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Issue with 341-021 Hermle wall clock


jeet

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Hi,

I have  341-021 Hermle wall clock, which stops working when I assemble it in its box with its pendulum. 

1. The spring is working: I removed the pallet mechanism that controls the escape wheel, and used finger to stop escape wheel, wound the key, the escape wheel spun till the whole spring was unwound. 

2. Is the time between tic and toc exactly the same as between toc and tic : This I am not entirely sure off, wasn't sure why this would have changed. I tried the basic way of visual checking but I might be totally wrong.  

With my thread and stone arrangement, the clock keep ticking so my guess is that mechanically its all fine. But the moment I assemble it in its box the pendulum stops with 5-10min of working. Pendulum doesn't keep the same pace and gradually stops.

Regards,

Jeet

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This clock should have "automatic" beat setting (beat is the eveness between the tic/toc); you pull the pendulum as far as it will go in one direction and release it, and a friction clutch at the pallet shifts as the pendulum's amplitude decreases putting it in beat. It's not a foolproof system, sometimes you need to manually adjust it some more, but if the movement is otherwise in good shape the auto-set should get it running.

 

These modern German movements defy the concept of "German quality". Typically after a decade or so they will need a number of bushings installed and pivots polished* to get them to run correctly. 

 

*many are not even heat treated, just plated, and when the plating flakes off that's about it unless you repivot

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I tried adjusting the beat in a way you suggested, and so far so good. In a general suggestion, if this clock stops working, is it worth getting it fixed i.e repivotting, As you mentioned that the overall quality of clock is not great in that sense. I suppose it will be more or as expensive as to get a new movement, then getting an old one repaired. Apart from the fact that I love old things and very much love to repair and keep using if I can. Also what are the tell-tale signs of the workout escape wheel ? 

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