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Looking for a clock repair advice

  1. impalla62ss Feb 25, 2023

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    Some idiot, me, managed to overwind my desk clock. I am in Fairbanks Alaska and my local watchmaker has retired. There is a repair outfit in Anchorage, but it would be just as easy to send it south than 350 mile away in state. Looking for a mainspring and regulation, full service if needed. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
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  2. impalla62ss Feb 25, 2023

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  3. Canuck Feb 25, 2023

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    That is a Hermle 340.020 movement. Nobody I know of bothers to fix those. Check out the price of a replacement movement from Butterworth Clock Industries in Iowa. You could likely replace the movement for about what it would cost to repair and service what you have. Newer models of this movement have been improved with bronze bushings at points of greatest wear. Yours is old enough that it is not one of the improved ones. The movement in yours was made circa 2015. So 8 years old. Not worth fixing, as I see it. Oh, by the way, it is next to impossible to overwind a clock. Did a mainspring actually break?
     
  4. impalla62ss Feb 25, 2023

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    Thank, you Canuck. I will look into a new movement. I was just guessing it was the mainspring. It could well be another issue.
     
  5. Canuck Feb 25, 2023

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    There are a few things that you can do, to aid in deciding what to do. Wind the 3 mainsprings until the key will not turn any further. If two can be fully wound, and the third “snaps” and cannot be fully wound, then you have a broken mainspring. This problem can be easily solved. Here’s how you do it:

    1- The hands are held on by a nut. Remove the nut and the hands.

    2- Turn the clock face down and remove the four screws holding the movement in the case.

    3- Turn the movement FRONT side up. Make sure you know which spring is broken. Identify it.

    4- Picture # 1. The arrow points at a screw. Remove it.

    5- Picture # 2. Remove the screw (see arrow) on the broken spring.

    6- Picture # 3. Remove the “finger” (see arrow), and remove the ratchet wheel from the arbor (see arrow).

    7- Picture # 4. Ratchet wheel removed.

    8- Picture # 5. Grip barrel arbor with pliers, and lift upward as shown. Remove it.

    9- Picture # 6. Barrel can now be slid out of place laterally, as shown.

    10- Picture #7. Turn the barrel over. Look for a number (as circled). That is a part #. Using the part #, order a new one for a Hermle 340.020.

    11- A replacement barrel, complete with mainspring, can be ordered from many suppliers. Butterworth being one of them.

    12- Once you have your new barrel, using the 7 pictures enclosed, reverse the process, and you’re done. By the time you ship the clock, pay for a repair, pay the return freight, your clock isn’t worth repair. Do it the way I’ve shown, cheap like borscht!

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  6. impalla62ss Feb 25, 2023

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    Thank you so much. I'll give it a shot.
     
  7. Canuck Feb 25, 2023

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    I just noticed. On your clock, each arbor is held in place on the back side with those infernal E-clips! If removing a barrel arbor through the front, the E clip will have to be removed from the back.