Smiths Sectric Delhi Major Problem
 

I'm hoping somebody might be able to help me out with a problem I have with my Delhi Major.

It's running and the minute & second hand keep time but the hour hand has stopped.

I'd be grateful for any advice as I'd love to getting going again.

Many Thanks

Mark

Re: Smiths Sectric Delhi Major Problem
 

Mark,

A few questions:

• Has the hour hand suddenly stopped?
• Does the hand move at all? (gently!)
• Can you remove the hands and dial at all?

(We don't know of how much expertise you have in doing this sort of thing) ;)

Re: Smiths Sectric Delhi Major Problem
 

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your reply.

Initially the hour hand would stop at 4 and I could push it forward and it would go for 12 hours before it stopped at 4 again. I thought maybe it was fouling the face there but I could see that it wasn't. Then the hour hand stopped altogether.

I've removed the dial and I can move the hour hand with my finger. I think I'll be able to remove the hands too.

When I use the manual adjusting winder the hour hand no longer moves which makes me think the problem is with the mechanism and that's the bit I'm nervous about meddling with!

Thanks again,

Mark

Re: Smiths Sectric Delhi Major Problem
 

Hi Mark,

This must be a very late version (early 1960s?) using the rather cheao and horrible "QEMG" (I think) movement.

Something has probably worn and is not meshing properly, or worse still, one of the wheels might have shed some teeth. I think the wheels are metal but the plates are Paxolin (as opposed to brass in older, more solid models).

The bit of the clock movement which drives the hands is called the "motion work" and is often on the front of the movement, just behind the dial (though I can't remember if it is with this type).

You should be able to see what's wrong with a bit of careful investigation (power off, dial and hands removed, glasses on, torch at the ready).

I might have a scrap movement you could have some bits from, but they might be as worn out as yours.

Keep us informed about how you get on.

Nick.

Re: Smiths Sectric Delhi Major Problem
 

Hi Nick

Phew, I've got lucky and managed to get the hour hand working again.

I could see which wheel drove the second hand when it was switched on and which wheel drove the minute hand by rotating the drop down knob. That meant that the wheel closest to the face drove the hour hand.

So I gave that wheel a good clean and picked some debris off it and that's done the trick, just as I was bracing myself to dismantle it ! That's a relief!

Thanks for your advice & the kind offer of spares.

Happy Days!

Mark

Re: Smiths Sectric Delhi Major Problem
 

The annular mark on the dial suggests that the hour hand has been dragging at some time....

Re: Smiths Sectric Delhi Major Problem
 

Probably lifting the gear forward and coming out of mesh, the worst scuffing around the 4 o’clock position where the OP said it was stopping. Glad it’s all fixed now, another one saved from a quartz movement!