Ships 8 bells clock

[antonyh]

We've all been board recently, well some of us have, so when I was offered a ships 8 bells that was a non runner, I was jumping up and down. 

Well I was until I opened it up, oh teeth on the rachet wheel missing, mainspring, and to make it worse something I'd not really come across very often, the barrel hook for the mainspring had distorted the barrel to such a point that had bowed out ond was jamming the 2nd wheel. 

So not an easy fix, so I had to file the barrel down to get it to pass the 2nd wheel, repair the end of the mainspring, rebush the barrel give it a good service and its together and running again. 

The case wasn't as bad as the movement, I've polished the case and lacquered it, so now it's looking pretty good. 

I don't know if anyone recognised the movement, perhaps you could let me know if you do. 

[watchweasol]

Hi Looks like a well made clock.  I have worked on some which were Elliot's don't recognise that one though

[oldhippy]

Modern and made of poor brass? soft as you know what. The steel will be soft as well. They always put powerful springs in these things and they cause all sorts of damage teeth become out of shape hools wear and so do the pivots. I haven't seen this type before but many kicking around come from China or India. 

[HectorLooi]

2 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Modern and made of poor brass? soft as you know what. The steel will be soft as well.

I know you have made this comment many times before. But I find it really strange. With present day knowledge of metallurgy as compared to the 19th century, why is modern brass not as good as vintage brass? 

Could it be due to cost cutting measures of modern manufacturing or the ethics of the manufacturers today?

It's like in dentistry. Some of our modern "improved" materials do not perform as well as our old stuff. It's like we took one step forward and two steps back. 

But being a man of science, I cannot accept that science has failed us. 

[oldhippy]

Take Longcase clocks (Grandfather Clocks) as an example  made hundreds of years ago and still going strong, did you know some of these clocks still have never been rebushed or had parts replaced. This ships clock in about 20 years it will be worn out.  It's down to quality of the material used, they can't afford to make things last because if they did they wouldn't make any money and employment would be much higher then it is. 

On a lighter note I like the song by Neil Young called Piece of Crap.