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Wood-works clock, purchased in 1800

BigSapphire

By BigSapphire
in All Things Clocks

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BigSapphire Member

BigSapphire

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I'm the sixth owner in my family of a wood-works wall clock. It was purchased by one of my ancestors in 1800 from a peddler, which I know from a parade of letters from the former owners. 

The clock was working when my grandfather passed away, and run for awhile after I moved it an reinstalled it in my home.  It's stopped now, and I think it's time to go through it for maintenance, and to repair it.  

I have a pretty good general background in working with the simpler side of clocks and watches, and with wood working.  I have never dismantled either a watch or a clock, though I'm not afraid to do so. I am meticulous and have a good place to work, well lit and clean.  

I can see that the bearings have been replaced by metal sleeves, and that metal pivots have been added to the shafts of some of the gearing. These may be original, but I don't think so. There are some amateurish repairs by my forbearers (a bit of hot melt glue here and there for example), but it is not extensive and seems reversible. Gears have all their teeth, and the unit seems in restorable shape.  My goal is to get it running again, and in decent shape, so I can eventually leave it to my grandson.  I'm not under time pressure thankfully. 

Is there a subgroup of clock folks who work on the wooden clocks?  How about resources?  And lastly, if you were to buy one or two books on clock repair before launching off on this, what would those titles be?  

I'm a "do the homework first" kind of person... Thanks! 

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Tmuir Distinguished Member

Tmuir

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Welcome, plenty of books on clock repair, if you could post photos it would help on the advice we could give.

For general clock repair look up Donald De Carle who has published many books on both watch and clock repair, although none specifically on all wood clocks.

I do remember my grandfather was making one some 18 years ago before he passed away and his brother took it to finish, but died not long after so I don't think it was every finished.

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