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Old 13th Jun 2016, 12:31 am   #1
Michaelvm
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Default Smith sectric clock repair

Hi

My Smith Sectric clock has been running faithfully in our kitchen for the past three years but now the hrs and minute hands will stop in random places (whilst the seconds hand continues to move). I can reset the time and it will continue to keep time for a day or two (or sometimes an hour or two) but then stop. It's plugged into main power.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Michael
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Old 13th Jun 2016, 3:31 pm   #2
MurphyNut
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

The workings of these are usually very reliable and go on forever, have you checked to see if the hour or minute hands aren't rubbing as they pass each other or if these hands have come lose and need "pushing back on." You will probabily need to remove the clock face / mechanism from the body in order to do this.
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Old 13th Jun 2016, 6:46 pm   #3
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

I suppose some of the wheels could be so worn that they're failing to mesh properly. I've never known this to happen, but if this clock has spent 50 years in some dusty outback school or factory then I suppose it's possible.

It's probably well overdue for a thorough clean and relube by now.
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Old 13th Jun 2016, 10:08 pm   #4
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

Hello and welcome, Michael.

Could you please post a pic of the back of your clock, so we know which style of movement is fitted.

Thanks.
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Old 13th Jun 2016, 11:18 pm   #5
Michaelvm
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

What did we do before the Internet? Thanks for the replies. A pic of the back is attached.
The seconds hand has always had a wear mark on it where it just clipped the small hand on the way past. It never seemed to effect how the clock operated... maybe it has finally effected the operation of the other hands?

Thanks again
Michael
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Old 13th Jun 2016, 11:43 pm   #6
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

The hands are usually a push fit onto concentric shafts. As Clive said in #2, dismantle the clock enough to expose them and check they haven't worked loose.
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 12:46 am   #7
Michaelvm
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

I've given it a clean and lube and also given the hands a gentle push. I've plugged it back in and will see over the next couple of days if it stops.

I would just like to extend my appreciation of the fast replies on this forum. I like to collect 'old crap' (as my wife calls it), and many specialist forums I've joined in the past don't seem to reply to newbies.

Cheers from oz
Michael
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 7:34 am   #8
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

The movement is known as the "Bijou", and was used extensively throughout the 1940s and 1950s.
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 8:32 am   #9
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

Completely irrelevant to a repair, the name Smith rather than Smiths gives some dating clues: http://www.electric-clocks.co.uk/SMITHS/sm-faq.htm
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 9:21 am   #10
Mike Phelan
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

If the hour and minute hands stopped completely it won't be due to the seconds hand catching them.
Were that the case the minute hand would be moving forward, not stopping.

It's worth seeing whether the hour and minute hands stay in their positions relative to each other; that will narrow down the possibilities.

What parts did you lubricate?
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 9:26 am   #11
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

Could it be the centre wheel clutch slipping excessively, Mike?
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 9:34 am   #12
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

That was my reason to determine if the motion work was still operating OK, Nick.

It's possible if something was jamming the motion work as there would be sufficient torque if the motor was a good one.
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 4:30 pm   #13
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

I have several Smiths Sectric clocks and agree that they tend to go on for ever with only an occasional light oiling of the rotor bearings if they get noisy.

Something I've noted on long-serving movements is a tendency for the bearing of one of the gears to wear oval instead of round. That can ultimately result in intermittent loss of drive due to the pinion no longer engaging. A cure is sometimes then to turn the movement upside down if feasible. I still have a 1960s 'Gingham design kitchen plate' Sectric wall clock running happily upside down for this reason. If the face has markers instead of figures, you can get away with it!

On another worn out Sectric movement in a clock whose appearance I rather valued, a carefully fixed short length of phosphor bronze wire applied pressure to keep the gears engaged for another few years before I found a suitable replacement movement in a cheap 'spares or repairs' eBay item. Fortunately, these clocks were so successful that, as long as you're patient, something will eventually turn up.

Martin

P.S. Apologies to horological members for my use of engineering terms rather than clockmakers' language.
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 4:44 pm   #14
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

That's interesting, Martin. Worn pivot holes are more usually found in spring-or weight-driven clocks.

Was yours the same (Bijou) movement, or one of the later ones?
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 9:31 pm   #15
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

I think that this particular movement is a 'Deluxe' with its telltale 'moving sine wave' in the indicator window.

Martin
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Old 14th Jun 2016, 10:48 pm   #16
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

Thanks Martin. We had a 24" one of these in the Great Hall at school until it broke down in about 1990, and I seem to remember my Physics teacher (and odd-job man, and general hoarder of junk/treasure) showing me exactly the problem you describe.

Probably not the problem with Michael's then, but you never know.
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Old 20th Jun 2016, 3:54 am   #17
Michaelvm
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

Thanks again everyone
Its been running fine ever since. No stopping and keeping time! One other thing I notice is the seconds hand is a little noiser and when it hits the 10 oclock on the face it looks like it slows or almost goes backwards for the briefest of moments. It doesnt seem to be rubbing on the face or other hands.
I did drop a few drops of sewing machine oil on a cog or two hope this was ok?
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Old 20th Jun 2016, 8:56 am   #18
Mike Phelan
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Default Re: Smith sectric clock repair

Odd that it keeps time despite the seconds hand reversing. Your oil won't be a problem but there should be no oil on the wheels (clocks don't have 'cogs' they are for old mangles).

Would be good if you can clean and lubricate properly at some time in the future, though.
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