Noisy electric clock

[ppppenguin]

Thanks, PaulR. It has stayed quiet enough for the last couple of weeks so I'm leaving it alone.

What's "Stardrops" detergent? Sounds more like something you'd eat

[paulsherwin]

Originally Posted by ppppenguin

What's "Stardrops" detergent? Sounds more like something you'd eat

It's a brand of liquid detergent that's been around since at least the 60s. I didn't know they still made it. I think the name comes from the idea that you can put a few drops in a bucket of hot water then clean the kitchen floor with it.

HTH, Paul

[PaulR]

It is still going strong and is great for cleaning the car, but now costs more than the "bob a bottle" that the old ads said - or am I now showing my age?

[Mike Phelan]

Hi Nick
Apologies for not replying earlier - I somehow missed this one!
Comments below:

Good to hear from someone who's obviously been looking after clocks for a long time. Can I ask you a few questions?

You advise "light grease for first stage of gearing". Could you explain a bit more, i.e. exactly where, and what grease you prefer.

I use the same stuff as I use for greasing my cars - most clocks have a steel rotor pinion turning at about 100-300 rpm driving a SRBP wheel - a slight touch of grease all the way around the teeth of the wheel will stop the whirring noise. I think my current supply is Castrol LM, though you can get purpose-made stuff from material houses.

You also emphatically say "do not lubricate any other gear teeth"! Why's that, out of interest.

Any lubricant in a clock that is exposed will collect abrasive dust, and this becomes embedded in the brass wheels, causing the harder steel pinions to wear.
Admittedly, in an electric clock there is far less pressure on the teeth to cause wear than in a mechanically-powered one, but lubrication is just unneccessary here. In theory, there is no sliding contact between teeth - in practice there is. Many electric clocks use a couple of stages of worm gearing - the same applies. Lubrication of the first stage as above is not ideal, but necessary to prevent noise. Pivots should be lubed with clock oil - if you can see the oil, it is too much!

[Mike Phelan]

Paul
Your advice is spot-on. Most proprietary clock cleaners consist of, guess what? Ammonia solution with a detergent in it.
A word of warning - when you use this, make sure that all parts are totally submerged, or you will get a bright blue tide-mark that is virtually impossible to remove.
Citric acid and vinegar are also good tarnish removers, but these sorts of clocks usually have the brass bits lacquered.
You can get boxwood dust for drying parts, but this is more for watches. I just rinse the ammonia solution off and brush everything in petrol (outside!) leaving it to dry naturally.

Electric clocks indeed suffer less wear, as the power is not being applied against a load.
Quite a bit of pivot endshake is normal in any clock and does not cause any problems.

Originally Posted by PaulR

HI all,

I have just come across this thread and hope I am not too late to add my two penn'orth.

Clocks and other miscellaneous brass bits and pieces such as radio knob inserts clean up very well if totally dismantled and soaked in a 10% sloution of very hot water and ammonia with some detergent such as Stardrops added. Don't use washing up liquid as it contains salt which can corrode any steel bits. Obviously don't do this to any electrical bits! Keep it near an open window or cooker hood as it is very smelly. Better keep SWMBO out of the way as well!! Soak for an hour or two and then wash well in clear hot water, dry, and polish if required. You can get special sawdist to dry it thoroughly but then you have to get rid of all the sawdust! This removes all accumulated hard oil, WD40, 3-in-1 and , unfortunately, any transfers. Petrol is good to remove any remaining remnants of polish.

I have had good results with this solution for removing layers of paint from old bakelite telephone junction boxes, but I don't know how it works on radio cases.

The pivot holes in spring or weight driven clocks wear in the direction of the thrust applied by the power source and often need re-bushing, but this is much less in electric clocks as there isn't a strong power source being regulated by an escapement. The main problem with electric clocks is around the motor bearings and gears as these are turning contunuously. Some electric clocks are actually of quite good quality and well worth adding to a collection of 1930s radios. The electrical safety is of a similar standard though with no thought of earthing the totally metal movement.

A good source of proper oil and other supplies is Meadow and Passmore www.m-p.co.uk/

[XTC]

Mike,

What sort of petrol? An amateur clock restorer told me that the stuff to use was lighter fluid - purified petrol. Motor fuel has all sorts of additives, some of which at least were, very nasty.

Pete.

[GMB]

White spirit has much the same solvent properties as petrol without the vapour hazard or additives.

The other general degreasing solvent I use is isopropanol which is also nice and pure (better than meths which leaves nasty deposits). It will clean off flux residues too.

I don' know how appropriate it is for clock mechanisms but where there is concern about oil attracting dirt, don't forget solid lubricants - the simplest being graphite.

[ppppenguin]

When I made my original request for help I didn't expect the overwhelming number of helpful responses. Thanks to all of you.

[mickjjo]

Just to be different, I sometimes wish that the small bakelite Smiths "Sectric" clock I,ve had for 25 years, actually made MORE noise, , as when I restart it after a power cut, I have to stare at the minute hand to make sure it's running....... .

Regards, Mick.

[wireless_paul]

Stardrops is actually made in Huddersfield. I always thought it was what we Northerners used and probably more popular in these parts. You can either buy it in a glass or a clear plastic container. Years ago it was sold door to door in a glass demijohn.
Paul E

[PaulR]

The main benefit of ammonia and Stardrops is that it is much cheaper than proprietory clock cleaning solutions, but maybe only we Northerners are worried about that? Stardrops only comes in plastic bottles now so I have kept the last glass one I had and decant it!

Seriously, the solution is great for removing almost anything from brass or copper in any condition and is good for brass radio bits. If the knob is Bakelite with brass inserts I put the whole lot in and have never had any problems. I also risked it slightly cooler and weaker with plastic knobs from a Bush VHF 61 and it was OK.

Sorry for going so far off subject.

Paul

[Mike Phelan]

Originally Posted by XTC

Mike,

What sort of petrol? An amateur clock restorer told me that the stuff to use was lighter fluid - purified petrol. Motor fuel has all sorts of additives, some of which at least were, very nasty.

Pete.

Pete
I just use the same stuff I fill our cars and do camp cooking with - normal unleaded. The preferred solvent used to be benzine (not benzene), which I think is the main constituent of lighter fuel, but this would be a little expensive for a proxy Yorkshireman.
Indeed, there are nasty additives; however, you are unlikely to inhale any more of these cleaning a clock than you would filling your car.
GMB
Yes, white spirit is used by some clock folk; it is not volatile enough for me.
Paraffin was also used, but this is not really volatile at all.
Cleaning machines used to use trichlorethylene, before it was banned!
IPA is ideal (no, not the Greene King stuff) but too expensive.