Chronometer repair

[pgpParticipant @pgp]

Hi All,
My father and his close friend were both engineers and lifelong model makers. My father told me how he started as a boy, before the WW2, undertaking projects from the Model Engineer and that lead him into engineering. I learnt a lot from them both but I was a just a keen observer and helper, not an engineer, and if they were still with us I would be talking to them about this now as I am sure they could sort this out or know someone who could.
I have a chronometer that has damage and I took it to a horologist. They found that the ‘Banking Screw’ was missing. It was not found inside the movement and there is no logical reason why that was missing. He also found that the pivots to the Escape Wheel shaft’ were worn so that the shaft was loose and had come out of their bearings. All this had resulted in it running out of control which in turn has damaged the Escape wheel teeth bending and deforming it and knocking out the detent stone.
The description of damage is as written out by Horologist who took it apart and examined it.
The chronometer is important to me and I want to get it going again. The horologist said these parts needed replacing but they did not have the tools or ability to do this but put me in touch with a model maker who did this sort of thing. Unfortunately they are overloaded with similar jobs so I am wondering if there are any other Horologists/Model Engineers who could do this.
I am happy to take this anywhere on mainland GB to get this fixed.
Many Thanks
Peter

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

That’s way out of my League,  Peter 🙁

… but I’m replying just to ^bump^ your request

MichaelG.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

https://www.michlmayr.com/our-watchmakers/. Just a happy customer.

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

Assuming this is a chronometer watch rather than a boxed ships chronometer. If you have detailed information about the maker and model/size, it might be worth looking around for a donor movement from which a watchmaker could cannibalize the damaged parts. Unless the chronometer is by a high end maker, or is a boxed ships chronometer, these were made in fairly high volumes, and can be found for reasonable prices, often just the movement as the cases have been scrapped for the gold/silver. It will probably be a lot cheaper than having a watchmaker remake the broken or missing parts.

You could try joining the US NAWCC forum https://mb.nawcc.org/, it’s free to sign up, and has a lot of watch enthusiasts. If you post some good pictures of the movement and it’s identifying marks on there with a request for identification, someone can probably tell you what to look for.

A boxed ships chronometer is a more difficult thing to deal with. You probably would need someone who can make the necessary parts. To set expectations – all the watch and clockmakers of  a decent standard are probably in the same position as the model maker you were referred to. Six months backlog of work seems to be the going position. That’s the main reason I got into model engineering – I got fed up with waiting for clock servicing and repair.

[Peter Cook 6]

On Peter Cook 6 Said:

… A boxed ships chronometer is a more difficult thing to deal with. …

… which is what I assumed it to be, from the question

[ but I have been wrong before, and will be so again ]

MichaelG.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

If you’re making  new parts and fitting new jewel holes, I would suggest that a boxed ships chronometer is the easiest to work on. In the past I have made detents for them and re jewelled. But unfortunately at 90 years neither my eyesight nor the steadiness of my hands will let me do much these days sorry.

You could try B.H.S at Newark.

Roy

 

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Try Frodshams in London but be prepared for a shock at the price.

[pgpParticipant @pgp]

Hi Roy,

I have tried to search for BHS Newark but all I get is links to British Home Stores. Do you have a contact number or any more information I could use to search for them?

Many Thanks for your help.

Peter

[pgpParticipant @pgp]

Bernard,

I will certainly try contacting Michlmayr’s, from their website they sound promising.

Many Thanks

Peter

[derek hall 1Participant @derekhall1]

Try the British Horological Institute (BHI) based in Upton near Newark. They will be able to advise you of a suitable qualified person to look at your chronometer…

Regards

Derek

[pgpParticipant @pgp]

Hi Peter,

Yes it’s a Boxed marine Chronometer over a hundred years old and predominantly brass. My father would have had a go I am sure as he loved working with brass and kept tools and cutters separate just for brass work.

But I neither have the sort of tools or experience needed to try and do this so will keep trying to find someone in the UK who can help.

Thanks for your advice

Peter

[pgpParticipant @pgp]

Hi John,

Yes I have heard of Frodshams, I will look them up and see what they can do,

Many Thanks

Peter

[pgpParticipant @pgp]

Hi Derek,

I did contact the BHI who put me onto my local branch who in turn put me onto the Horologist who examined it. But it may be worth going down the route again and explain my local branch couldn’t help and see who else they come up with.  Will try the other suggestions from John, Bernard and Roy first.

Many Thanks for advice

Peter

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

The BHI at Newark Is Upton Hall. That might help you find it.

[mike robinson 2Participant @mikerobinson2]

You could check out Tommy Jobson’s youtube video’s, his work seems to be excellent, example here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajqBKgAZPbg. His website for the full address is here (Shropshire) https://www.horologiumprecision.co.uk/tommy-jobson

Hope that helps

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Sounds like days of work so won’t be cheap. Some BHI branches are more active and larger than others. Frodshams has representatives in the South London Branch where there are a few others who also may be able to take this on. Send me details, pics etc and I can ask around.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

This video on YouTube suggests that Steve Fletcher from The Repair Shop runs a company that has the skills to undertake the task.

https://youtu.be/cdGrbhaE4Mk?si=eUIIWJZbvstjxVsM

If you can concoct a suitable sob story theymight even do it for free!

Rod

[pgpParticipant @pgp]

Hi Jack,

I have contacted Michlmayr’s as suggested by Bernard and I am in East Anglia with Norwich relatively close. So I am hoping that will work out. But their clockmaker isn’t back until after New Year.

Tommy Robson’s is the other side of the country, and Steve Fletchers company are also quite a distance from me so Frodshams might be the next alternative. But will wait to see what comes of Michlmayr’s first. However if I do need to look to London then South London would probably work out so here are some details.

The pictures were taken by the horologist who examined it: If you did find someone I am sure they would happily talk to them and give a professional description of what they found. I am not sure what they used to photograph it as the pictures are poor but that is all I have of the innards.

What they said is that several of the escape wheel teeth have been bent or damaged at ends and the circumference distorted. You can see it if you look at top of wheel in photo. They also said that the ‘Pivot is missing at top very possibly due to wear, not snapped. Bottom pivot also worn’.

After 150 years I suppose something is going to wear out.

Detent is ‘missing banking screw, missing locking stone’.

Marry Christmas

Peter

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Horological Journal has advert running for many years:

Might be worth going to a specialist as they more likely to have parts and do a cheaper job? I don’t know Jon but he has been around a while and MBHI so has to follow their code of conduct.

 

[Dave SParticipant @daves59043]

I would recommend Bernard Whitworth over near Newark. I know this sort of work is in his skills.

However I think he has been ill and so might not be taking in more work at the moment

 

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