Frank Adam wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:23:23 +1100, dAz <d
...@zipp.org> wrote:
>> Frank Adam wrote:
>>> On Sat, 7 Nov 2009 18:06:12 -0600, cuhu...@webtv.net wrote:
>>>> Some of my old electric clocks make sort of a chattering noise when they
>>>> are running.What is the best oil to use and how would I go about oiling
>>>> the motors?
>>> Take them apart.
>>> Some are easy, some are a bitch.
>> mongrel bastards I call em ;)
> Shhh.. I was trying to keep them in the dark about the insider words
> we use.
> When i started out, there were these damn Smiths clocks with the
> carbon disc on the back of the motor shaft. I must've broken a dozen
> of those. Dunno if there was a 'safe way' of separating those
> bastards, but i certainly didn't know about it. They seem to just
> shatter for no reason at all(apart from my pressing<g>), i put it down
> to perhaps some becoming more brittle than others from heat. Works for
> me.
yes and those days you could buy new discs, I did make a jig to drive
out the disc, but these days I will not work on one those now, the
plastic in the train wheels has gotten to the stage where it is brittle
as anything, the older smiths movements, those solid brass ones I still
service, built like a brick dunny ;)
> Then came Metamecs and i loved those. Well, apart from having to
> solder in No16 bushes into .00000001 plate-lets for the worm and often
> replacing the plastic wheel next to it. Still, despite the bushing,
> they were good and quick repairers, rarely stuffed up afterwards and
> the motors were a non issue.. Occasional coil change was all. Piss
> easy.
heh! haven't seen one of those for while and am going to shutup now
because I will probably get 3 in tomorrow for repair..
>> yeah I had some of that thick red oil, good stuff, these days I have
> Now i had to look at it. Chronax Type HHH. Still have almost half a
> bottle, which may sound good, but it's only a 20ml.
yes that is the one
>> tried D5 which seems to work and stay put, otherwise a synthetic like
>> mobile One, the problem with electric motors is you need an oil that
>> stays put in spite of the heat from the motor,
> Yep, when i moved house i lost the Chronax in one of my organised
> piles of boxes. For a few months actually. So on the couple of
> electrics i did, i've used the axle grease for that same heat reason.
> Just added clock oil to a small quantity, until it reached a
> texture(?) i thought would do well. Had no complaints, so i guess it
> did ok.
> I try not to do electrics nowdays. Only when a customer is really
> insistent or if the timepiece is somewhat unique. Otherwise, it's a
> quartz movement. Heh, now come to think, i haven't seen a Copal style
> digital clock come in for at least 10 years. I'd probably have a go
> one more time for nostalgia's sake.
I see those every now and again, most of the time the motor is just
seized, I drill out the pillars because the rivet is dimple in the
middle, I tap the hole with a 1.8mm tap, then use a countersink tool to
clear the rivet, spread the plates, do the service, then use 1.8mm
countersunk screws to hold the plates together, these motors were not
mean to be serviced just replaced, fine when you could buy new motors,
shame because the rest of the copal clock is fine, I still have one on
my wall with the 2" high numerals that is 36 years old and still works
fine, it's only had 2 services, clock radios used the copal movements
too, actually there was one brand of clock radio that used its own motor
that wasn't based on a copal, the only reason I remember it was the
motor was dismantle-able, 3 screws and the disk was removable complete
with pinion.
> Sorry if all that brought back bad memories, perhaps we should switch
> to talking about something less disturbing, like wars, the holocaust,
> world femine, etc... ;)
no worries, I still don't like working around 240volts, I have only been
zapped a couple of times :(
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