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Quick Service - French VAP Drum Clock

rodabod

By rodabod
in All Things Clocks

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rodabod Distinguished Member

rodabod

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I’ve never owned a VAP clock as I assumed they were inferior to the typical Japy Freres, etc. However, this clock is great quality. Fantastic finish, especially on the escapement parts (mirror finish on the pallets). 
 

Anyway, I didn’t want to spend too much time on this one. It didn’t run at all, but the balance staff appeared intact. 
 

This has a balance wheel which oscillates a set of deadbeat pallets on a conventional escape wheel - ie. the escape wheel runs in the same plain as the rest of the going train. It seems to work well as a concept.

The fourth photo shows the steel “endstone” for the lower balance pivot. This had been poorly cleaned and scratched previously and showed wear from the pivot, so I gave it a quick polish.

I went with pretty much standard wristwatch lubricants with this, albeit heavy oil (HP1300) was used on all train pivots. Time will tell how well that works.

The cleaning I did in two stages - L&R oil-based watch cleaner/rinse and then a final clean/rinse with Greiner water-based. The reason for the water-based clean was since the L&R was previously used for cleaning watches and left a slight residue. The plates had some corrosion marks but I chose to leave them  untouched.

A nice, simple clock, and probably a perfect starter for someone who is more used to wristwatches.

 

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oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

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That looks good. These drum clocks have many types of movement from being very poor to the really good ones. Nice to see the pins used are all around the same size and cleaned up. The hand set and arbor look cleaned up as well, many clock repairers never bother ( I don't know why) I know I'm a fussy so and so I would have liked to have seen the screws polished and blued. The dial looks in good order, is it paper or enamel?  Moon shaped hands matching and original. Should be an 8 day duration movement.  

rodabod Distinguished Member

rodabod

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Enamel dial. No chips, which is nice. 
 

Good point about the screws - I could have re-finished the heads on the balance cock and pallet cock screws and re-blued them. Can still do that if I change my mind. 

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