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French brass/silver guilloche desk clock problem

cduke

By cduke
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cduke WRT Addict

cduke

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Hello,

I have a vintage French brass and silver guilloche desk/travel clock - 8 day- that has a broken hand stem (shaft). It was given to me in pieces.  The back of the clock where the hands could be turned has a round brass knob that was screwed onto the end of the shaft. This know has snapped close  (about 3mm from the end.  Is there any way to repair this part or is it a matter of trying to find another part off of another vintage clock. Ugh!  The clock seems to run fine but the clock hands cannot be manipulated without removing the glass face.  I will try to post a few photos soon.

Thank you

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cduke WRT Addict

cduke

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6 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

Can you post a pic of the broken part? Normally it can be drilled and repaired.

Sorry for the quality but you get the idea.  I assume it may be possible to drill a stem into one end of the shaft and a sleeve in the other?  Is there a better way to mend these pieces?

Thank you

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cduke WRT Addict

cduke

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2 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

Hard to really see but yes, should be doable.

Thanks.  I presently do not own a micro drill. Can you recommend a tool for this purpose?  It seems like a hand micro drill would not be sufficient to drill into the shaft.  It appears to be a gritty composite metal.

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nickelsilver

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10 minutes ago, cduke said:

Thanks.  I presently do not own a micro drill. Can you recommend a tool for this purpose?  It seems like a hand micro drill would not be sufficient to drill into the shaft.  It appears to be a gritty composite metal.

This is most definitely lathe work, and probably not the best to start out on. French arbors are notoriously hard, the gritty surface is the grain structure of the fractured steel. It's not a composite metal, just good old high carbon steel, hardened and tempered. If I was doing this I would stone back the rough surface in the lathe, then drill with a carbide drill. Back in the day they would harden the (steel) drill in mercury to get it hard enough to cut these, thankfully we have modern materials like carbide now.

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cduke WRT Addict

cduke

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6 minutes ago, nickelsilver said:

This is most definitely lathe work, and probably not the best to start out on. French arbors are notoriously hard, the gritty surface is the grain structure of the fractured steel. It's not a composite metal, just good old high carbon steel, hardened and tempered. If I was doing this I would stone back the rough surface in the lathe, then drill with a carbide drill. Back in the day they would harden the (steel) drill in mercury to get it hard enough to cut these, thankfully we have modern materials like carbide now.

Thanks.  My area seems devoid of capable clock/watchsmiths so sadly it will stay broken for the foreseeable future.  All the good ones have retired or passed on.  A dying art in the age of quartz mechanisms and electronics.  I don't think it is that valuable so it is not a tragedy just a shame.

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cduke

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On 11/7/2018 at 4:13 PM, oldhippy said:

Is it possible that the center shaft can be knocked out with a mallet or nylon hammer. If so it would be easier to make a new complete shaft. Far easier then drill and tap.    

I think it could be removed in this manner.  I need to research a clockmaker who could do this work and let them decide.  I am not equipped in skill or with tools to do this kind of work.

Thanks for your input!

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