Worn Pallets

[AmBodach]

Some time ago I acquired the complete movement out of a Vienna clock.  I got hold of a couple of books to guide me on dismantling, cleaning, etc, and was satisfied that that had been successful in that the mechanism spun round with adequate freedom when re-assembled.  However I ran into the block that the pallets were noticeably worn and I didn't know how to deal with that plus the inevitable of something else coming along that needed attention meant that the whole project got set aside and forgotten about.  

So it's about time this was all sorted out.  Firstly, for curiosity why do steel pallets wear and not the brass of the escapement wheel, and then secondly what information should I be collecting to address or replace the pallets?

Rob 

[Nucejoe]

I think we need to see a picture and what you call worn pivots, uncommon story.

Regs 

joe

 

[nickelsilver]

I'll just say that brass usually wears hard steel because the brass, over time, picks up contaminants that are abrasive to hard steel and imbed in the brass, so in a clock where at the escapement there is a rapid repetitive cycle the steel, much harder, gets lapped/ground out of spec. To refinish means refacing the pallets while maintaining geometry (easier said than done), of course with a good knowledge of the geometry from various books that spell it out.

[wls1971]

A picture would help some of these clocks where fitted with reversible pallets that are ground at both ends so that when the faces ware at one end they can be reversed, having said that you quite often find that the faces on a old clock are worn at both ends because that has already been done.

[AmBodach]

Thanks guys - I will have a look at trying to organise a photo or two.  I've never photographed anything as small as that before so a bit of trial and error with the camera is going to be involved.

Rob

[Nucejoe]

1 hour ago, AmBodach said:

Thanks guys - I will have a look at trying to organise a photo or two.  I've never photographed anything as small as that before so a bit of trial and error with the camera is going to be involved.

Rob

If you are not equipped for micro-photography, try putting your eye loupe in front of your smartphone's lens.  Really works