Restoration of an Early Scottish Tall Case Clock

[@stephencouling7777]

Thank you Mark. I have just taken apart, cleaned and replaced everything in my late grandparents clock. It is very similar to the one you show in this video. We are not sure of the date but think it is late 19c. Name on the clock is Henry Barrett, Pembroke-Dock. So we think he was a Welsh clockmaker. On the door in pencil is a date of 21st May 90 which we think might be the notation of a clock-maker who cleaned it. My Uncle has a register of English clockmakers from the later 1600s to 1880 and he is not listed in there. All of which suggests a manufacture of about 1880. The clock has not worked for years and was quite dirty. When I put it on a trial stand the sound was an irregular Tick TOCK and when I saw you bend the crutch to adjust the beat I did the same. The rhythm is now regular and the clock ran all night. Many thanks for recording the whole process

[@stevewilliams2498]

I wish I had seen this 2 weeks ago. A friend asked me to look at his Scottish family heirloom long case and it is identical but maybe a bit younger with brass hands. I struggled with timing the strike and a lot of trial and error got me there in the end. This video would have set me straight.

[@drafthorse4547]

Mark, very nice video. I have several of these movements to work on. Your video has been a blessing. Thanks for taking the time to cover this.

[@DaltonClockRepair]

You’re very welcome.

[@squidben5780]

Very nice video with lots of details !!!

[@kennethdipretoro9631]

Kenneth DiPretoro, Great video Mark well done!

[@patrickmorrissey205]

This was very informative, thanks for posting.

[@PaulThomas-t8q]

Just learning with a Howard Miller UW03110B triple chime. Thank you for this video.

[@DaltonClockRepair]

You’re welcome.

[@Offshoreorganbuilder]

A very useful video. Many thanks.

[@DaltonClockRepair]

You’re welcome. Thanks for the comment.

[@Boeserbob]

I was looking to find out if my William Smith long case clock which I have inherited should have a half hour strike and I did something wrong during the set up. You answered that question I think 17:39. I really thought remembering that there was a half hour single strike at my gradparents place however there is none now and I can not find a hint for one in the movement. Thank you!

[@joshykj7705]

Nice work thank you.

[@MG-qo5ge]

Great video and a great hobby or profession thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise, I tried to get my clock looked at and there are very few shops about so I have just lightly refurbished with a couple of bushes our family long case from 1747 and now ready to go for an other 250 years! ....and keeps perfect time to the pips on the BBC

[@DaltonClockRepair]

Thank you. Kudos to you for digging in and getting the work done on your own. It must be extra satisfying to get your own family heirloom restored and working for future generations.

[@joshykj7705]

It is nice work .l could learn alot from you.thank you very much sir.❤

[@DaltonClockRepair]

It's my pleasure. Thanks for the comment.

[@estorey1465]

thanks great video

[@marksamatuerfloridavideos]

Hi Mark, Just watched you video for the first time. Great job! I'm a new enthusiast, having transitioned from my hobby of restoring cars. At 75, I'm enjoying my new hobby of antique clocks and now have 15 of them. I recently acquired a very similar clock to the one you have highlighted in this video and found the information to be extremely helpful. I'll check out your other videos as well. I notice this video is 3 years old. Are you still active? I live in Citrus County Florida. I'm sure I could use your assistance if you're local. Regards, Mark

[@thegrassyknoll7792]

I think that little Piece of Wood on the platform that tilts the movement forward is for making sure the pendulum doesnt get to slide against the back case 😊 just a thought

[@tonyedwards6369]

A great help, I bought a 'barn find' English late georgian longcase five pillar movement with rack hook lever missing that I had to make and the gathering pallet was worn and had to have new one made, a real test of patience. Given cost of horological overhaul and fall in value of these clocks sadly only the enthusiast repairer will save them from conversion to Quartz or Hermle movements.

[@slawomirmateja166]

Thank you, wery good 👍👍👍

[@DaltonClockRepair]

You're welcome!

