Expert: Martin Meyer - 7/5/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hey Martin.

Thanks for trying to help me, did Romanet Morbier make good quality movements or... because i was thinking of buying empty weight shells and a adjustable pendulum so that i can find out myself what's needed for this movement, it can take a while but it keeps me busy.

Hubert

ANSWER: Hi Hubert,

Romanet Morbier was a 19th Century French clock manufacturer which made "Morbier" or "Comptoise" style clocks. The movement in your clock is clearly not this type, is modern, and the "Germany" stamping may indicate a German movement used in a clock made by Romanet Morbier, or a modern company owning this trademark name. I'm not familiar with the movement in the photo that you sent, so cannot express an opinion about its quality.

It would be possible to buy empty weight shells and add weight as needed to determine the weight requirements of the movement. What you should try to determine is the minimum weight necessary to reliably and consistently operate each gear train, assuming that the movement is in good condition and properly lubricated.

You will probably not be able to find a pendulum with an adjustment range great enough to help you determine the correct length, as the possible range is quite large. You may want to construct a test pendulum with a pendulum stick and suitable top hook, then attach a bob to it in some temporary way; nothing fancy is needed, even tape could be suitable to hold the bob to the stick.  http://www.clockmasteronline.com

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

QUESTION: Thanks for the advice Martin, about the pendulum i found an online shop and they sell wooden pendulum rods of 95cm (a bit more then a yard) and they sell the hardware set so you can attach it to the movement and attach a bob, but i don't know if 95cm is enough so i will go the local hardware store to buy a longer rod so i can play with that.

The online store is http://www.selvatime.nl

If you want i can inform you on the progress of the weights and the pendulum.

Thanks again.

Hubert

Answer
Hi Hubert,

The 95cm rod should be long enough. The longest pendulum you are likely to have would be a "seconds pendulum". This means a pendulum which takes one second for each swing. A seconds pendulum is 39.14 inches long, or 99.4cm. Note that this dimension is measured from the suspension spring, which connects to the pendulum leader, which in turn connects to the pendulum stick. The leader is usually about 6 inches long, or 15.2cm. So, adding the leader to the rod length, the assembly should be plenty long.

The bob will only be able to be raised to approximately the point where the bob's bottom hits the pendulum stick, that is, where the rating assembly (the threaded rod and nut) meets the stick. It is possible that your clock takes a considerably shorter pendulum than this. If this is the case, you will have to cut the rod and reattach the rating assembly or the top hook. A less difficult and less risky method (considering the possibility of cutting the rod too short) is to somehow temporarily attach the bob to the pendulum stick at a higher point on the stick., using wire, tape or whatever seems to work.  http://www.clockmasteronline.com