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Old 2nd Sep 2018, 12:48 pm   #1
Triumppaul
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Default Large 18 inch double faced Smiths electric clock

Hi. This clock has been in my loft for 20 years or so. The clock used to hang in the windscreen wiper assembly hall at a company called Trico Folberth at Brentford in West London. I saved the clock from the demolition men when the company closed in the 90's and moved to Wales. I was hoping someone could tell me how to remove the hour hand. I am wondering if the bush it sits in is a press fit on the shaft but it seems quite tight and I do not want to damage it. I was hoping to restore the bakelite casing on the back which is cracked. Also I was wondering how old the clock was. It looks like there are two clocks placed back to back. Look forward to hearing from someone.
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Old 2nd Sep 2018, 1:34 pm   #2
Nickthedentist
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Default Re: Large 18 inch double faced Smiths electric clock

Lovely! You lucky thing, well done for saving it.

The basic design is pre-war but I think your example could be as late as 1960-ish. Some dating info here: http://www.electric-clocks.co.uk/SMI...trademarks.htm

The hour hand has a brass collet [painted black in your case] riveted to it, which is indeed a push-fit onto the arbor (shaft) coming from the movement. A single drop of proper penetrating oil (e.g. PlusGas) left for a day, then gently moving the hour hand back and forth should free it up.

Repair the crack in the Bakelite with some fresh, good quality superglue (old stuff is too viscous). e.g. https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/loctite-...e-5g/p/0074309

Carefully pry it open a fraction, apply a tiny bit of glue, then allow it to spring tightly closed, using a cable tie, tape or a clamp to keep everything aligned. Wipe off the excess immediately with a rag moistened with IPA or similar, and then when it's set, polish off the white "bloom" with T-Cut or Brasso or similar.

Araldite also works well.

Smiths did make a double-sided clock but it seems more common to find two standard ones fixed back-to-back by the installers on-site, often in a rather rough and ready way.

I would love one of these. The best I've managed so far is a back-to-back pair of the 12", Bakelite-cased "Delhi Major" ones which look similar to yours. Mine were rescued from the kitchens at the Birmingham General Hospital which were being demolished before the building became the Childrens' Hospital. This would have been in the mid-1990s.

Nick.

Last edited by Nickthedentist; 2nd Sep 2018 at 1:45 pm.
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Old 2nd Sep 2018, 2:02 pm   #3
Triumppaul
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Default Re: Large 18 inch double faced Smiths electric clock

Hi Nick. Thanks very much for the infomation. I thought it might be a press fit. Can you tell from the numbers on the casing the age of the clock (clocks) ?.
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