Mr Martin your videos are getting better and better . It's a real treat for us amateurs to have this available. I sincerely thank you for sharing your knowledge. The way you handle each clock with such care is really a testimony to the level of professionalism you posess.
What's funny is I have a Sessions with the EXACT same dial, bezel and feet. Except it's a Sessions and therefore post-1902 (the movement is not dated). At some point someone 'rebushed' the escape wheel with a loop of steel wire soldered to the plate (groan). Eventually I hope to acquire the correct tools to rebush it, but in the meantime I really enjoy watching your videos. Your shop is very soothing; I grew up with lots of clocks and people either find my mother's living room calming or disturbing. I'm sure you get similar reactions.
Yes I do, some of our grandkids think the shop is haunted with all the ticking, I have filtered most of the noise out of my videos lately, too loud for some folks, I need to run them to test how they time out for the customers, gets a little loud at times.
Ah see that's music to me. Grew up listening to a Hawina longcase, a Chelsea Williamsburg Whytte House mantel, an 1870s Seth Thomas ogee and two cuckoo clocks all competing for attention. 😊
Thank you for your time with recording and editing these educating videos. This was a excellent inspection video. Could you let us know how you go about cleaning movements? Looking forward to the next one.
What a gorgeous clock James! I hope to have one with that finish someday. In my opinion, Seth Thomas made the best movements in that time period out of any other mayfacture. I have had a few Seth Thomas clocks and I have always been suprised by the quality and how well they manage to keep time. I have found the black adamantine cases last longer and were more durable than the other finishes that Seth Thomas put the Adamantine over. Anyways great video as usual.
Hi James. Do you have a website or shop address? I have a early 1900's junghans mantle clock in need of repair. Been watching your videos and have developed some trust and appreciation for your work... just can't find any references to you online except your RUclips channel. Cheers
I don't have a website, I have been so busy don't need one. I get a lot of work that the other clock guys say are not fixable. I am located in Washington State in USA My email is jamesmart55@hotmail.com Right now I have several months work ahead of me.
Thanks Frank, To my knowledge, early clock makers used Gold Gilt, lacquer and wax. Gold gilt will last 100s of years if not abused. Lacquer and waxes need to be replied from time to time.
Brass on this one looks like its suffering from dezincification. Probably be best to remove the oxidation with a weak solution of hydrochloric acid then neutralize it and seal it with a sealer to prevent any further oxidation.
Je me suis abonné pour regarder les mouvements USA. J habite en France en nous n avons pas ce type de mouvement cependant je possède une pendule à mouvement de Paris qui a un cadran presque identique à la vôtre la mienne est en marbre noir mais je trouve la vôtre en bois plus jolie
Oui, les originaux de France étaient en marbre. Les sociétés d'horlogerie américaines ont copié le design français, d'abord en marbre. Le coût était élevé, ils ont donc inventé une finition en marbre similaire, car celle-ci est similaire aux boîtiers français mais pour moins d'argent pour le consommateur.
Yes, There multiple gold gilt kits on the market. Original gold gilt was applied using a Cyanide-Based Gold Plating process. There are some suppliers still offering gold Solution Concentrates that are Cyanide-Based: www.riogrande.com/product/Midas14KYellowGoldPlatingSolutionConcentrateCyanideBased/335084?gclid=CjwKCAjwxOCRBhA8EiwA0X8hixMGMAGD4lHNSoQnGhBgkOhUICNwQEFJCbkM30Zex4ppH4QpCO1GWBoC_LwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Gold can also be applied using an electrolysis process: www.amazon.com/Liquid-Brush-Gold-Plating-Solution/dp/B073PPHC5W/ref=asc_df_B073PPHC5W/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216548929909&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9431843956533889376&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033785&hvtargid=pla-359528457243&psc=1
Clearly this movement has been abused but it is in the right hands now. Now that the gilt is gone, how do you protect the brass from corrosion once you have cleaned it?
