Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 7/8/2008

Question
QUESTION: I asked another expert who responded by email to ask for more pictures which I sent but now have not heard back from him so I'm trying again so I can get my clock running.I've included his question at the bottom of mine.

I have a James Farnham grandfather clock apparently built in the early 1800's. The rewind/pendulum rope broke recently. I have replaced it and figured out how to connect the two rope ends but it run backward. It's obviously not threaded correctly through the two spiked wheels. Is there anyplace I could find a picture of the correct way to run the rope? Thank You.

Hi Michael,
I see that your photo indicates that it shows the works and the sprockets, but the only photo that arrived is one of the exterior front of the clock.

Some clocks of this vintage have two cords, one for the pendulum and one for the hour strike, while others have a single cord for both sprockets. This single cord type has quite a confusing route through the sprockets.

If you could send another photo of the works and sprockets, and also advise me 1)if there is one or two cords, and 2)if there is a small counterweight in addition to the main/large weight, I'll try to answer your question.



ANSWER: sure.here is the link for my drawing on how to set up the clock:
http://members.aol.com/pendclocks/p1010008.gif

if the two sprockets rotate differently I guess you could switch positions with the weight-pulley and the lead donut--
as drawn the left sprocket rotates CCW to drive the bell and the right sprocket rotates CW to drive the time side.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ken,
the clock has one sprocket in front of the other. The front sprocket, closest to you seems to run the time so i assume the other drives the chime. From your drawing i can't really tell exactly how to thread the rope. Can you make it any clearer? If you look at the picture, the front/left sprocket drives the time which currently runs bakcwards and the right sprocket drives the chime.

thank You.

ANSWER: You say :the front/left sprocket drives the time which currently runs bakcwards and the right sprocket drives the chime.

switch the location of the lead donut with the location of the pulley + weight and the rotations are reversed.



http://members.aol.com/pendclocks/p1010008.gif


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Ken,

I'm going to try switching the lead donut with the pulley and weight tonight however to do so I will have to cut the rope and rejoin it since this all started with me replacing a broken rope.

I got this method of joining a new rope from a man in England. Do you know of a better method?

Wrap each end of the rope tightly with masking tape, make a 45 degree cut right through the end of both the masking tape and rope and then coat each end in super glue (ordinary cyanoacrylic glue), allow it to dry thoroughly and then file both ends to a flat smooth 45 degree surface and check that they mate well with each other.  Finally glue the two ends together, so that they mate perfectly and allow to dry for at least 12 hours before applying weight.

I have used this method on many dozens of rope driven clocks with zero failure rate!  Cliff, when you visited the other day, you were standing right alongside one of these.
Note that is important that the rope is cut at a 45 degree (or some other sloping) angle and vital for success, that the glue be allowed to dry and harden thoroughly for both operations.   I test my joined ropes by getting my 11 stone assisstant to pull as hard as can on one end while I do the same on the other.  The joint rarely parts….if it does then the operation is repeated until it doesn’t.

It took me twice making the connection last time to get one good connection.
Thank You.
Michael

Answer
since the rope you are using is modern braided rope (which can be spliced- but with modern methods) it is a bear to splice- so the method you detail seems great!

before  you cut- just remove the weight and pull on the lead donut while keeping a slight tension on the pulley- result should be that the hands go cw and the strike operates properly! then cut