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Smiths Sandiville Mantel Clock


HectorLooi

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Just received my Smiths Sandiville mantel clock a couple of days ago.

Quite good condition generally but not running. The Westminster chime is all messed up also. This will probably keep me busy for a few weeks.

There is another clock that just came up on ebay. It's for a good cause too. Proceeds go to East Anglia's Children Hospices. Really tempted to get this also. Unless one of you guys outbid me. :thumbsu:

https://www.ebay.com.sg/itm/Art-Deco-Mantel-Clock-Smiths-With-Chimes/402360864848?hash=item5dae939050:g:-wsAAOSwAHlfNAfW

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I got the clock stripped down to the 3 gear trains. Tomorrow I'll separate the plates and remove all the wheels.

What would be a good cleaning solution for clocks? I've used dishwashing liquid and turpentine before. Ended up removing a lot of lacquer from the brass. 

If I decide to polish and re-lacquer the plates, how do I go about doing that? 

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Hi Hector  depending on how dirty the movement is   I usually give it a good scrub down with either Petrol  or white spirit and oil.  The old way of polishing the plates was with a brush charged from a chalk block (still available)  when dried and pegged out.     all bearings/pivots checked . Reassemble and lubricate with Windles clock oil  its the best .     all the best.

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Yes I have a Webster.

But while adjusting the retainer ring, disaster struck. The end of the mainspring slipped off the barrel hook and slipped into the ring. Now I don't know how I'm going to get the mainspring out without the end of the spring sticking out. :phew:20200821_222715.thumb.jpg.25ff7b131188f0811ef8e2d8b0eeaef9.jpg

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Yup. All there. Thanks.

I've cleaned everything and am ready to reassemble. I noticed that on the chime train, there are 2 wheels with a pin sticking out. Do I need to align or synchronize these in any way?

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Do clocks have tech sheets like watches, like the ones watchweasol always supplies so generously?

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Make sure this wheel is about in this place, the same on the strike side, you will probably need to  make adjustments when all the wheels are fitted. On the strike side the hammer lifting lever needs to be away from the star wheel, that is the one that lifts the hammers. 

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I managed to get the going train running again last night. It was still going this morning despite the broken suspension spring. 

I will work on the chime and strike tonight.

I now find clocks so much more interesting than watches. There are so many different types. They are less strain on the eyes, no need to get on your hands and knees with a magnet in one hand and a flashlight in the other. No need to wait for a "shake free" day to work on delicate things like hairspring adjustments or pallet jewel replacement. But they are a whole lot more dangerous to work on.

I guess the WRT community will be polarized on opinion. :D

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    • Many thanks for your advice (being borne in mind at present) & offer Dell. When I was given the clock the plastic anchor was loose on the arbour (it had split at the 'hole') &, after repairing this, I have been trying to determine whether the spindle (pin) should be perpendicular when the pallet is sitting on a flat surface; or whether, when installed, its L-R extremes (or alternatively its tick & tock points) should lie at equal angles from the vertical when moved with spring absent. I can get the clock to run but in every such configuration the top block has to be turned anti-clockwise (from above) by quite a bit in order to be 'in beat' & it always runs fast (despite the pendulum being set to as slow as possible). This makes me wonder if there is any particular feature of/fault in a torsion spring clock which determines which turn direction (if any) is necessary to get it 'in beat'; & whether there would be a different set of settings that would get it running nearer to time at somewhere around the mid timing/inertia position which would then allow tweaking of the fast/slow setting.
    • Now this has happened I bet China or India just to name two will start to produce none genuine parts.  I did. But idiot Boris Johnson failed miserably in his negotiations. The E U stitched up the UK like a kipper. Nigel Farage  offered his help but big head Boris declined. So this is why we are in this mess all because Johnson wasn't clever enough.  
    • Hands up all those who voted to leave the EU 😂, oopsie.  UK has just signed the Hague convention, next year that will provide cross border clout to British courts.
    • Ive heard about that oil before for the lever pins. I found it easy to work on , it didn't have a whole lot of pivot wear but i bit sloppy on the lever cock, i think you have to live with what you have or bin it. Stiff to wind and set ?  Not a cannon pinion issue that has no friction thats made up further back and if I remember the barrel drives the hour wheel. No problem on this one .Let me know when you start it as i have another that donated to this one, i can work alongside you with it, two heads are better than one. 
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