Well, the 3 necessary ingredients for corrosion to take place are: 1. metal, 2. water (an electrolyte), 3. oxygen After brass is cleaned and neutralized it will need to be sealed to prevent water and oxygen from getting to it. Older movements either had gold gilt or lacquer applied to them to seal the brass. Since the gold gilt is gone, lacquer or a clear urethane product would be my first choice for a sealant.
@@jamesmartin5370 James, when you say lacquer do you mean like a lacquer used on wood? How do you apply the lacquer once you expose the brass. Could I theoretically spray some clear lacquer into a container and lightly brush it onto the plates avoiding areas like the pivot holes and also the steel?
@@gagesvintageclockcollectin7118 Any type of oxidation inhibitor will work, originally bare brass clock parts were sealed with, clear shellac based lacquers, and clear enamels, today there are new age acrylic lacquers acrylic enamels and urethanes that are being used under various name brands. They can be purchased in easy to use spray aerosol cans. Its best to spray when movement is apart. I would avoid brushing unless you use a slow dry product, brushing may end up pooling in areas next to screws and objects, a light spray will five a more even finish.
@@jamesmartin5370 okay then. I suppose that makes sense about how the spray option would produce a much more even finish than if it was applied by brush. I wonder if, while the movement is apart, and to prevent lacquer from getting into the bushings, if I could simply stick toothpicks in the bushing holes. I would put the toothpicks in on both sides most likely as both sides would need the coating. I assume the gears would need this lacquer coating as well too, but these would be much harder than lacquering the plates. I experimented this movement, after some inspiration from watching your videos, to try and preserve the original gold gilt. I had not thought much about how raw brass requires that lacquer coating to seal it and protect it before. This 44 movement I am working on I placed in a bowl of water mixed with probably a cup of simple green and a cup of Murphy’s oil, and I limited myself to only using the toothbrush. Not the brass wire brush. After letting the plates sit in the solution for a long period of time (roughly an hour or so) I would do a quick scrub on both sides of the plates and then put it back in the solution. There are some red patches on the movement, I suppose from oxidized brass that was exposed from previous cleanings. However, the remaining gold gilt cleaned up very nicely and the plate looks great. I was also pleased to find that the screws underneath all the dirt had managed to retain their original bluing. Anyways, thanks again James. It is always a pleasure to talk with you and hear your advice about these old clocks.
@@gagesvintageclockcollectin7118 Tooth picks are a good idea, also could do what is called pegging the holes out after its finished, usually use box wood pegs, any good clock supply house will have them, or use tooth picks, just insert in the bushing holes then rotate them, the wood will clean and polish any residue clean of the hole. Tooth picks are made from many types of wood and most can leave wood dust behind, box wood is a hard wood very little grain and doesn't leave any wood dust behind. The red spots on the brass is areas where the zinc has been removed. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, remove the zinc and the red colored copper is left behind, a little polish or brass brush on it will bring back the brass color. I see a lot of these with the gold gilt damaged. If you talk to the jewelry folks they will tell you never clean gold gilt jewelry in an ultrasonic cleaner because it will damage the gold gilt so a bit of a controversy why gold gilt clock movements are being put in ultrasonics. I have seen ultrasonics create hot spots on the item on corners and sharp edges, and remove areas of gold gilt, use with caution.
Mr Martin your videos are getting better and better . It's a real treat for us amateurs to have this available. I sincerely thank you for sharing your knowledge. The way you handle each clock with such care is really a testimony to the level of professionalism you posess.
Thanks Joshua,
The corrosion condition on this one is a clockmakers nightmare.
I agree, and appreciate James' attention to detail...
Great job
This is one of the heaviest oxidized movements I've seen.
Thank You
Your Welcome,
Hope you were able to get something that helped from it.
@@jamesmartin5370
I always pick something up watching you work, James.
Thank you...
impressive, for such a clock you need a very large mantel!👍😊
Another fine mess you got yourself into! Can't wait to see how you clean it and repair it.Like to see how you do the bushings. Good luck.
I agree Robert,
Just when you think you have see it all, something like this walks in.
