 20 years ago.

At one time, every high street had a clock repairer that would sort this - but I doubt Starbucks offer this service.

The last place I used to have it cleaned left the porcelain face loose - and polished the wood case which I didn't ask for or liked. But they are no longer in business anyway.

A bit of Goggling suggests it's not that difficult to clean and re-oil the bearings. But seem to give different methods for cleaning. Any views from someone who's done it?

[Bob Eager]

I took mine to a shop. They did a good job (as they had 20 years before).

Ask friends until you find one. Mine was about 40 minutes' drive away!

[Davey]

You could look at the website for the British Horological Society, the last time I looked, they recommended people who knew about these things. If you are in East Anglia, I have a contact there, but I don't know if he does 'jobbing' work like that, he has lots of knowledge, and does lectures on clockworks.

(Thankfully, Starbucks seem to be outnumbered by Costa in this region. I hate Starbucks.)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

But I don't know of one.

Don't have any local friends who have such a clock. They tend to be types who like new things. ;-)

The last place I used was from a recommendation - but they weren't that good and expensive too.

[Davidm]

Last time I did mine I first tried one of these spray can degreasers to clean out all the old dried up oil, then relubricated it. Didn't work, I think the old oil in the springs didn't all come out then just got even gungier when the degreaser evaporated. In the end I stripped it all down and did it properly, even taking the springs out of their casings. Used parafin to clean it all, and bought some proper clock oil (Ebay) to lubricate it. Took loads of photos as I was dismantling it, and made up an upside down cardboard tray with holes in, in roughly the same position as the backplate, so as I took the gears and spindles out I put them into this tray so I could see what position they went back in. Twas an interesting experience!

[Brian-Gaff]

Often even jewellers who have been around for a fair number of years can tell you of companies like this also. Best not to try one of those just opened with the Asian version of Tracey behind the counter using facebook whnen you walk in though. We seem to have quite a few like that around here! Brian

[ss]

Probably an ultrasonic cleaner at a jewellers/clockmakers, if you feel confident just take the workings to them. Ideally the parts of the clock should be stripped for cleaning but going to that extent could be expensive and unless a valuable clock I wouldnt bother. Re oiling is easy but use very little oil, you are basically filling a small oil well at the pivots. if you have never dismantled one before be very careful as wound springs can cause serious injury (google it) they need to be carefully wound down.

[Broadback]

I have along case clock and took the trouble to take it to a professional repairer. To be candid he made a pigs ear of it, it stopped less than a year later. Next time I took it to a part time man, he made a a great job. when (through my fault) I had trouble with it he came and fixed it for free. Of course you need to live in or around North Stafford shire. If you do I will gladly let you have his details.

[Dave Liquorice]

Always being of a "how does that work then ..." mindset I took apart a small clockwork mantle clock at about age 10. Dad came home just as I'd completed the disassembly on the living room carpet. He had the sense to say, through gritted teeth, "I hope you can put that back together", to which I answered "Of course". 20 mins later it was back together and running. No notes, no sketches, no photographs, just memory of what came from where and if it fits nicely it's probably in the right place.

So Dave, clocks aren't that hard. It probably does need a strip down clean and relube with a quality oil. The biggest mistake people make is over lubrication, you only need the meerest trace of oil at a bearing, anything more than a just visible oily end of pin is way too much you certainly don't want drops of the stuff.

[DJC]

I have just had my c1940s watch repaired at "The Little Yellow Shop" in Clerkenwell Rd probably about the last repairer left in EC1.

[gareth]

Most engineering types make the mistake of a liberal coating of 3-in-1 oil which has two effects ...

Firstly the oil collects dust which causes excessive wear, and secondly, the clock gloops to a halt in only a few months.

What you refer to as bearings are in fact oil sinks, and this is the ONLY place to put any oil, and only the smallest quantity that youcan pick up on the head of a pin.

NEVER put any oil on the teeth of the wheels and pinions.

[Adrian]

Or even just a little old retired bloke who potters with clocks in his shed to keep himself out of the missus' way.

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

I have 50 year old cuckoo clock, brass gears the lot. When it stopped working 7 years ago I soaked the insides with WD40. This worked, it is still err, working and keeps decent time. Just thought I'd tell you that.

[newshound]

+1.

The main spring is usually "captive" in a brass drum, not that difficult to remove and replace the spring from the drum but I'd say don't in your first pass, just take it apart and clean the bearings and anything else which looks dirty. Oh, make sure the spring is "unwound" first, ideally by taking the tension with a winding key before lifting the pawl, and letting the tension off gradually (sort of the reverse of winding it up).

[newshound]

The lower the "tech", the more you can get away with, e.g. WD40. Most cuckoo clocks were made cheaply for the tourist market, similarly the traditional alarm clock (for those that remember them).

The typical Victorian mantle shelf clock with an 8 day movement and some chimes needs a little bit more care (proper clock oil, and not too much of it) while a Georgian carriage clock or a decent long-case is worth treating gently, not least to preserve its value!

[ss]

I agree with the above but still had to laugh, I have 2 signal box clocks, like grandfathers without a base. I reckon I could pack with grease and they would still work.

But yes less is better when oiling clocks. Over the years I have found that generally just oiling them and setting the pendulam is enough to get them going again.

[Thomas Prufer]

Google a bit in this group for posts by Kevin Poole. ISTR he did this professionally...

What I recall: no WD40, oil pivots, never oil gears. "Oil" means a tiny amount of the proper oil, tiny being "what sticks to the eye of a needle is far too much".

Thomas Prufer

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yes - that's pretty well what I found. But the confusing bit was what to clean it with.

My personal preference based on cleaning the oily bits of cars etc would be petrol.

[Dave Liquorice]

Well it'll work but petrol has all manner of addatives that probably aren't volatile. Lighter fluid is far "purer", I've not tried but strongly suspect suspect if you let a teaspoon of petrol evaporate and teaspoon of light fuel there would be a sticky/greasy residue from the petrol but naff all from the lighter fluid.