How to Repair a Frozen Telechron Rotor

[@MarcelS-nw6fx]

Thanks for the clear instructions and parts list! Brought the frozen rotor of a telechron school wall clock back to life. The drill bit shot in a bit too far my liking but thankfully the near 100 year old contraption was not affected; to do it over I probably would put some sort of a stop on the drill bit if there’s such a thing. Thanks again for taking the time and effort to put this video together.

[@mherzog7]

You are very welcome!

[@JimmiePorterAtStuartArts]

This is why I love YT so much. Thanks so much for posting this. No telling how many electric clocks I’ve passed on for not knowing how to do this…

[@mherzog7]

Happy to hear that.

[@JimmiePorterAtStuartArts]

I have done this a couple times and it works great. One was frozen, the other was noisy. Both worked great again after. Thanks very much.

[@mherzog7]

You are veery welcome!

[@patricelalancette6047]

Merci!!!! Grâce à vous j'ai remis en marche l'horloge de ma cuisinière moffat 1948 !!!!!

[@mherzog7]

You are very welcome!

[@Aaberg169]

Super info and great solution. Best to you from DK / Erik👍

[@mherzog7]

Thanks! You too.

[@roland-cindyalexander8627]

I just bought a GE Telechron Air Lux from the mid 40's. I have to solder on a new wire (thankfully the coil is good) as well as free up the rotor. Thank you and will be getting out my drill. Great video!

[@mherzog7]

Thank you, good luck with your repair.

[@thegregolahorologyclub6799]

The reason I didn't go this route for my Tele-Alarm Jr. series is because there's going to be (chances are) small metal shavings entering the rotor after this is done. Still, you did a fine job. Keep it up!

[@mherzog7]

Thank you! The filings are a concern. But I’ve done this to several clocks and so far they are still running. Some close to 2 years ago.

[@xenia5101]

A piece of brass shim stock thicker than foil can be soldered over the hole without danger of having it flow into the rotor. Takes a little practice but it is faster and more permanent. Epoxy does not adhere well to the rotor case long term. Ask me how I know.

[@stephenmcdonnell1164]

Outstanding! Thank you for sharing your technique!

[@peter-pg5yc]

I did the oven heat it up and it sucks in the oil, it sure does. I keep drop of oil at gear re heat do a few times..I used tuf oil luber in a pen..motor was super scretchy noisy as all heck..now quiet..I mean barely hear motor with ear on case.. well over 2 years ago.still quiet.. Light bulb trick was old school.(Now leds are cool). see sites for temp.. Its fun to see oil suck in as motor cools.. no holes needed..

[@xenia5101]

Consider adding a drill stop to remove some of the tension performing your drilling. Take a length of brass hobby tubing and cut it so that it fits on the drill bit and leaves a small portion exposed so just the thickness of the case is accessible to the bit. 😀

[@Phil197]

Great fix

[@stephenburkhart8052]

AWESOME Thank You!

[@jddeefo1022]

How long would you expect to get out of this repair?

[@mherzog7]

Seeing as how these clocks are 80 years old or older, and I think have never had a rotor repaired, I’d like to think it will last another 80 years? But seriously, the main reason is that the conventional oil used back then thickens over time. Synthetic oils do not.

[@mherzog7]

You are welcome!

[@jamesoliver3624]

Thanks

[@mherzog7]

You are welcome

[@jbranstetter04]

I would skip the epoxy as I have complete confidence in that tape. With the rotor basically just sitting in the clock upward and never being touched, I can't see the tape coming off.

[@mherzog7]

I don’t have as much confidence in the tape. The rotor gets warm which could eventually loosen it.

[@briangoldberg4439]

i wonder if maybe just putting the rotor in a jar filled with IPA and throwing that into a water filled ultrasonic cleaner wouldn't be quicker and more effective. it would probably take about 30 minutes to decrud the thing, and then the IPA would dry pretty quickly. you could just shoot some compressed air into the hole if you wanted to be done immediately

[@mherzog7]

I don’t know what IPA is, but the key thing is removing the old oil. I would never put it in water. The gears are not brass, they could rust.

[@briangoldberg4439]

@@mherzog7 isopropyl alcohol. use 99% and it will be fine. you can't put IPA directly in an ultrasonic cleaner because it could ignite, so typically what you do is put the part in a glass jar and fill the jar with alcohol. then you put the jar into a bath of water with a little bit of soap to help conduct the vibrations. it will blast the grime out of the inside of the rotor quite completely

[@mherzog7]

@@briangoldberg4439are you putting a hole in the rotor?

[@briangoldberg4439]

@@mherzog7 I think you would have to or there would be nowhere for the junk to escape

[@mherzog7]

i have tried removing the old oil from the gears with alcohol, but it does not do as good a job as liquid wrench, it is a better solvent. I'm imagine the same would apply internally in the rotor. I have had good success following the techniques outlined in Craig Shields' book, 'Hammond Synchronous Clocks Maintenance and Repair'@@briangoldberg4439

[@xenia5101]

A heat gun application would soften up hardened grease and is sometimes all it takes to get this model rotor going again without surgery.

[@mherzog7]

I imagine that’s the same result as heating it in a toaster oven. But I’m thinking today’s oil quality is far superior to what was available in the ‘30’s and ‘40’s. Once it cools down, it will likely thicken up again sooner than later.

[@ajledbetter2197]

Seal it with silicone not tape.

[@jbranstetter04]

I would imagine automotive silicone would be the best. Not sure if it's really any different but it is made for an oily engine. Clean with alcohol or something similar before application.

[@RenaissancePeopleNYC]

NG!

[@wardduffield489]

Buy a snap punch.

[@Fucknuts4u]

Liquid Wrench and 3 in 1 oil are too heavy, they'll remain in there since they don't evaporate and don't break down old grease, then you're throwing in synthetic oil on top of it. All you did was waste time and product.

[@YooTooobJeff]

That's your opinion, which is unlearned and without logical foundation

[@Fucknuts4u]

@@YooTooobJeff - It's a FACT