What's funny is I have a Sessions with the EXACT same dial, bezel and feet. Except it's a Sessions and therefore post-1902 (the movement is not dated). At some point someone 'rebushed' the escape wheel with a loop of steel wire soldered to the plate (groan). Eventually I hope to acquire the correct tools to rebush it, but in the meantime I really enjoy watching your videos. Your shop is very soothing; I grew up with lots of clocks and people either find my mother's living room calming or disturbing. I'm sure you get similar reactions.
Yes I do, some of our grandkids think the shop is haunted with all the ticking, I have filtered most of the noise out of my videos lately, too loud for some folks, I need to run them to test how they time out for the customers, gets a little loud at times.
Ah see that's music to me. Grew up listening to a Hawina longcase, a Chelsea Williamsburg Whytte House mantel, an 1870s Seth Thomas ogee and two cuckoo clocks all competing for attention. 😊
Thank you for your time with recording and editing
these educating videos. This was a excellent inspection video. Could you let us know how you go about cleaning movements? Looking forward to the next one.
Thanks,
Still talking to the customer on how they want to proceed on this one.
What a gorgeous clock James! I hope to have one with that finish someday. In my opinion, Seth Thomas made the best movements in that time period out of any other mayfacture. I have had a few Seth Thomas clocks and I have always been suprised by the quality and how well they manage to keep time. I have found the black adamantine cases last longer and were more durable than the other finishes that Seth Thomas put the Adamantine over. Anyways great video as usual.
Best movements and cases as well, nice styling.
Hi James. Do you have a website or shop address? I have a early 1900's junghans mantle clock in need of repair. Been watching your videos and have developed some trust and appreciation for your work... just can't find any references to you online except your RUclips channel.
Cheers
I don't have a website, I have been so busy don't need one.
I get a lot of work that the other clock guys say are not fixable.
I am located in Washington State in USA
My email is jamesmart55@hotmail.com
Right now I have several months work ahead of me.
@@jamesmartin5370 thank you. I will be in touch
How did the earlier clockmakers protect brass. And how do you protect the brass without the gold. Exelent work by the way!
Thanks Frank,
To my knowledge, early clock makers used Gold Gilt, lacquer and wax.
Gold gilt will last 100s of years if not abused.
Lacquer and waxes need to be replied from time to time.
@@jamesmartin5370 AH! So the renaicance wax I use is good!
@@benerabilis
Renaissance wax seals against moisture and oxygen, its a good alternate, just keep in mind its not as durable as the others.
Boy that movement is nasty!! 🤣
I will have to say, its one of the worst one I have seen.
Almost like it was stored in a high acid environment.
Hello James. How do you clean highly oxidized brass parts? Please share your experience. Thank you in advance.
Several different ways to clean oxidized brass, I'll get the basics on a video for you soon.
Brass on this one looks like its suffering from dezincification.
Probably be best to remove the oxidation with a weak solution of hydrochloric acid then neutralize it and seal it with a sealer to prevent any further oxidation.
@@jamesmartin5370 Thanks for the info. I hope you can make a video about it.
Je me suis abonné pour regarder les mouvements USA. J habite en France en nous n avons pas ce type de mouvement cependant je possède une pendule à mouvement de Paris qui a un cadran presque identique à la vôtre la mienne est en marbre noir mais je trouve la vôtre en bois plus jolie
Oui,
les originaux de France étaient en marbre. Les sociétés d'horlogerie américaines ont copié le design français, d'abord en marbre. Le coût était élevé, ils ont donc inventé une finition en marbre similaire, car celle-ci est similaire aux boîtiers français mais pour moins d'argent pour le consommateur.
Is there any way to replace the gold guild on these clocks?
Yes,
There multiple gold gilt kits on the market.
Original gold gilt was applied using a Cyanide-Based Gold Plating process.
