Cat gut or what was/is used in weight driven clocks?

[Endeavor]

Hello All;

An old Waterbury Clock Co, weight driven wall clock has landed on my desk. It wasn't working. A quick look underneath the dial revealed the problem; both weights were, or used to be, suspended by fishing wire. Most likely lifting the weights caused the fishing wire to untangle / jump off their drums, wrap around the winding-shafts and jumped off the pulleys in the top of the case. Obviously, by lack of power the mechanism ceased to work and, from what I understood, the clock has been hanging for decades in the owners kitchen as a non-working heirloom.

Her is an internet picture of a similar movement;

There are on either side of the movement wires running up, over two pulleys in the the top of case, down to two weights, situated left and right of the case.

What type of wire is used these days? I think cat-gut was used in the old day, or perhaps still is? A "cat gut" search by CousinsUK drew a blank. Steel cable seems quite rigid, the winding drum diameters on both sides are about ø 10mm.

Can anybody tell me what is used these days and what the name is? Has CousinsUK any of this type of wire?

Any help is highly appreciated

Roland.

 

Edited December 29, 2017 by Endeavor

[Marc]

It's called Vienna gut line

https://www.cousinsuk.com/product/vienna-regulator-gut-lines

https://www.restoration-materials.co.uk/product.php/vienna_gut_line_-_065mm/?k=:::1987440

https://www.hswalsh.com/categories/clock-gut-line

http://www.m-p.co.uk/muk/parts/lines-vienna.htm

Edited December 29, 2017 by Marc
additional links

[Endeavor]

Thanks Mark Once you know the proper name, it is suddenly "everywhere"

Any idea what "system" is used to suspend the weights to the gut lines? In this case, next to the fishing wire, fishing equipment, required for hook and sinkers, was used to suspend the weights. I guess the repair was done by somebody who also had fishing skills

[Endeavor]

@Marc Interestingly enough, one can download a pdf catalog in the last link you have given me;  Meadows & Passmore: www.m-p.co.uk

They do have lots of clock parts and if one scrolls down chapter 1 "driving mechanism" to page 1-13, there is a specific part referring to "American weight clock cords";

It seems that for 30hrs clocks synthetic cords are used.

I wasn't 100% sure about gut-line as this, despite being only 0.65mm thick, once the weights are taken off they may also "un-coil" or "unwind" on the 10mm drums (?). The winding drums don't have guards or guides, so once the wires slack off and starts to "un-coil", they may go "anywhere", also next to the drum around the winding-shaft, like the fishing-wire had done. Normal cord may not have any residual tension in it and may stay nice in place on the drum ....

Unfortunately Meadows & Passmore are expensive with their postage to Denmark, over £10 for a £2.50 order   Have to source somewhere else, but the idea is born .....

Edited December 30, 2017 by Endeavor

[oldhippy]

The original line would have been a thin type of rope. The two ends to the weights would have had two smallish steel hooks, when tide to the rope would then hook up the weights. Not sure, you can still get the size rope. Try not to use catgut as the stuff today is just a poor synthetic and if you are not careful, it kinks, and tends to unravel and becomes weak. The best type is a steel wire coated in a plastic, as you say the right width is necessary. A tip here when you tie the end on the barrel side heat the plastic and it will mould and seal, careful not to let the flame run up the line as it will burn all the coating off.    

 The photo you show is a movement fitted into an ogee case

[Endeavor]

@oldhippy thank you for your response Yes, I think that I will try to get the braided synthetic cord. The cord, about 1mm in diameter, has to be fed through a hole in the drum. On the other side of the drum sits a small recess for a kind of brass bead. The fish-wire was fed through that bead and the end of the fish-wire had a knot. Once pulled tight, the bead would sit in the drum, preventing the wire to slip through. By the looks of it, those beads seem to be part of the original "mounting-system".

As for the picture and the case; Last night I didn't feel like taking pictures and found on the internet a similar looking/model clock with the same movement. The case of the clock under discussion is made out of a simple wood and painted over.

As for the hooks, I probably order some brass chain-hooks and a stop to be mounted above the weight. The stops should prevent that the weights gets pulled into / onto the wooden pulleys on top of the case.

Edited December 30, 2017 by Endeavor

[oldhippy]

 I forgot about that type of barrel type. What you have said is right. The hook should be just a simple S shape made out of steel. Like this, make sure it is strong.

[Endeavor]

Such a hook can also be done and perhaps it is "as per original"? Just thought that the brass-hooks as pictured above would be a bit more appealing to the age of the clock? Both types will work though

Edited December 30, 2017 by Endeavor

[oldhippy]

Oh yes agree both will work.

If you want to get as close to the original, the S hook is the way to go.

[Endeavor]

Okay, great to know; thank you !

The top of the "S" will most likely also serve as a stop against the top-pulley. See if I can get some of those "S"'s. The 1mm braided wire is however the most important ......

Edited December 30, 2017 by Endeavor