AboutKenneth Saunders Expertise any mechanical clock question -no watches- no battery clock questions and no appraisals-ie: "how much is my clock worth?" type questions please! Attach a photo if possible and note all markings on the rear of the mechanism- thanks
36 years as a professional clock repair person- still a full time clock repair service owner
Experience 36 years as a professional clock repair person- still a full time clock repair service owner.
Question QUESTION: Hi Kenneth,I have a Seth Thomas mantel clock with a replacement Franz Hermie 350-060 movement. The mainspring is broken. When you wind it up it winds alittle then springs back.Can the mainspring be replaced? How hard of a job is it? If I have it done how much is it? Or does the movement have to be replaced? Thank You Very Much, Steve
ANSWER: the clock has 3 mainsprings -- left is the strike spring -- right is the chime spring and center is the time spring--which is the one you have the problem with??
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Ken, It is the one in the center. I can wind it alittle,about 1 turn. If I wind it anymore it springs back.I know that it is the spring that runs the time on the clock.The spring is probably broke or not anchored anymore. Please refer back to my original question.Thank you very much,Steve
Now- there may have been colateral damage when the spring let go- check the shaft driven by the spring barrel for missing teeth or bent shaft.
since the time spring is not wound up at all, just remove the one slotted crew in the 8 shaped keeper where the shaft goes into the front plate- pull out the square winding shaft and ratchet gear and the entire barrrel comes out the bottom.
you should:
1-take the spring barrel out -check it for broken or bent teeth
2-check for other damage
3-using a small screwdriver in the hole in the barrel end cap, pop the cap and see what you can see(maybe you can bend the center coil tighter around the arbor so it catches if it is just un-hooked and not broken somewhere
4-buy the entire unit as shown above if needed.
