Thank you. This is great! I figured that I could use the key in some way, and I was trying to think of different ways I might make one of these. You can use the same handle for a key of a different size by cutting and drilling the needed size in the other end.
My pleasure Jimmie. Some of the clock tools are fairly expensive for someone just wanting to fix 1 clock so thought I'd throw an alternative out there. But a letdown set is pretty sweet. You have a nice brother!
That's great Jim! You can also get away with putting a zip tie around a mainspring if you don't have a restraining clamp. There are a few people that show how to do that. 😁
if I am doing a planned service like a dissasembly and cleaning I like to let the clock unwind til it stops. then its easier to service, especially if its a barrel mainspring. Open mainsprings i let unwind until i can almost get my retaining clip on so i only have to wind it a touch to slip it on. This way I am not letting down all of the tension on the spring. Now if it quits working when fully wound, thats a little different.
Hi Ab, good video. Gone are the days when I used to tear my fingers apart trying to unwind a mainspring with just the key. I eventually bought myself a let down tool. Had your video been out then, I would have just made one and saved myself the money. Theres a great satisfaction out of making tools that would otherwise need to be bought.
Hey Johnny. My thoughts went out to the people who just want to try and clean an old clock and can't afford to have it done professionally or invest in specialty tools. Having bought a let-down tool set, they make life so much easier. Best regards, Nurse Ab. :)
@@treetopspider Too kind Johnny! Appreciate that. Will take a look when I get a chance here. Your beautiful face is always a crowd pleaser in addition to the content. :)
I pray for the healing of your shoulder speedily, Herr Werner. We need more of your beautiful music and warm smile at the end of your video! Best regards, Ab.
Thank you for that suggestion! On a less dense wood doing that would be a necessity, I think. Even perhaps reinforced with a hose clamp to prevent any splitting. This oak piece I used was so hard I didn't even think about the grain issue. 😸
Thank you, Master Zeke! To you as well. Too late on the handle, I already threw it away, after I removed the key of course. I have the let-down tool so don't need it. Just wanted to show folks how to make one if they needed one. Doing a lot of cleaning in the workshop, donating things to the charity shops, etc. I plan to wall off a third of the workshop in Japanese style and make a Clock Repair and Tea Room studio. Trying to finish up the Seikosha series video as well. Hope to see more of your repair secrets in the future and hope you are well. You know the saying, Dream Big or Go Home, or something like that!! LOL Best Regards, Ab.
@@rollandjoeseph If you are talking about cleaning mainsprings I don't know about mineral spirits. You just need something to work with your scotch brite pad as you rub through the layers of dried oil on the springs. If you saw my cleaning mainspring video I used WD 40 as the cleaning agent and then used, I think it was, mineral spirits to remove the wd40 after it was clean. Todays gasoline with harmful additives is never recommended to be used. A traditional method is to use kerosene. If you are talking about cleaning the movement, other approaches are preferred. If you had in mind something else just shoot me another question. 👍
Nice thanks my clock keep stopping after I wind it run straight till I wind it tight not’clock I by any means but I think my main spring is sticking I guess nothing vented nothing gained. I’m not going to take it apart. I’m just gonna release the tensions while it’s in its housing in grease it up.
While cleaning first is the best way, often a little lube is all that is needed to get a clock going again, but if the spring is dry the pivots probably are also. Good luck. 😁
Hi I wonder if you can help me I’m repairing my first Antonia clock movement it’s heavily oiled what cleaning fluid would you recommend? Thanks Richard
Hi Richard. If you don't have an ultrasonic cleaner and are doing the cleaning by hand, many recommend and have good success just using a brush and kerosene. If the oil is thick like tar you can soak in a degreaser like Simple Green first to loosen it up. The kerosene won't make the brass bright, just clean. Nobody sees the movement anyway so it doesn't have to be bright. That is mostly just shops wanting to show the customer how shiny and clean it is. It's more for show. As long as the movement is clean and oiled, that's what matters.
Well...yes and no, John. This video was about the let-down tool only to help those who might try to let down a spring using the winding key alone which can be dangerous. The clamps and winder I did not address. Clamps are not expensive, and I recommend them, but have seen many just use wire retainers with success. I recommend a spring winder, but they are expensive which is why I made my own, but are they necessary? I just watched a video of a Japanese gentleman who had such a wire retainer and wound the spring into it while holding it in his hand. And this was a 30 day spring! The average person would probably not be able to do that but there are alternatives to doing almost anything. Hope this answered your question. :)
@@time4clocks Hi Ab, thanks for the fast reply. I guess my question, at least to this particular type of movement and loop spring, is whether this movement and spring can be serviced solely by using the clock frame itself as a holder while the spring is let down with the key and dowel. I was going to order a spring clamp/vise and ring set, but what you did would seem to render the clamp/vise or full winder (which I also considered building) unnecessary, or am I missing something? BTW, you need a real antique reed organ. I'm (slowly) restoring an 1857 Melodeon for my wife. Thanks again.
@@ohger1 It is possible to let the spring fully unwind and expand with the let down tool, then when the movement plates are removed the springs can be taken out. Putting back in would involve the reverse but putting in all the gears with the spring expanded can be quite awkward but not impossible. I have seen a Vietnamese repair video where the spring was wound up and then baling wire put around it and twisted on the end with pliers which acted like a clamp. The movement plates could be used again after cleaning the spring to wind up the spring and then tie it off again. Many variables involved. Watch videos and do what you think is possible and safest with your skill set. -- The 1960's chord organ is all I can play since you just follow the numbers. I can't read music yet. For me it a lot of fun though. To a trained ear it might sound horrid. Haha.
John, there is a channel called Just Mike and he was working on a Sessions kitchen clock. If you check out his video, although he didn't show the details, when he wound up the springs in the movement, he put a thick cable tie strap around them to hold them. I've seen others do that as well. It can be tricky but doable. I thought about your question when I was watching his video.
Ab..Che k out my latest video on a new clock I just got.. it's a New Haven Westinghouse Elecreic Banjo.clock.from the 1030's. It was all gummed up so.forr $25.00. I took it apart and.cleaned everything..ultrasonically cleaned oiled and reassembled..Now it keeps perfect time.. Mayne you can forward more information.about these type of electric clocks. Especially the Powe stop mechanism which,somehow, tells you how long a power failure was.. much appreciated sir cheers...Steve
Steve, I put a comment on your video but I think youtube deleted it because I put a link in it. The link described your clock. I'll put in another comment later when I return from work.
