New Project: Bracket Clock By Bryson

[rodabod]

It’s a big one! Didn’t realise until I collected it from the auction house. 

It will run, but definitely needs cleaning as it’s bone-dry. 

Escapement is either Deadbeat or semi-deadbeat as the pallets have individual impulse and “dead” faces. 

Silvered dial could do with a little cleaning, and I somehow need to find a new glass for it. The original glass is very thick and bevelled around the edge.

 

 

[wls1971]

Very nice clock like the case, you should leave the glass to an expert you will more than likely not find a replacement of the correct size and thickness better to have one made and fitted, it will probably cost a bit to do so. I wouldn't be tempted to clean the dial as is an old clock should look old, its probably lacquered so you would have to remove that then clean and re lacquer.

looks like you have quite a bit of rust to contended with as well.

 

[oldhippy]

Thick glass is a sign of it being the original. 8 day English fusee movement, I expect it is an anchor escapement.  Looks a mahogany case with nice rich patina. I would leave the dial as it blends in well with the case. The hands style are spade decretive. It is a late movement because the back plate is plain, mid to late 1800’s. You should be able to find out more by the makers name on the dial. I wish I could get my hands on this. Do keep us up to date with this. I sure want to see how you get along.     

[rodabod]

Thanks for the comments. I actually own two Bryson bracket clocks. His name is mentioned in the book "Scottish Clockmakers":

BRYSON, ROBERT, F.R.S.E. 66 Princes Street, Edinburgh, 
1810-52. 

The escapement is definitely either deadbeat or half-dead.

I think the glass will be the only tricky bit. I'd like to get it cut from an older sheet of glass.

 

[oldhippy]

Half-dead beat, normaly found in American clocks. English fusee movement, take a photo of it please.

[Lenj]

8 hours ago, rodabod said:

It’s a big one! Didn’t realise until I collected it from the auction house. 

It will run, but definitely needs cleaning as it’s bone-dry. 

Escapement is either Deadbeat or semi-deadbeat as the pallets have individual impulse and “dead” faces. 

Silvered dial could do with a little cleaning, and I somehow need to find a new glass for it. The original glass is very thick and bevelled around the edge.

 

 

Beautiful clock..I believe Meadows and Passmore do thick glass, if you can't get the old glass..

 

[rodabod]

Here’s the pallets:

 

 

[oldhippy]

Semi-deadbeat and slightly worn.  Lucky you can un-screw them and sort out the work. Thanks for the photos.

[rodabod]

I’ll check the inside and outside drop, and if it’s not excessive then I will just polish the faces of the pallets. 

My biggest problem is finding where to put the thing as it’s bloody massive and doesn’t fit on any of my mantelpieces. 

[oldhippy]

It would nice on a table. Try to keep it out of the sun.

[Lenj]

You need a nice big mahogany Cresender to stand it on.. It will look gorgeous..

[rodabod]

Some more photos added below. I have re-bushed the bushing for the “watch” train fusee as the excess sideshake was causing the depthing with the centre wheel to give a slightly lumpy motion. I drifted the original hole in the opposite direction to the wear before broaching to correct the depthing. I’ve also filed the fusee pivot to make the sides parallel and will burnish it. 

[oldhippy]

Getting the correct depth for the fusee and center wheels are not easy, most depthing tools won’t tackle this, unless you make the runners. I had a setup of sorts using a lathe that sorted that. I would like to see the finished re-bushing of the fusee.

[rodabod]

I've got access to a depthing tool to check, but I was told not to rely too heavily on it. The bush that I've used is relatively modern brass, so the colour won't match. I need to get access to some thick CZ120 for re-bushing thick plates like these. This clock is not designed to have the movement visible (hence the rather plain design), so I'm focusing mainly on getting it running well, rather than looking pristine.

[rodabod]

Brass runner made to support fusee pivot while I go over it with a pivot file and burnisher. 

I may make a carbide burnisher for working on harder pivots. 

Edited November 3, 2019 by rodabod

[oldhippy]

You have good clear access for burnishing. Nice set up.  

[rodabod]

Sorry, not very regular updates. 
 

So, in order to use the unworn area of the pallets to reduce the escapement drop slightly (not that it was excessive), I’ve turned a small brass spacer which looks a little like a penny to move the pallets along by around 2mm or so. The pallet faces are also polished to a mirror finish. 
 

I do have one recent photo which is of the back plate. As it has significant scratches, I decided to re-grain the finish using 3M lapping film. This is prior to chalk brushing which gives a slightly softer finish. All of this has to be straight-grained from top to bottom, including the chalk brush action. There’s not a lot I can do about the previous hammer marks where someone has closed-down the going train fusee hole. But it’s not on display, so this is really a functional restoration. 
 

 

[rodabod]

The rusty metal steel parts such as the bell mount which are made from steel rod have been rolled in a barrelling machine with some ball bearings. This is very effective at removing the softer rust without affecting the steel. The steel parts are grained to match the original, un-rusted parts. 

[oldhippy]

The pallets should have been re-shod. Removing scratches or marks are all part of the clocks history. They should not have been removed. Leaving the hammer marks is the correct thing to do, again part of the history of the clock. Rust is easily removed by using emery cloth, ending with crocus paper which when done correctly leaves a high polish which it wold have had when new, the same goes for all steel parts. Avoid using power tools.

Please don’t take my comments the wrong way. When restoring a clock you have to consider what should be restored so you do not change the history of that clock you are working on.

[wls1971]

3 hours ago, rodabod said:

So, in order to use the unworn area of the pallets to reduce the escapement drop slightly (not that it was excessive), I’ve turned a small brass spacer which looks a little like a penny to move the pallets along by around 2mm or so. The pallet faces are also polished to a mirror finish.

Whether right or wrong I have to confess to doing this with a deadbeat escapement, I could not guarantee grinding and polishing the surface's to the exact angle so used a brass shim to move the faces of the pallets along to a good unworn area.

[oldhippy]

As its your clock I'll go along with that. 

[rodabod]

I won't change pallets while there is still 2/3rds of the faces which is unworn. I see the method of shimming them along as the best way to preserve the clock as the shim can be removed. I took advice from my clock tutor who is working on the clock's of the Houses Of Parliament this weekend, so he's knows his stuff. But I accept that people will always disagree , and that's fine.

I could leave the scratches on the main plate, but it's barely any material that I have to remove to tidy them up. I could take it to an extreme and also not remove material from the pivots by not polishing, but I think it's reasonable on a clock like this. I'm guessing it's maybe  a £1k clock and hardly a Tompion. 

[watchweasol]

Hi Regarding the glass Try bruce.davidson@btinternet,com  I have ad a few cut by him Ships clock flat, thick with beveled edges. I sent him the bezel and he did the rest and a good job. In your case send the bezel and the glass thats in it so he can match,,     worth an e-mail     cheers

[rodabod]

11 hours ago, watchweasol said:

Hi Regarding the glass Try bruce.davidson@btinternet,com  I have ad a few cut by him Ships clock flat, thick with beveled edges. I sent him the bezel and he did the rest and a good job. In your case send the bezel and the glass thats in it so he can match,,     worth an e-mail     cheers

Great. I’ll give them a shout. The glass does need to match. Looking forward to getting it complete and then I can sit it on top of my great grandfather’s bureau which is a similar colour.  

[oldhippy]

Nice one rodabod, its always better if you have part of the original glass