[@slawomirmateja166]

@@DaltonClockRepair Thank you 😃

[@antwerpen1969]

Great film! How did you clean the bell? Thanks!

[@DaltonClockRepair]

I used the ultrasonic machine. Thanks for the comment.

[@Broadgate]

Excellent video. I have a 1760 clock which i’ve restored the case, but am summing up the courage to strip and clean the movement. Your video is excellent, but would you be able to show how to index the strike train?

[@marksamatuerfloridavideos]

Hi Mark, I'm 75 and retired in Florida. I started collecting clocks a year ago and just purchased a non working 1750-1785 grandfather clock with similar if not identical works to the one in this video. I'm fascinated with the "engineering" of the folks who originally made these. I believe mine is original and needs a refurbishment similar to the one you are working on in this video. I've this video probably 6 times and see something new every time. Way back, my undergraduate engineering degree came for Worcester Polytechnic institute where I graduated 53 years ago in 1972. I have a question. Would you be able to clean, bush, oil, change cables and assemble mine and what would be the approximate cost and lead-time? If you're too busy, maybe you know someone in central Florida? Thanks for your time. Let me know what additional information you need. Regards, Mark

[@davidsonfamily5657]

Great video. Thank you for making and sharing it. At about 4:00 you dismount an "after market" strike/silent mechanism. Have you details available on how it works and what alternatives there might be. I have a clock of about the same age and would love a convenient, safe way to turn the strike on and off. This is especially important now that my grandsons love to hear it ding, my wife, not so much. John

[@DaltonClockRepair]

Thanks for the compliment. I don't recommend altering the movement to any great degree by adding some kind of shut-off mechanism. One way to lower the sound of the bell is to cut off the finger or thumb of an old glove and slip it over the hammer. It deadens the sound hopefully keeping your wife and grandsons happy.

[@davidsonfamily5657]

@@DaltonClockRepair Hi Mark, thanks again for your advice. I came up with a very simple solution that I am pretty confident will not harm the clock. I loosened the nut at the top of the bell post and tied a string to the post. Then, I threaded the string across the top of the bell and down through the slot in the saddle board through which the strike weight cable passes. A 75 gram weight on the hanging end of the string is enough to tilt the bell just out of reach of the hammer. On the hour, the strike mechanism goes, quietly, with a whirr and soft "thunks". It is loud enough to hear if you are in the same room but not any further. Removing the weight allows the bell to tilt back into range of the hammer and ring. There is a spring that cushions the fall of the hammer's shaft when it "dry fires" so I don't think it will suffer metal fatigue. Thanks for getting me to think "outside the box" on this. John

[@curingabettoni4310]

Parabéns belo trabalho , òtima manutenção. Graziez (Brésil)

[@kevinmurrell9779]

Many thanks for this very useful video. I am restoring exactly the same mechanism. Is it know by a particular name?

[@DaltonDroneZone]

Tall case bell strike movement.

[@pauldyck4596]

Watching your videos is like sitting at the feet of a master. Clearly you know what you are doing. The bell on this one sounds wonderful. I wonder if I could impose on you to answer 3 questions: 1. Do you know about what year this clock dates to? 1800s? 1700s? 2. Do you remember about how many bushings you had to put in? 3. When the plates are held together by taper pins (as opposed to pillars that are threaded and take nuts), does that make it more difficult to make adjustments to the strike side that involve disengaging one of the wheels and changing where it meshes with the next wheel?

[@DaltonClockRepair]

Thanks so much for the kind words. I believe this clock dates from the early 1800's. I couldn't find info on the clockmaker himself but the workmanship and design seems to fit that time period. I had to install three bushings. The way the plates are secured should make no difference on spreading them to reindex the wheels.

[@tonyedwards6369]

It is superficialy easy to rebush though centering bearing holes to compensate for lateral wear can be problematic for the enthusiast refurbisher, I tend to leave alone unless essential

[@pauldyck4596]

I agree with Robert that I would love to see you do a cuckoo quail video. I have one that dates to about 1905 waiting for me to work on it.

