Smiths Astral advice sought please

[Davey57]

You are both right, it should go back. You wouldn't believe how long it was in the shop for repair, on both occasions. Also I agree he should have informed his customer of the manner of the "repair" that was carried out. Could you possibly estimate the cost of the work to be done?

[watchweasol]

Hi Dave  Thats  like asking how long a piece of string is.  Cost depends on who is doing the job, I would estimate about 4hrs to set up and re bush the cock, depending on the state of the pivot, stripping and cleaning the clock, regulating. so i would guess a days work may be a day and a half.  Again it depends on the rate,  A freind of mine was quoted  £360 and the work would take at least a month, Infact he declined and it still took them a month to return the clock. I ended up doing it and its still running well three years later  (A Hermle 340-020) and that was just a cleaning job.       cheers

[Davey57]

I was thinking more along the lines of just having the platform repaired.  I was thinking if I put it back together, it's all cleaned now, lube where necessary and see if it runs ok. If not, it's just a matter of taking the platform off again.  

Edited February 7, 2022 by Davey57

[oldhippy]

If you take it back to the place that originally supposed to have repaired it they should do the work for free because it was never going correctly in the first place. 

[Davey57]

True OH, it should be down to him. Thing is, he could deny all knowledge and say someone else has been messing with it unless he specifically told the owner what the repair was I suppose. 

[oldhippy]

You can tell that terrible work is resent, the filing is still shiny it hasn't even begun to tarnish. I'd take it back and complain like hell. No harm in testing the waters, see what the useless bugger says.    

You might also like to ask him why is the movement covered in oil and why is there oil where there isn't supposed to be any. 

[Davey57]

.  I like your style OH. 

I will explain the situation to my friend and see how he feels about it. He's no shrinking violet, and in all fairness he's paid a lot of money with only this to show. 

[Davey57]

I've got the clock back together and it's running. I'll keep an eye on it for a while. I have explained everything to my friend who owns the clock and shown him the pictures. He says he is not going back to that bloke under any circumstances, he's had enough of him, and if he did the clock would be away for many more months again. There is another clock repairer that we know of in our area, might get him to take look. Now it's cleaned and back together the wear in the top pivot hole is clear to see. In fact, when it runs I can see the light from my work lamp glinting on the escape wheel and then when the wheel tips slightly the reflection goes away until the wheel turns a bit more. Oh, and it looks to me as if the pallet bridge might be slightly bent too. Photo included, not sure if you can tell from it though.  

[oldhippy]

I can see the damage it has also caused more end shake to the pallets. When you said it had been a long time in for repair is your friend sure it was repaired on the premises or was it farmed out. 

[watchweasol]

Hi Dave  the bridge is bent probably punced on a soft surface (wood) not a steel block.

[Davey57]

OH. According to my friend the guy said it had not needed any repairs, just cleaning. He might possibly have done as you say, and is not aware himself of what has been done with it. 

WW.  I thought that too. 

It's ticking away quite happily, not sure if letting it run for prolonged periods might escalate the damage to other parts of the escapement?

[oldhippy]

He must have been blind as a bat if he didn't see that the escape wheel needed re-bushing. Why did it take so long if it just needed cleaning, I could re bush and have it cleaned and back on the shelf for testing in less then one day. I would get the bushing of the escape wheel sorted A S A P