# Regulating a carriage clock



## Snakepottery

Hi all,

Could do with some advice from all you clock specialists out there! I have strayed from the world of watch repair and briefly entered clock work! I have my Mums carriage clock which needed cleaning and regulating, nothing to onerous there (other than it's Mums!!). It's pretty ordinary unsigned carriage clock with a cylinder escapement.
Prior to stripping, I checked it over and ran it for a few days and noted it was running around 15 mins fast per 24 hours. I also noticed that the regulating index arm was cranked right over. Not a problem I though as a clean and reset may well resolve it, possible a couple of the hairspring coils were stuck together. So strip, clean, reassemble and lube and it's all back running. This time much sweeter with good amplitude of the balance. BUT, still running fast! I can get it to time but it requires the regulator to be pushed to it's limit. Now, when I had the balance off the cock, inspection showed there was some surface rust on the coils, could this effect the timing? Interestingly there was a fair bit of mild rusting on screw threads and the like. Very odd as it has always been in a warm room.
Anyway, I'm in a quandary, do I a) leave it as it is even though the position of the arm grates with me!! or B) pull the hairspring pin from the stud and lengthen the coils a bit, (there is some spare) and risk the spring snapping? I have tested the spare bit and it still seems to have a fair degree of spring left, or C) possibly replace the hairspring, although I favour that the most as I'm not sure where to go about getting the correct type...

So you see my quandary!

Any advice would be really appreciated. How much of an issue is light dusting of the hairspring coil going to cause? Will it make it more brittle? Should I be treating the coil with any kind of rust remover?

Thanks all in advance!

Andy


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## Guest

Rust isn't a good thing to see on a hairspring :/
If you're able to change it for a new one, it'd be better IMHO.

Did you demagnetize the escapement ? A cylinder escapement is steel on steel, it could be magnetized. Better safe than sorry.


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## Snakepottery

My thoughts too. However, I'm sure there is more to replacing it than measuring the height, thickness and length, don't they need to be "vibrated"? I have replaced hairsprings before but usually just go to Cousins website and order one for the particular make of watch!

Demagnetizing sound like a good idea as I didn't.
Thanks


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## Snakepottery

Anybody else with thoughts about adjusting the position of the hairspring in the stud? Is it likely to snap where the pin locks it in? Obviously I would need to adjust the beat after.

Thanks


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## John MS

Presumably it came from the factory running reasonably accurate with the adjuster centered. My vote would be ror figuring out why it still runs so fast. Is it in beat? Is the hairspring between the regulating pins? If those check out then replace the hairspring.


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## Snakepottery

One presumes it was centred from the factory, it's probably 100 years old (?) so I guess it's had a fair bit of tampering in that time!

I'll check more thoroughly that it's in beat check the rest of movement over.

Thanks, I'll report back with the results!
Andy


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## Snakepottery

Driving me nuts! It has to be a faulty hairspring. There is nothing wrong with the rest of the movement, de magnetised it and checked it is in beat.
So decided to move the spring in the stud to lengthen it thus slow it down. Did that all was good for the evening. Next day it's running slow!!! I'm goIng to put the hairspring back to its original position and then see what happens.
I would replace the hairspring but don't know where to start to get one made? I think they need to be vibrated? Does anyone know?
Cheers
Andrew


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## river rat

Since this is for your Mom and your good at watches clocks are a little differnt you mite take it to a guy who only works on clocks and it will be done right.I finely found a watch maker who works on watches and clocks and does a great job on both and that's rare these days.One thing I notice today is they ether work on watches or clock never both.In the early 1900's all watchmaker's did both it's a dying art.


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## Guest

So, what happened then ? :-s


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