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Vintage Bezel hinge advice please


clockboy

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I have had a "Mauthe" vintage Westminster clock in for a service. The movement is very dirty but I do not see any issues. However the bezel has come adrift and it appears that originally it was soldered into place. However my soldering skills are not the best and I am worried that the heat will damage the dial. Any advice much appreciated.

 

IMG_0044.thumb.jpg.69834824cee909e08f27a9f742b9fcd0.jpgIMG_0045.thumb.jpg.91becaa311f670ce7d730f8d1b9646d2.jpgIMG_0047.thumb.jpg.a17134be1c9f95148b977f7df2c71d00.jpgIMG_0048.thumb.jpg.41f06a9549776742b68237399c337d1d.jpg

IMG_0049.jpg

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You need to get hold of something that blocks heat, there are many on the market. I used to use a small soldering iron with lead solder and some flux, which would also control the heat, so much better than a sprit lamp. Tricky little job this one.

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Hiya,

As Oldhippy said you have a job on your hands there, shame it's a one piece dial..However, with care you maybe able to close that gap a tad, and need to keep the dial cool, easier said than done..

Good luck with that one let us know how it goes..

Len

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UPDATE

Soldering is not my forte to say the least but this one was a real Bug*er. I could get the solder to attach to the hinge but it would not adhere to the dial bezel. I tried three different solders, Solder paste, Electrical solder & geneural use solder. All three attached great apart from the darn dial bezel. I did a internet search and found this issue raised on a USA site where the same problem put down to some dials are zinc and the only solder that works is a solder with tin added. 

So in the end I inserted the hing into the correct position and soldered along the hinge to the bezel could not come adrift. Then (George Daniels will turn in his grave) finished the job with two part epoxy glue to stop any movement. I have attached some pics but they are not that clear sorry !!!

Hinge cleaned2.thumb.jpg.2a8c4c3fb1d6d352cc8cc1b5ba75f02e.jpg

Hinge soldered

 

IMG_0078.thumb.jpg.7b0395b8dec8946b5c50d3480f493f95.jpg

With epoxy glue

1.thumb.jpg.eb40caabc77f12f7a26f9153fc1104ba.jpg

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That looks a nice clean repair.

The air was blue when I had to do this type of job. The other thing is making sure the dame thing will close and open.  I can remember one such chime every time it struck the hour the litter b****r would open on its own. :pulling-hair-out:

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  • 3 weeks later...

I know its been a long time ago but i finally got around to fixing the door bezel and the clock is running great. I had to make the original hinge longer by attaching a extra pice of brass. I found the best glue was Gorilla glue. Once attached I separated the two parts and so I attached the hinge and bezel with glue and three 1.6mm bolts. Not the best job I have done and a real pity the dial is so damaged and scratched. Anyway job done see vid & pic of hinge fix.

IMG_2349.thumb.jpg.de31d9bdbf48bac7c04b2740fedf503d.jpgWestminster chime clock.mov

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To me it sounds as if the chimes are set wrong.

I was thinking that too. However the 1/4 1/2 & 3/4 chimes are spot on. The hammers where badly bent & I straightened them to get it sounding correct.


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The 1/4 past should go down the scale the same as the last 3/4. 

Yes it does I do a vid tomorrow (if time) it is strange the 1/4 is part of the Westminster follows by half of the Westminster chime & the 3/4 is 3/4’s of the Westminster chime. Ironically I did not strip the chiming section I just clean ed in situ


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1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

That's right. Just make sure the hammers don't start to lift on any of the warnings.

I hope others watch it. It will help them to learn.

Thanks oldhippy another piece of this never ending learning curve logged into my tiny brain :)

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