Here it is next to a 16s watch case. It is hard to get an idea of the size when it is by itself.

Does anyone re-paint any of the alarms? I have one that I saved out of a trash can. Just for giggles, I am restoring it. The movement came out great. The "case" however...I've had some trouble with. I cleaned it up(I thought) well, but when I (spray)painted it...the job was less than desireable.

The bezel was a nickle plated brass. I purchased some "Silver leaf" to try to re-create the look. However...that failed also. So I am starting over.

Any tips?

Greg

Greg,
I have never tried to do anyting but clean the cases. I have a couple that need what you are doing to yours. I also will be waiting to read the replies.

Tom, I stripped the case of the one that I'm working on and cleaned with Acetone. Much, Much better! A more even and uniform coat.

Now I need to find out how to nickel plate the bezel. I've found different processes in kit form, but need to do some more research.

Anyone have any experiances with these?

Greg

Greg,
I haven't tried any refinishing of metal cases. Thus far, I have only tried to clean what was there. As you know, that is not always satisfactory, so I was paying close attention to what you come up with.

Keep us posted on anything you discover.

Thanks

Tom, the following is a photo of both before and after photos of a Big Ben, "Loud Alarm". I used "Kleen Strip", Spray Stripper. This worked much better than the Orange Strip, that I used before.

Also, you will notice in the before photos that the case was for the most part painted. I am assuming that it was original. I don't normally do this, but I think I will leave the nickel and brass un-painted. I'll have to think about it.

Greg

A Waterbury that I did the other day. Unfortunatly I forgot to take a "Before" photo, but, it was in worse shape than the Big Ben (above).

Greg

Ps. I am looking forward to your results! No one else seems to be interested.

This is the Gilbert Alarm, which I would like to re-plate the bezel.

Greg

Greg,
Nice job on the movement! It looks great. I am hoping someone will come forward with the info on replating.

Greg, Your cases look very good. I like the one you shined up. I can see your dilemma as to whether to paint it, as the original was, or leave it shiny.

I guess I would lean toward painting it, but the temptation to leave a good looking case alone is pretty strong.

Promises, promises. Last March, earlier in this thread, I mentioned an alarm with piercing around the dial. I promised to post it when I found it. Unfortunately I put it in "that special place" that took awhile to find. Actually, found it while looking for something else.

This is an Aristocrat alarm. I don't know a lot about it, maybe someone can fill in the blanks. It is the true definition of a "tin can" alarm. The body has a copper finish.

The back

Aristocrat

Being fairly new to the chapter and board I had not seen this thread. Glad you brought it back Tom.
I plugged the patent number on the face of Steve Cunningham's german calender alarm into the German patent office site and came up with a Aug. 1898 date on it. This may be old news by now but just trying to be helpful.

BTW This is the URL to the German Pat. Off.

http://depatisnet.dpma.de/depatisnet?

Joe

Interesting clocks , i like the tin can style, i have seen them around but do not know much about them.I mostly see the big Westclox up here.
great restoration pictures.
Would someone who does watch case replating be able to do the nickel replating jobs?

Joe,
Thanks for the link to the German patent numbers. That may come in handy.

Kevin,
I would think that getting someone to replate a nickel alarm clock case would not be too difficult. Auto and motorcycle parts are frequently plated. The same place would probably do the alarm clocks.

What I find a lot of around Tennessee antique stores are Gabriel's, made in Lebannon TN. I've picked them up on occasion, and they keep good time. They remind you of an old 'Ben' wannbe type alarm. Regards. Mark

I found this “alarm” clock at a Mart a few years ago. I knew it looked like something that I should own. The movement is a fairly simple balance spring movement. It is fairly well built. (No lead pinions, etc.) The neatest thing is that the alarm is a music box movement. The fretwork on the top of the case does not seem to be original and there are a few case pieces missing. Unfortunately this will have to be “before” pictures. One day this project will come up on the list of priorities.

The rear of the case. No part of the clock has any trademark or other maker's marks.

This alarm clock came in for repair before Christmas. I just finished it and am ready to send it home. The clock is a “salesman’s sample” for the A.J. Swift Company of Chicago and carries a patent date of 1906. The Swift Company was a manufacturer of cast iron stoves. As I understand, there are a few different designs for the clock “case” and the movements are pretty much universal. This information came from a post on the Green Board.

