Kundo Anniversary clock, Any tips as to why it wont run?

[Alastair]

Fiendish work of the devil this thing, like all its breed!

I cant see anything fundamentally wrong with it, it just wont go! The balls revolve for about 5 minutes and thats your lot! It appears in beat, escapement seems to function, nothing blocking anything, and its set level and wound etc...

I could never get anywhere with any torsion suspension clock, they always seemed to have me stumped....

Any pointers, do's dont's etc?

[clockboy]

I have repaired & worked on many 400 day clocks and personally I like them. I like them because they will not run unless every part being spot on and if set up correctly they will run for a year on one wind.  The beat has to be correct which is altered by twisting the suspension springs holder around. The balls should travel exactly the same distance in both directions. Another fault is if the suspension spring has the slightest kink it will not run. Also over a longer period if you have the wrong strength of suspension spring it is impossible to get it clock regulated. Finally the clock must be absolutely level and this is a simple process made by adjusting the clock feet and making sure the bottom of the pendulum is in the middle of the lower cup. I have added a vid by a guy showing the regulation of a 400 day and link showing how to adjust the beat.

https://billsclockworks.com/opinstructions/400Day.htm

 

[oldhippy]

I used to get inundated with these clocks manly because others would not touch them. clockboy is correct in every way. A couple of pointers, if you are going to repair these clocks then there are two must haves to get and both will pay dividends, one is this book (see image) the other is a beat setting tool, I have included a link where you can get one.

I would first take out the s/spring and check, make sure it is straight, with the weight of the pendulum, it might look fine but with no weight, it could be twisted or bent. Where the fork is either side of the pallets, a very tiny drop of very light oil will help to stop friction. These clocks run best on hardly any oil.  

  https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/beat-setting-clock-tool-horolovar

[Alastair]

Ah thanks for the advice and the links.

This clock is in nice condition and has good dome it cost me a fortune, All of one pound!

I think the best way forward with it is firstly a good clean and very light oiling I,'ll check the suspension and escapement as described and go from there...

 

[oldhippy]

If you intend to clean this properly and if you don't have one you will need a clock mainspring winder.

[Alastair]

Well..........

Ive pulled it all apart carefully and noted that the suspension was bent and twisted at the fork bridge bit, that was not at all apparent when it was assembled. I straightened it and untwisted this section.
--The suspension strand has a slow gradual twist of about a full turn over its full length below the fork, but I thought, might as well press on clean it all anyway. Probably need a new one....

I sonicated it all in the tank, which took all the crud off and then in light of the above advice on light lubrication, I applied very sparingly Moebius 9000 to the pivots--Its the thinnest lightest oil I have as I don't usually do anything other than tuning-fork movements...

I didnt take the mainspring out of the barrel, but did wash it all out with naptha, working the spring a few turns winding with the key etc, it was very clean in there TBH, the clock doesn't seem to have much evidence of wear anywhere, even the pallets show no polishing marks of wear...

I'm thinking this clock never ran!

Reassembled it and potched around with the beat as best I could--Hmm, That was tedious! Trying to get the balls to rotate whilst not swinging back and fourth as well.....

So far--its run for an hour, holding just a fraction over one complete turn of the balls.....

[Alastair]

Its Still Going!!!

Its lost about 10 minutes since last night, but hey--Its running!

I'm almost afraid to touch the thing to regulate....

[oldhippy]

Jolly good, looks as if you have cracked it. Just move the regulater a fraction, it should be alright, but I know what you mean.

[Alastair]

In view of the fact the suspension spring is twisted along its main length, Ive ordered a couple--or three replacements. It would appear from the research Ive done that a 0.0032" spring is used in these K und O clocks, so thats what I ordered.

I did summon the courage and altered the reg, its keeping better time now, but needs running much longer to see how well..

[oldhippy]

In my days, horolovar s/s came in packs of three. The book I mentioned gives the right length and the places the blocks and the pallet fork block should be, all have pictures, what I would do is place all parts over the diagram and assemble and then fit, this would also help with regulation.    

[Alastair]

I did order some suspension springs--that have not yet arrived...

Since I did the last regulation adjustment--three days ago, its very nearly spot-on--three days after, possibly just a fraction slow.
Think I'll just leave it run, its going well and keeping time, when they turn up, I'll keep the springs in case it should mess around...

Thanks for all your advice, helped a lot!

[oldhippy]

 

I did order some suspension springs--that have not yet arrived...

Since I did the last regulation adjustment--three days ago, its very nearly spot-on--three days after, possibly just a fraction slow.
Think I'll just leave it run, its going well and keeping time, when they turn up, I'll keep the springs in case it should mess around...

Thanks for all your advice, helped a lot!

Its nice to know things worked out well.