Approach
Each clock has its own history.
If necessary, I work with a small team of specialists such as a furniture restorer, a dial/case painter and occasionally an enamel restorer.
You can also contact me for the restoration of wooden clock statues and for the re-gilding of these statues (you can see a number of examples before and after the restoration in the photo gallery below).
You can also contact me for silvering number rings, date and moon discs and other dial parts. These activities are performed in-house (not outsourced). You can see examples in the photo gallery below.
After I have made an appointment with you and examined your clock, we can make a plan of action in consultation with or without a quote. Most clocks require major maintenance and then the following must be done to get your clock functioning properly again and to be able to give a guarantee on the work carried out.
First the clock is examined for defects, then the hands are removed and the timepiece can be taken out of the case and the timepiece examined. If necessary, the springs are relaxed, after which the movement is disassembled, cleaned ultrasonically and then rinsed and dried well.
This is followed by the tap inspection and the rough or damaged taps are polished. The movement is put back together and with an eye loupe I can see the wear and mark it with a marker. Then the movement is disassembled again and I can measure the taps with a caliper and the rebushing can begin, ie replacing the worn bearing. For this, new bushes (bearings) are turned on the metal lathe and with the right materials (bus brass) due to alloy, hardness and color in a slightly conical shape and equipped with an oil house. The bushings are riveted into the prepared holes in the boards or posts.
Then the hole size of the bearing that is too small is cut to size with an English reamer and the bush is finished. Then it can be fitted and the height air (axial clearance) of the shaft with wheel can be checked. Dismantled paddle wheels or spring barrels are checked for damage after cleaning and reassembled with fresh lubrication. The movement can be mounted again and, if possible, set to tick. Everything is now adjusted and tested again, after which the movement receives new oil and grease where it is needed.
Then follows the endurance test to see how the timepiece performs; first a week outside the case and then another week with the movement placed back in the case.
