Seth Thomas 103a repair

[LittleWatchShop]

A clock dude in Texas gave me a bunch of stuff when I bought some things from him.  This clock (a banjo style, but only movement shown here) was one of them.  It was pretty battered up but my wife wanted to hang it somewhere, so I decided to see if I could get it running.  I took the express lane on this one--I removed the mainspring unit and then ran the rest of the movement--assembled--in the ultrasonic using L&R clock cleaning solution.  It came out looking nice.  I inspected the bushings and they looked fine, so I oiled it and it took off nicely.  I am regulating it now.

The bezel had a broken arm so I had to make one from a raw brass rod.  I heated the rod with a torch to bend it properly and then heated the end and flattened it on an anvil.  Then I cut 4-40 threads on the end.  The other side is not 4-40 but since I had a 4-40 die, that was what it did--yeah...kinda Frankenstein...but it is my clock and that is good enough for me.  The winding key was not original, now was the setting knob.

[clockboy]

The express way is not recommended.. This method does not allow for inspection of pivots and if the bushing are not absolutely clean the the oil will just turn to a form of grinding paste. Also getting consistent regulation will also be problematic..

 

[LittleWatchShop]

Here it is assembled.  I had to print a case ring for the back because it was missing that...being held in with finishing nails...lol.

The finial was also broken so I had to drill out the old screw, tap some new threads and make an appropriate screw.  Turned out well I think.

[LittleWatchShop]

This morning I decided to resolve the issue of the incorrect (and too long) winding key by printing one with my printer.  Here you can see it as well as the bezel I printed to hold the movement in the case.

The clock is keeping good time near the center of the regulator.

[oldhippy]

Is that a plastic key?

[HectorLooi]

Haha. Face it OH, one day we'll all have 3D printed plastic parts in our body. Like dentures, hip and knee replacements, heart valves....

[oldhippy]

But I won't be able to see them apart from the teeth smiling at me in a glass overnight. 

[LittleWatchShop]

On 6/16/2022 at 4:11 PM, oldhippy said:

Is that a plastic key?

PLA.  Send me the ST key that goes with this clock and I will happily install it.  In the mean time...

[oldhippy]

I would have thought it should be easy to obtain a key for an American clock as you are in America. Here in England we have suppliers who can provide most parts for American clocks. Have you tried anywhere?  

[LittleWatchShop]

1 minute ago, oldhippy said:

I would have thought it should be easy to obtain a key for an American clock as you are in America. Here in England we have suppliers who can provide most parts for American clocks. Have you tried anywhere?  

I have looked around but have not found one yet, and I dont want to spend much money on this.  At any rate, for now, it is not worth it.  I have a canister of threaded winders which I inherited.  None of them fit.  Three requirements: proper threads,  wide bale, folding bale.  I will keep my eye out.

[oldhippy]

Good luck.