There are some suppliers still offering gold Solution Concentrates that are Cyanide-Based:
www.riogrande.com/product/Midas14KYellowGoldPlatingSolutionConcentrateCyanideBased/335084?gclid=CjwKCAjwxOCRBhA8EiwA0X8hixMGMAGD4lHNSoQnGhBgkOhUICNwQEFJCbkM30Zex4ppH4QpCO1GWBoC_LwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Gold can also be applied using an electrolysis process:
www.amazon.com/Liquid-Brush-Gold-Plating-Solution/dp/B073PPHC5W/ref=asc_df_B073PPHC5W/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216548929909&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9431843956533889376&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033785&hvtargid=pla-359528457243&psc=1
Thank you James. I really enjoy your videos.
Clearly this movement has been abused but it is in the right hands now. Now that the gilt is gone, how do you protect the brass from corrosion once you have cleaned it?
Well, the 3 necessary ingredients for corrosion to take place are:
1. metal, 2. water (an electrolyte), 3. oxygen
After brass is cleaned and neutralized it will need to be sealed to prevent water and oxygen from getting to it.
Older movements either had gold gilt or lacquer applied to them to seal the brass.
Since the gold gilt is gone, lacquer or a clear urethane product would be my first choice for a sealant.
@@jamesmartin5370 James, when you say lacquer do you mean like a lacquer used on wood? How do you apply the lacquer once you expose the brass. Could I theoretically spray some clear lacquer into a container and lightly brush it onto the plates avoiding areas like the pivot holes and also the steel?
@@gagesvintageclockcollectin7118 Any type of oxidation inhibitor will work, originally bare brass clock parts were sealed with, clear shellac based lacquers, and clear enamels, today there are new age acrylic lacquers acrylic enamels and urethanes that are being used under various name brands. They can be purchased in easy to use spray aerosol cans.
Its best to spray when movement is apart.
I would avoid brushing unless you use a slow dry product, brushing may end up pooling in areas next to screws and objects, a light spray will five a more even finish.
@@jamesmartin5370 okay then. I suppose that makes sense about how the spray option would produce a much more even finish than if it was applied by brush. I wonder if, while the movement is apart, and to prevent lacquer from getting into the bushings, if I could simply stick toothpicks in the bushing holes. I would put the toothpicks in on both sides most likely as both sides would need the coating. I assume the gears would need this lacquer coating as well too, but these would be much harder than lacquering the plates. I experimented this movement, after some inspiration from watching your videos, to try and preserve the original gold gilt. I had not thought much about how raw brass requires that lacquer coating to seal it and protect it before. This 44 movement I am working on I placed in a bowl of water mixed with probably a cup of simple green and a cup of Murphy’s oil, and I limited myself to only using the toothbrush. Not the brass wire brush. After letting the plates sit in the solution for a long period of time (roughly an hour or so) I would do a quick scrub on both sides of the plates and then put it back in the solution. There are some red patches on the movement, I suppose from oxidized brass that was exposed from previous cleanings. However, the remaining gold gilt cleaned up very nicely and the plate looks great. I was also pleased to find that the screws underneath all the dirt had managed to retain their original bluing. Anyways, thanks again James. It is always a pleasure to talk with you and hear your advice about these old clocks.
@@gagesvintageclockcollectin7118 Tooth picks are a good idea, also could do what is called pegging the holes out after its finished, usually use box wood pegs, any good clock supply house will have them, or use tooth picks, just insert in the bushing holes then rotate them, the wood will clean and polish any residue clean of the hole. Tooth picks are made from many types of wood and most can leave wood dust behind, box wood is a hard wood very little grain and doesn't leave any wood dust behind.
The red spots on the brass is areas where the zinc has been removed. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, remove the zinc and the red colored copper is left behind, a little polish or brass brush on it will bring back the brass color. I see a lot of these with the gold gilt damaged. If you talk to the jewelry folks they will tell you never clean gold gilt jewelry in an ultrasonic cleaner because it will damage the gold gilt so a bit of a controversy why gold gilt clock movements are being put in ultrasonics. I have seen ultrasonics create hot spots on the item on corners and sharp edges, and remove areas of gold gilt, use with caution.