Priscilla Mainspring

[hollyking]

Priscilla Mainspring
Originally uploaded by hollyking

Yesterday I started the evening with a box that contained a very dirty clock movement. I ended the evening with a box of parts that are cleaner and hope to one day put back together. I say cleaner because we used some solvent to remove the old oil, grease and grime from the works. There is still plenty of dirt left that will be taken off next time when I get to use the ultrasonic cleaner.

And now a bit of advice given to us in class yesterday:

Ten Commandments for the Clockmaker

1. Thou shall let down mainspring power before disassembling movment.
2. Thou shalt not prickpunch pivot holes.
3. Thou shalt not splice broken mainsprings.
4. Thou shall be frugal when lubricating pivots.
5. Thou shall be generous when lubricating mainsprings.
6. Thou shalt not oil teeth or pinions.
7. Thou shal peg all pivot holes.
8. Thou shalt not allow hammers to rise during warning.
9. Thou shall examine click rivets.
10. Thou shalt not call a dial a face.

Comments

[verminiusrex.livejournal.com]

I was told the 3 commandments of knifemaking by someone who worked in Damascus steel.

1. Do not drop the knife you are working on.
2. If you drop the knife you are working on, do not try to catch it.
3. Watch your toes.

I consider this to be good advice for life in general.

[hollyking.livejournal.com]

Good advice, that. :)

[gfish.livejournal.com]

First rule of smithing: All iron is hot. (Just like all guns are loaded and all wires are live.)

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

I thought there was only one commandment of blacksmithing in general: you shall wear steel-toed leather boots and make sure your pants go *over* your boots.

[susandennis]

I honestly don't care about the inside of clocks - just the outside (the dial - see, I'm paying attention!). But I am fascinated by your clock repair entries. It's a world I will never know otherwise and I'm love it.

Thanks to you and to Priscilla.

[hollyking.livejournal.com]

Aww... Thanks! I should really try to take some better pictures. Those quick snaps with the mobile phone don't do justice to the subject.

[hollyqueen.livejournal.com]

You said prickpunch!

[dianthus.livejournal.com]

Oh, good. Not just me, then.

[ragnorokt.livejournal.com]

It's always good to learn something new. Why just today I learned something very important too. Never drink coffee while listening to the Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! podcast. Your cow-orkers may think you are having some sort of siezure if you do.

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

Got another: you shall not try and clean out the grime by soaking all the pieces in ammonia, and then forget them in the ammonia on receiving an important phone call, leaving them overnight.

Because the next day there won't be *anything* left except for very green ammonia. (Presuming brass gearing.)

I shall..

[echoeversky.livejournal.com]

have to ponder on these 10 items heh.

E.