Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 7/19/2008

Question
Hello.  I inherited a 35 year old Miller mantle clock with a Hermle movement.  It sat unwound at my parents' home (heavy smokers) for many years but did at one time have routine maintenance from a local professional.  At most the clock ran for a day and a half after I got it, but now it is to the point that it stalls consistently at around 20 to 25 minutes past the hour, even after I had it cleaned, oiled, and tuned up by a professional clock repair guy.  The clock repairer, the Miller folks, and the Hermle people are baffled.  I removed the movement and let the train run freely and could observe no binding or wobbling shafts.  I removed the main spring cartridge and could discover none other than free movement of the train.  It stalls even when I lock out the chime mechanism or remove those cams.  Despite the years of exposure to tobacco smoke residue, the brass is clean and shiny.  Any suggestions would be much appreciated!   Thanks, Denny

Answer
if 35 years old it has to have some bushings installed in the past to repair worn pivot holes- they neeed to be checked for binding and endshake.

s.o.p. for problems like this is to run it till it stalls and then check very carefully with a 3x MAG all the shafts starting from the escape wheel and going down through to the spring barrel itself. when it stalls there should be no power to the escape wheel even though you spin the floating balance wheel by hand - there should be no rotation of the escape wheel --ie no ticking--right??

then with the point of a fine screwdriver or your finger - work down the train till you find a shaft with rotational power on it. the joint above that shaft to the next finer gear shaft up the train that has NO POWER is the location of your problem.

<<<<<even after I had it cleaned, oiled, and tuned up by a professional clock repair guy.  The clock repairer, the Miller folks, and the Hermle people are baffled.>>>>

I hope he did not charge you for doing a failed repair????