First clock, how do I safely let down the mainspring?

[Bearman]

Good evening, I was wondering if anyone can help? 

This is my first clock disassembly, and I've hit snag already. I've tinkered with a number of watches over the last year, and I thought I'd tackle a clock to give my eyes a rest.

How do let the mainspring down safely?

I was expecting a click much like a watch, however this has a ratchet affair (silver coloured) mounted atop the wheel above the spring in the photo.

It's only a cheap clock to practice on, a make I've never heard of from Germany. Also to mention I don't have any specialist clock tools.

I'd rather not break it or it explode in my face.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[oldhippy]

With that type of ratchet you can't let it down. My advice is to remove the complete balance. Put a piece of peg wood not to thin you do not want it to break in between the escape wheel spokes so it cant run down.  Undo the two nuts that are close to the pallets and remove the pallets. If you do not want to undo the nuts you can bend the part of the plate that the pallets pivot fits into then remove the pallets. Now oil all the pivots and around the mainspring winder both ends, remove the peg wood and the movement will run down. When all the power is off you can then remove the nuts and take the plates apart. Don't for get to bend the part back. 

[watchweasol]

Hi As an alternative method to that advocated by OH, wind the spring up and bind it with a wire making sure its well held then proceed as per old Hippy's suggestion this way there is less likelyhood of anything slipping and breaking a pivot.

[oldhippy]

When it is wound up it is impossible to clean.  

[watchweasol]

Once the clock is dismantled and the spring removed in its wound state I then mount it on a home made winder and release the tension on the spring for cleaning and oiling  once done it is re wound and bound with a wire ready for re fitting when assembling the clock. Attempting to clean a wound spring is hopeless.   The winder I knocked up in afternoon to remove an refit a small clock mainspring and has been usefull ever since.   Its quite simple and should anyone want to see it I will post a picture if required.

[oldhippy]

I think it would good to post it as a few on here like to undertake clock repairs, as you know proper mainspring winders are expensive.  

[watchweasol]

Right here is the Cont  Mk 1.    Hight is 10 Cm  width is  7Cm made from 2.5 mm scrap tube, The brass disc is a clock barrel top to stop the spring wandering during the wind, it is adjustable on the shaft for different width springs.  The loop end anchor screw moves up and down allowing the spring to close up during winding.  The disc can be removed if not needed the arbour is a silver steel rod with a pin drilled into the business end to hold the spring eye .  The silver piece attached to the pillar is to arrest the handle so you can manually handle the spring with two hands safely.   It pivots in the middle and is stopped by a couple of screws when moved to position (yet to be fitted).  Its been cleaned up a bit but the bare bones were done in an afternoon. The cost was nothing built from bits. Suitable for smaller clocks/alarm clocks etc, do not use on powerful clock springs. I am working on a home build for that to superceed the contraption Mk11, feel free to copy it,   modify it,  reject it,   insult it, or laugh at it,   but it works.

[clockboy]

Clock mainsprings, even the small ones are powerful and can cause damage not only to yourself but the movement if let down with no control. If unsure putting a cable tie around the spring before stripping down is a good idea. The issue is then how to release it from the cable tie. If you do not own a mainspring winder then hold with a strong utility style glove the tethered spring inside a clear strong plastic bag and then snip the tie and gradually release the held spring. The bag gives a lot of protection if the spring gets out of control. The issue then is winding the spring and by hand it can be done but I personally found difficult.

[Bearman]

Thanks for all your help, and sound advice.

I did feel a little daft at first asking the question, but I'm glad I did. I've always been told there's no such thing as a daft question. Especially if there's the potential of having a face full clock parts.

After pondering both your advice, whilst waiting for it to run down as much as it would I opted for the Old Hippy method. As you can see from the pictures after removing the balance I wedged the escape wheel with a shaved down toothpick. I then carefully backed off the nuts to give enough room to slip the pallet out. I then did them up again before removing the toothpick.

As Clockboy describes above I was surprised how much power was left in the spring as it took some seconds to fully run down. Helped along with drop of oil on all the pivots.

WatchWeasol I like the watch winder by the way. I'll have to come up with something like that if I catch the clock bug.

[watchweasol]

No Matter what the size of a spring is the damage it can do can be substantial . I did an omega watch that broke the spring  and it ripped three teeth off the 4th wheel and I have had barrel teeth ripped off on some clocks and pivots broken off.   So whenever working on any spring powered appliance ALWAYS remove the power  before the spring removes a finger.   Old Hippys method is tried and tested as is clockboys, what ever the method  safety first.      Good luck with the clock.