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Advice on cuckoo clock escape wheel

Jack1845

By Jack1845
in All Things Clocks

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Jack1845 New Member

Jack1845

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This is my first post. I have undertaken to service/repair two family heirloom clocks. One, an Ansonia crystal regulator,  is running  and looking great after cleaning and oiling. The other, a cuckoo clock with a 1908 patented Eduard Heer movement,  has a broken escape wheel tooth. Unfortunately I missed the problem and discovered it on reassembly.

 I need advice on how to proceed as the actual repair is beyond my ability. Is it likely to find a replacement part or perhaps a parts movement? As an alternative is there someone who could repair the escape wheel?


any advice would be greatly appreciated as it is a beautiful clock and a family heirloom.

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watchweasol Distinguished Member

watchweasol

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Hi Jack. Welcome to the forum.   Can you post some pictures of the clock please.  Repairing the wheel is not impossible but would be time consuming  so may be a donor clock if you can find one.  Where are you located. US or the UK.

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Jack1845 New Member

Jack1845

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The movement is marked DRGM 329239. An internet source listed the patent holder was Eduard Heer on 1/18/08. Seems likely that he was a relative of Hubert Heer. There is no indication of what the patent was for so many parts may be the same between the Hubert and Eduard Heer movements. Just a speculative possibility.

Thanks for your reply and any additional thoughts you may have.

 

 

 

I am located in the US.

here are a couple of photos of the movement after a quick bath to see what I was working with.  It must have been broken early in its life as  there does not appear to be any discernible wear. I don’t know the earliest history of the clock but it has been in storage for at least 75 years.

IMG_0528.jpeg

IMG_0521.jpeg

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oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

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A qualified clock maker can cut and insert a piece of brass and shape it to size to make it complete or the other alternative is to cut a complete new escape wheel, but he will have to match the old brass to make a really good job.  On close inspection it looks like cast brass so it should never be cleaned in any ultrasonic cleaning tank, it must be cleaned by hand. 

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watchweasol Distinguished Member

watchweasol

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Hi. Old Hippy is correct it’s either a repair of the old one or a re cut wheel, either is not going to be a cheapie. There are clock makers around who are able and are tooled up to cut wheels it will be a matter of research I am afraid.  Good luck

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Jack1845 New Member

Jack1845

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Thanks  for for your replies. It would be a shame to leave such an interesting old clock banished to the attic. I expect such precision work would be expensive. Any rough idea  of  the price I could expect?

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watchweasol Distinguished Member

watchweasol

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Hi. It would be difficult to estimate as they would very much quote different prices.  I have repaired wheels by cutting out the bad section and soldering in a new bit then re cutting the teeth. Time consuming. My method was to scan copy the old wheel as a pattern and stick it over the old wheel then cut the profile in the rough and file /stone it ti its final shape. With an escape wheel although the gaps are bigger than a conventional wheel it will need better precision and finish so as not to get the anchor mislocking.

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oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

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1 hour ago, Jack1845 said:

Thanks  for for your replies. It would be a shame to leave such an interesting old clock banished to the attic. I expect such precision work would be expensive. Any rough idea  of  the price I could expect?

Take it to a clock maker and ask for an estimate and make sure the work is done on the premises, what guarantee he provides such as how long and how long will the work take. 

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nevenbekriev WRT Addict

nevenbekriev

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13 hours ago, Jack1845 said:

Thanks  for for your replies. It would be a shame to leave such an interesting old clock banished to the attic. I expect such precision work would be expensive. Any rough idea  of  the price I could expect?

Hi there, if no reasonable decision closer to You, I will try to find time to make new table for the wheel and send it by post.

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