I've been working on a 1920's Westclox baby Ben peg leg for a while now and managed to get it together to test the train, but discovered it won't wind. It looks as if the let down click, is that the right term, is worn so when I wind it, the mainspring flies backwards. Anything I can do short of looking for the part? This was a ten dollar eBay find to use for training.
Posts: 152 | Location: Miami, Florida in the USA | Registered: August 11, 2009
Hello Dale, yes the click is worn badly and bend down, take some packing tape sticky side out, stick it to the gear and turn back slightly, release the click with a set of tweezers, and repeat over and over to release pressure then you can disassemble...regards
Paul Davis
Posts: 672 | Location: Missouri in the USA | Registered: May 01, 2015
After you get the spring let down you can reshape the end of the click to properly lock into the ratchet wheel. If I remember correctly, those wheels are swaged onto the arbor, and cannot easily be separated. If you can get it apart without wrecking it, though, you might want to rework a few of those rounded ratchet teeth, too. There is plenty of "meat" left in the click. You can get away with re-shaping it, without having to replace it. You may find, though, that you will have to add tension to the click spring, to keep it riding snugly against the ratchet.
Posts: 213 | Location: Westminster, Maryland in the USA | Registered: March 02, 2015
I just realized I put this question and a couple of others under the wrong forum. I didn't see the other one about clock repair questions. I apologize for being such a newb!
Posts: 152 | Location: Miami, Florida in the USA | Registered: August 11, 2009