Latest job on the bench

[watchweasol]

Hi Chaps  just picked up this as a repair job, Not a restoration client just wants all the bruises amd marks leaving as its its life story. This clock has been well traveled and as such and its advanced years isnt too bad. Got some research to do then get cracking 

[watchweasol]

Hi  further research reveals its a blackforest (Deutsche clock)  around the 1700s  the going and strike trains are in tandem and not side by side as conventional clocks.. the timber id as dry as dust so will need the linseed oil treatment to breath some life into it, looking forward to doing it I guess it will take a couple of months  to get done.

[Lenj]

It will be a great project and nice clock when finished..

[JohnD]

As you say, an interesting project...surprised at the 1700's date though, thought it more likely to be one of the 19thC postman alarms. I suspect that the chime on top is not original but an addition to replace a bell. How is the arm set? usually there is an embossed brass disk behind the hands.

[watchweasol]

Hi The date is a rough guesstimate taken from F.W.Brittan's book of antique clocks, as it happens I have another one of the same era and that has a bell.  There does not seem to be an alarm on either of them. The state its in is as i picked it up all in bits in a box. More work to do and more research.

[JohnD]

1 hour ago, watchweasol said:

Hi The date is a rough guesstimate taken from F.W.Brittan's book of antique clocks, as it happens I have another one of the same era and that has a bell.  There does not seem to be an alarm on either of them. The state its in is as i picked it up all in bits in a box. More work to do and more research.

If it has two chain/weight assemblies then it would likely be an alarm movement, I had a very fine working one like this some 50 years ago, dated to around 1840, (when the alarm went off I suspect the whole bloody street heard it ) sadly lost in a divorce.... A single weight chain would just suggest a chime but more complexity of the movement would be expected if it were to chime the hour numbers.....

[watchweasol]

Hi  The deeper I dig the more confused I have become, There appears to be at lease seven different varaieties of this type of clock, and just as many varieties of how it recieved its name. The continental view is  that is was named "postmans clock" because the Ostler  (stable hand had to have his masters horse at the POST at a given time hence the name. They were made from around 1700s up to 1920 the later ones having a metal dial the earlier ones wooden, some were painted some were not some had a glass front some did not. The consensus of opinion is as varied as the clocks.  The one I have got has a striking In tandem with the going  train, The dial is wood plain white and roman numerals  and I guess from the 1800s .   I shall just repair the clock and worry about it origin later.

[watchweasol]

Hi  The clock has been dismantled and the wood work treated with boiled linseed oil to feed it all the gear work has been hand cleaned and is now back together just running the time train for a few days. The chains are black and I have one soaking  now to see what happens,  more to do.

[oldhippy]

This is known as a wag on the Wall clock. Could be English, not a postmans clock, they tended to have the alarm setting in the middle of the dial. Normally fitted with a bell and not a gong. Many don't even have a bezel. Cant see the pendulum, but i expect the shaft to be very long with a small bob.  

[watchweasol]

Hi Old Hippy   right on the money  Further research into these clocks and I came up with just that Information "Wag On Th e Wall" clock no Alarm . The pendulum is approx three feet long and a small brass disc bob.   Its back together now chains and all but no dial as it was cracked (wood) and the surround also wood needs quite a bit of attention, brass bezel and no glass. The glass is held in by brass pins through the bezel edge. A bit crude but thats how it is and I go with that.    The pictures below are the chains before and after all that was used to clean them was a two hour soak in vinegar and a good scrub with a brass brush.

[oldhippy]

I see these a lot on ebay for sale ranging from around £60 up to about £200. Just imagine what vinegar does to ones insides Cider or Coke cola will also bring the chains up like new. 

[Lenj]

Is it Cokecola that rots meat if it sits in it?? However vinegar has done a good job on them chains..

[watchweasol]

Hi   This is the clock running  on the stand. still has a problem because when you hang it on the wall the fromes move about 1mm and cause the escapement to lock so more work to do.

[oldhippy]

Normally due to the wood being very dry. You might have to glue the frames. 

[watchweasol]

Hi Old Hippy  Hope you are well and keeping safe.   Just so the dowels are a tiny bit loose so drilled and pegged them I will wait 24 hrs before rehanging. I fed the wood with boiled linseed It was tinder dry after being kept in a box for a few years.