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Old 11th Jul 2020, 2:59 pm   #1
vinrads
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Default Fitting a quartz clock movement.

Hi I have been asked to fit a battery quartz movement to a Coca-Cola clock, any recommendations, what to buy or what not to buy .

Thanks, Mick.
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Old 11th Jul 2020, 4:03 pm   #2
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Default Re: fitting a quartz clock movement .

My place of choice is Cousins

https://www.cousinsuk.com/category/movements-quartz

Important is the amount of protrusion through the hole in the middle. If its too short you'll have trouble fixing the movement nut, or the hands might touch the face, and if it's too long the hands may touch the glass where fitted or just look plain daft.

If you browse Cousins it will give you an idea of what's available including suitable hands. You need the right fitting of hands to movement shaft but it's all explained.

I have just replaced the movement in my kitchen wall clock as it had a loud tick which annoyed me. The one I bought is 'silent sweep' so the second hand is stepless, and doesnt tick.
Some movements tick once a second. Some tick once every other second.
It's all in the link.

PS you can get these things everywhere but I doubt they're all of decent quality.
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Old 11th Jul 2020, 4:38 pm   #3
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

I go with Cousins too, I bought one of their 24 hour movements for a one handed clock I made. It suits the time keeping at work a treat, not that us engineers/scientists are lazy but don't really give a damn about what time it is (except for lunch time, the restaurant is free and rather good).
 
Old 11th Jul 2020, 5:19 pm   #4
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

An alternative approach is just to buy a quartz clock in a flea market or charity shop and use the movement. You may need to modify the hands to fit the movement but it's not usually difficult. It's best to stick with a known brand as no-name clocks can be inaccurate - Acctim and Seiko clocks are quite common and have decent movements.
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Old 11th Jul 2020, 7:36 pm   #5
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

I've also purchased radio-controlled movements, which are of course by their nature pretty accurate! I usually go for Acctim or Seiko.

I sometimes use original hands from the old clock, and where necessary, have successfully soldered these on to the hub of the hands supplied with the movement, A quick paint job, & you can't see the join.

David.
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Old 12th Jul 2020, 11:25 pm   #6
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

Quote:
have successfully soldered these on to the hub of the hands supplied with the movement, A quick paint job, & you can't see the join
I did this with my parent's Metamec mantle clock. Not a valuable thing but it was a wedding present, the wind-up mech needed cleaning and rather than see it thrown up the loft, I rescued it and fitted a quartz job from maplin (in the days before the internet brought us enlightenment). I did just that with the distinctive hands as they wouldn't just fit and the design was important to keep it looking opriginal. (clockworks stored away safely).

I now have my own atomic-age metamec, fitted with a Cousins 'UTC' quartz unit. Rather than faff with drilling the original hands out etc, I found some black ones similar to the originals made for the job and just sprayed them gold to match the originals. Again the wind-up movement is stored safely. I am not a committed clock-winder.
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Old 13th Jul 2020, 8:31 am   #7
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

Hi Kevin I will need to use the original hand's for obvious reasons when you see the picture, Mick.
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Old 13th Jul 2020, 8:51 am   #8
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

that's nice! I doubt the original hands will fit a quartz module as it stands.

I did once solder some hands to brass washers which I'd filed out to the correct diameter to enable them to push-fit on the quartz shaft. These nylon shafts are slightly tapered and the stock metal hands usually have a boss pressed or formed around the holes to give them some substance. You then just push them on far enough that they dont slip.

I'm thinking soldering rather than drilling, in case you want to go back to the original at some point.
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Old 13th Jul 2020, 4:00 pm   #9
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

Dare I ask what was wrong with the original movement?
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Old 13th Jul 2020, 7:39 pm   #10
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

Yes Mike it is 120v 60c/s Mick.
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Old 14th Jul 2020, 8:04 am   #11
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

Ah - I see. Still worth keeping in case a there was an alternative movement was possible for European shop displays.
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Old 14th Jul 2020, 8:12 am   #12
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Default Re: Fitting a quartz clock movement.

You can also buy collets for fitting existing hands to quartz movements from Cousins.
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