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My Synchronome No4, turret slave movement had been losing erratically over this last winter. I had [incorrectly] put this down to frosts locking up the hour minute arbor in the hour barrel. Losing of random minutes always seemed to occur after an overnight frost despite adding oil. Eventually I was forced to remove the hands. To allow me to take down the movement for examination and lubrication. All seemed to be well but with occasional failure to advance as I manually depressed the armature on the double electromagnets "right around the dial". Or a complete rotation.
So I simply increased the tension on the spring blade slightly via the adjustment screw provided. Then refitted the movement and hands to the 30" dial. It hasn't lost any time ever since. It should be remembered that the minute hand is advanced in half minute steps. So failures soon add up and are, of course, cumulative. There is nothing worse than a clock which is showing the wrong time. Particularly a public clock dial. Fortunately, in my case, the clock is completely invisible. Except to occasional visitors like the postperson and ourselves.
The dial itself is moulded GRP, with gilded numerals and bought secondhand from the UK. I wanted a "well worn" appearance to suggest the dial was far more elderly than reality. This "tired" dial suited my needs to perfection. I am not a fan of newly gilded dials and actually dislike them. Since the restoration completely robs the dial and its associated clock of the unique character of [timeless] age.
I made the bare aluminium hands for a slightly larger skeleton dial which I had laboriously cut out myself. It is usual for the minute hand to extend over the numerals and well out to the minute markers or even beyond. They suit their purpose and are easily read in all light conditions thanks to the contrast against the black dial. It is all too common to see public dials which completely defeat their purpose due to unwanted ornamentation or poor contrast. Only the hands need be seen to read the time instantly and correctly. Decoration reduces this ability to foolish levels of complete illegibility.
The dial itself is moulded GRP, with gilded numerals and bought secondhand from the UK. I wanted a "well worn" appearance to suggest the dial was far more elderly than reality. This "tired" dial suited my needs to perfection. I am not a fan of newly gilded dials and actually dislike them. Since the restoration completely robs the dial and its associated clock of the unique character of [timeless] age.I made the bare aluminium hands for a slightly larger skeleton dial which I had laboriously cut out myself. It is usual for the minute hand to extend over the numerals and well out to the minute markers or even beyond. They suit their purpose and are easily read in all light conditions thanks to the contrast against the black dial. It is all too common to see public dials which completely defeat their purpose due to unwanted ornamentation or poor contrast. Only the hands need be seen to read the time instantly and correctly. Decoration reduces this ability to foolish levels of complete illegibility.
Click on any image for an enlargement.
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