"The Clock Fixer"

 In for repair is a German sawtooth gravity clock. Stamped on the back of the movement is  GEBR. ALLGAIER SCHÖNWALD/SCHW. GERMANY “Gebr.” is the abbreviation for Gebrüder, meaning "Brothers". Schönwald is a historic clockmaking center in Germany's Black Forest.  Located on the southwestern part of Germany. The company records show that  Gebr. Allgaier Uhrenfabrikation , made a significant contribution to the cuckoo cuckoo and wall clocks of the time.  The movement and construction are characteristic of the  Black Forest “sawtooth” or gravity clock  tradition. These clocks are unusual because the movement can descend along a sawtoothed rail as it runs, with gravity providing the driving force.   Schönwald was one of the important villages in the Black Forest clockmaking region. The Allgaier name is particularly interesting because the family/company remained associated with clockmaking in Schönwald for a long period. There is even a curren...

In for repair is a William L. Gilbert Clock Co. of Winsted, Conn. #11 wall clock.  This is a unique clock in that there is only one winding arbor that winds two weights.  The clock was manufactured around 1895-1905.  The case is in very good condition, but the movement needed some work. The clock was acquired in pieces.  The owner, is an accomplished wood worker removed the movement, face, and all the internal working to restore the case. Upon arrival the clock would not run for more than 5 minutes.  It would run and go out-of-beat.  Definite symptoms of escapement issues.  This image demonstrates some of the pivot hole wear of the clock: This video demonstrates worn pivot holes and how dirty the movement has become. After a complete examination, there were 7 pivot holes needing rebuilding. Click the picture to start the video. This next image is the movement rebuilt, cleaned, and out of the dryer.  Ready for assembly.  There is big differe...

 In for repair is a Sessions mantel clock. The clock came to me because the mainspring on the strike side gave way and the mainspring's power released damaging one wheel and a finger of the customer.  Here is it's story to recovery. The click spring was totally missing.  there was nothing pressing against the click on the click wheel to function properly.  Hence, the exploding main spring.  Collateral damage was one pivot on the 2nd wheel was bent.  That was not all that needed attention. 1)  The movement was very dirty. 2)  There were 11 pivot holes that were worn that needed rebuilding. 3)  The damaged pivot needed straightening. 4)  The mainsprings were coated with hardened oil that made accumulated on the springs.   5)  The case had some minor damage. 6)  One of the grommets on one of the keyholes were missing. Getting the clock movement out of the case was a little interesting.  The expanded spring was pushi...

In for repair is an 8-day cuckoo clock with a born date about 1970.  The clock was basically in good condition but needed a ton of TLC.  Nothing super major and very repairable.  All the pieces and parts were present. Everything that is wrong with the clock can be repaired to almost it's original condition.   Let's go over some of the issues: From an initial assessment, the case was dry, the chains were a little rusty and many links were stretched, the clock hands and nuts were brown and tarnished.  Looking a little deeper under the hood, the movement very dirty and the oil that was still present has hardened around the pivots and throughout the movement.  The bellow tops were damaged and were glued shut. Here is an image of the clock from the back door.  There is a lot going on under the hood.  It is hard to see how dirty the movement is from this image.  In these smaller cases there is a lot going on inside.    Let's take a c...

 In for repair is a Gustof Becker wall clock with and hour and 1/2-hour strike. Circa between 1902 and 1926.  The customer stated that the clock will not keep running and that it has not been serviced in quite some time. Before we talk about the clock and what needs to be done for the repair it is a good idea to talk about the history of the Gustof Becker clock company.  This information came from a general search via AI.  Gustav Becker's clockmaking journey began in 1847 when he opened a small clock shop in Freiburg, Silesia. His dedication to precision and his ability to create intricate clock repairs earned him recognition and accolades, including a gold medal at the Silesian Clock Fair in 1852. Becker's clocks were known for their exceptional quality and design, and he became a sought-after clockmaker in Europe. His company, Gustav Becker, produced a wide range of clocks, from simple wall clocks to elaborate regulators, and was known for its elegant casework and ...

  How to wind your clock:   Pull the chains to raise the pine comb weights.   The weight on the left runs the hands and the weight on the right powers the ½ hour cuckoo announcement.   The image on the right, the time train is being wound by pulling down on the chain.   On a full   wind, this clock will run for 1 day. How to put the bonnet on the clock case: Start by locating the two clips on the roof of the clock case.   The one on the right is angled.   The one on the left is pointing straight up.   Start on the right side and set the bonnet in the clip.   Then the left clip will fall right into the left clip. Locate Clips Right Clip Left Clip How to set the time:   Move only the minute hand (longer hand) clockwise until the proper time is displayed.   It is important to stop at each ½ to let the clock run through it’s cuckoos.   Do not turn the hands counterclockwise. How to speed up the clock or slow it down: ...

 

 In for repair is an E.N. Welch "Aida" parlor clock .    Before we get started, here is a little history: The E. N. Welch Manufacturing Company was established on July 6, 1864, to succeed an older private firm making clocks under the name of E. N. Welch. Elisha N. Welch had been making clocks at a factory site on East Main Street at Forestville, Conn. since taking over the bankrupt business of J. C. Brown about 1856. The company was known for its elegant rosewood cases, but in 1885, with changing furniture design trends, it began to manufacture new models with solid walnut cases and discontinued some of the earlier rosewood veneered cases.  After the death of Elisha Welch in 1887, the firm began to decline, selling off some of its assets and issuing new stock to raise capital. A new line of clocks was introduced for the year 1893, which appeared to be of much cheaper quality than their discounted line. In May of that year, the factory was closed down, and a receiver ...