The front of the clock can. The movement is typical of alarm clocks. The plates are thin, there is very little room between pivots and the edge of the plate, making it very difficult to install bushings. The lantern pinions and the main portion of the arbors are lead. Consequently, it is easy to bend things. Although alarm clocks are becoming very popular, most of the movements were made to be thrown away when inoperable.

The entire clock is about 10 inches tall and the dial is 2 1/2 +/- inches in diameter. The cup bell is actually a "frost plug" from an automobile engine. I don't know if this is original or not, but it seems to work fine.

Great alarms, Dick. Very unusual and interesting. Thanks for taking time to take and post the photos.

You are definitely right about many of them not made to be worked on.

I'm posting a picture of two Baby Ben alarm clocks which I had bought some years ago. They were made between 1928 to 1930. They still look good and work fine after all these years.


Mun C.W.

Nice ones, Mun. That crackle finish was all the rage. It was used on some banjo style clocks also.

Nice clocks Mun and Dick.
Alarm clocks i find i can get them running but how to regulate them after.Mine seem to run fast after i work on them.Neat to collect though.I have a few Westclox and some german alarm clocks.

Kevin in dealing with the hairspring:

Make sure it is de-magnitized.

No coils should be touching one another, and that it recoils in a mostly straight line.

If you have extra hairspring coming through the "stake"...use less.

To "Balance" the hairspring...turn the collet to which the hairspring attaches to toward the "long end" of the swing. Not sure how to say that.

I'll be glad to help more, hairsprings "I get".

greg

Hello Greg, i will check these things out that you mentioned.Do you demagnetize the whole movement or just remove the balance and pass it through the demagnetizer?
I had thought in the past of adding a weight of some sort to the balance whel to slow it down.
Thanks and i apreciate the knowledge you have on clocks.

just the balance and hairspring. I wouldn't add weight until we know whats going on with it.

Even a badly mangled hairspring can usually be corrected with little loss of strength. Have you any experiance with this? There are a couple of different ways to correct them.

#1. If mildly bent, I leave the hairspring and balance right in the movement. using to very pointed tweezers...I start from the stake and reconfigure the spring to the regulating lever and then on to the coil. The hairspring when running should barely touch each side of the regulating "fork" at the same even rate. when viewing the hairspring from the end it should be as straight as possible. I've found that if its slightly off it will be alright..just doesn't look as good as if the coils are in a straight line. The coils however should not touch each other...this will throw of any type of regulation.

#2. If the spring is too badly mishapen to correct in the movement. the next step would be to remove the balance unit from the movement. I then place the unit in a piece of pithwood to do the correction. the hairsping is in the air, but you can look down on it and find the shape.

#3. I will in severe cases remove the hairspring from the coil. this process is very good for beginners for practice so that you can really get the hang of the coil shape. I use a pane of glass painted white on one side. lay the painted side down on your counter. remove the hairspring and collet from the balance staff. In the alarm clocks especially you may need to do more that a little nudging...be careful not to mangle the spring or collet. try oil or carefully placed navel jelly between the staff and collet. once you have removed the colleted hairspring...place it on the non-painted side of the glass. make sure you can look down on the work comfortably(probably the most important piece of advice). Then using a couple of pair of good-long-pointed tweezers begin re-shaping the spring from the collet outward. I sometimes will use a very sharp-long-pointed tool that I made(sort of a scratch awl). look at the coil spacing and keep the same distance between each coil. This is a challenge to say the least, but once you get the hang of it its very rewarding(at least to me) to be able to correct these.

I will try to post some photos.

Greg

Hairspring tools(that I use)

a before and after using the glass and tools shown. Unfortunatly I had surgery yesterday so probably shouldn't have attempted it. but you get the gest.

Greg

Greg,
I have been following this thread with great interest. It contains much good information that should not be "lost in the shuffle". I believe, as you suggested, that the latter part of this thread should be moved to the Repair section. This will be done as soon as I can get to it. I will be out of town for the next week, but will address it as soon as I return.

Nice job with this topic Greg.

Thanks Greg, hope your surgery is not any thing too serious.Hairspring work is a area where i really need practice.I have not paid much attention to hairsprings in alarm clocks, but i should look at and corect.Great pictures and explanations.
Some day i will go back to those fast alarm clocks and see what is up with the balance and hairspring.