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Clock repairs 101

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Now that we have polished our pivots, it’s time to examine out pivot holes. Odds are that they are worn, especially if the clock has not been serviced for a number of years. Worn holes will eventually stop a clock from performing properly.

As you can see in the picture, the hole is badly worn. As the springs or the weights always push the wheels in the same direction and thus create wear in the same direction, too, we will have to centre the hole before we can install a new bushing. It is critical that the bushings will be centered perfectly; if not, the clock will not function according to specs.
To centre the hole, we have to use a small round file, a so-called rat-tail and file it out until it is centered, being careful not to make it bigger than the standard bushings. When we are satisfied that the hole is now centered, we drill it to the appropriate diameter and insert a new bearing and the clock will once again perform properly.

The reason so many clocks have worn bearing is because too many clock owners neglect to have the serviced regularly. It is recommended to you have your clock cleaned and oiled every 5 years, just like you would change the oil in your car every 5000 km. When the oil in your clock gets old and full of dust, it will eventually turn into an abrasive sludge that will accelerate the wear process! A properly maintained clock will last for generations. And for goodness sake, don’t try and save some money by spraying your clock with WD40! (don’t laugh; you wouldn’t be the first)

From the Hall of Shame

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So, you’ve opened a repair shop and people are bringing you their valuable heirlooms for service. And then one day you have an “oops” moment; you break a hand! No need to panic, after all, you bill yourself as an expert who can fix anything. All you need is a bit of wire and some black paint and, presto, it is fixed and the customer will never know.

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Really? And you got paid for that?

This clock was actually delivered to our shop with the hand in this condition. I just had to take a picture of it and share it here. It never ceases to amaze me what kind of work some so-called expert get away with. A new set of hand for this clock would have cost perhaps $ 10.00!

You think that was bad? Here is another one. No explanation required.

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The Empire Group newly appointed service agent for Polar

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Exciting news!

The Empire Group has now been appointed the official service agent for POLAR Hear Rate monitors. We will be providing all non-warranty service and all necessary replacement parts and accessories for your POLAR. Our office is open from 10am to 6pm, Monday through Friday. We will be able to perform all battery replacements and almost all service while you wait.

Polar is the pioneer of portable heart rate monitors. Before Polar came unto the scene, there simply was no portable way to measure heart rates. This was changed in the late 70’s by a Finnish visionary. Today, nearly 40 years later, POLAR is the largest producer of heart rate monitors in the world. No other company comes even close. In today’s world, no athlete is complete without a POLAR Heart Rate monitor.

There is a Polar for any type of activity, be it running, cycling, swimming, skiing or whatever; if you do any type of exercise, you need a POLAR Heart rate monitor to help you maximize the benefits that you want to derive from it.

Equally important are the benefits POLAR Heart Rate Monitors provide for people with cardiac problems; when it is crucial that you maintain your heart rate to a certain range; POLAR can literally save your life!

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You can find us at:

The Empire Group
134 Fenmar Drive
Toronto, ON. M9L 1M6
Phone: 416 740 4445
Fax: 416 740 4443

Parking is free and plentiful!

So your clock is not working properly

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So your clock is not working properly and it needs to be serviced. Perhaps it is something simple, like dirt and dried oil, or perhaps it is more serious, like worn out holes and pivots, or even possibly rust. Yes rust! It can happen! If the clock is in a very damp environment, or if you were unfortunate enough to have a flood in your home, water can evaporate and settle in your clock and do its watery harm in your family heirloom.
Whatever the reason, your clock needs service.
To begin with, the clock is given a quick inspection to see if there is any obvious damage to the movement. Assuming there is not, then the movement will be completely disassembled. Again, the disassembled parts are checked for any damage. At this point, the various bits and pieces are put into an ultra-sonic cleaning machine containing an ammonia based cleaning solution. depending on the condition of the clock, this process can take a few hours. The main plates and the great wheels or mainspring barrels are cleaned separately, since they are generally rather heavy and could easily damage the more delicate parts.
After this, the first thing we do is to check and make sure all the pivots are well polished. This is very important; a rough pivot will interfere with the running of the clock. A rough pivot takes needs more energy to rotate properly, thus affecting the working of the mechanism. Furthermore, a rough pivot will also wear out the bearing surfaces of the pivot holes faster and thus cause the clock to need service more frequently.

On the left you can see a pivot which is rough and pitted. By comparison, on the right is the same pivot after it has been polished.

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This is how we polish pivots. At left, the traditional, time consuming method using a lathe; on the right, using a Rollimat pivot polisher. This ingenious tool produces better result in a fraction of the time.

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An Introduction

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Hello, and welcome to our clock blog!

My name is Jerry; I have been in the clock and watch business for almost all my adult life. I am currently working as a clock repairman at the Empire Group in Toronto. In addition, I also operate two websites, www.artoftime.ca and www.timeforsale.ca.

My goal is to educate and inform about clocks and their maintenance. I will from time to time feature interesting or unusual clocks that we encounter in our repair shop. Also, on occasion I may publish a post from Charles Harris, president of the Empire Group. Charles has been a watch and clock repairer for some 30 years and what he doesn’t know about clocks is probably not worth knowing.

We are quite used to taking in our car every few thousand miles for an oil change and regular service yet our clocks are supposed to run for ever without any service. This is just plain wrong. Your valuable mechanical needs clock regular service as well; about every 5 years in fact. When is clock is regularly serviced it could easily last for generations.

In future post I will endeavor to show you the why and how you can make your clock last. Think of it as an investment, not an expense.