[@DaltonClockRepair]

Ok. I have some other repairs to complete but I'll get to the Cuckoo & Quail as soo as I can.

[@Silvamorde2004]

I recently purchased a William Brownlie Scottish grandfather clock which is almost identical to the clock you show in your video. Unfortunately, it is missing a couple of parts that I am looking for. I think I found a gathering pallet, thanks entirely to being able to see what it looks like in your video. However, I am having problems with the date ring. My clock has one, but it was sitting loose between the clock face and the movement. I cannot tell how or what it is supposed to be mounted to so it can be turned by the appropriate gear. Would it be possible for you to provide a photo of the backside of your clock face, so I can see how the date ring is mounted? Thanks!!

[@DaltonDroneZone]

The clock has been returned to the customer. The date ring usually sets on a couple rollers that look like pulleys. They tend to keep it in place. You maybe missing those rollers.

[@rehorneman]

Another very educational video. Thanks for doing them. Hope you can do a Cuckoo/Quail video someday. I am trying to learn all I can about cuckoos.

[@DaltonDroneZone]

Thanks Robert. I plan to work on the Cuckoo & Quail behind me in the shop soon. It's my own clock and they're the ones that get pushed to the back of the line.

[@rehorneman]

@@DaltonDroneZone Great can't wait to see a Cuckoo /Quail video!

[@olivermundy4220]

I would suggest a date of around 1770, judging by the asymmetrical corner spandrels and the fact that the clock still has an old-style brass dial with silvered chapter-ring. if it was much older there would have been engraved ornaments between the hour figures; if it had been much later the dial would have been in one piece, either engraved all over or, by 1800 or so, painted rather than engraved. Baillie records two Scottish makers named Gillies in the late 1700s, but not named James and not at Kilsyth.

[@DaltonDroneZone]

Thank you for the info.

[@اكرمالشمري-و3ب]

عمل رائع يستحق الاحترام والتقدير..شكرا جزيلا..

[@davidstorm4015]

I watched a similar video of a clock restoration the other day, this was a UK restorer. He said you should not use brass cables on longcase clocks as it wears marks into the barrels. He showed an example of this on a similar longcase and the cables had caused a lot of wear on the barrels. For this reason I would never use brass cables on my longcase.

[@DaltonClockRepair]

Thanks for the suggestion. That only applies to tall case clocks with wooden barrels.

[@TheEroxion]

What are the stands you clamped to the back plate called? And where to buy them ?

[@DaltonClockRepair]

They are movement holders and can be bought from Timesavers or Merritt's Antiques.

[@TheEroxion]

Thanks@@DaltonClockRepair

[@matthewfirmin5531]

Hello, have you tried aircraft cable instead of brass? It's supposed to be stronger than brass, and it doesn't have sharp ends. available through clock supplier.

[@DaltonClockRepair]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[@ronaldclift3502]

I have changed the minuet hand on my long case clock and now it is loose and drops down to 6 How do I tighten it up

[@clareburke7466]

Ronald im in the same boat did you get a reply ?

[@Martyn-ey9lw]

I realise this is an old post but If you look at the video at about 1:09:00 you will see him put the minute hand on then a washer and then the taper pin, the minute hand is only held by friction so you may need to put a thin washer under the main washer so when inserting the taper pin you need to apply a little pressure to reveal the full hole for the taper pin, hope this makes sense.

[@ПашаПитецкий]

Дякую вам за працю 😊

[@DaltonClockRepair]

You're welcome!

[@kevinmurrell9779]

Any tips on fixing the two plates back together - trying to line everything up! 30mins of exasperation and swearing later seems to do it!

[@DaltonDroneZone]

I work from the bottom up, aligning the wheels into the pivot holes. You can put a taper pin in the bottom stand offs to keep them from separating again.

[@clareburke7466]

Dear mark im trying to get my grandfather clock working after a move. I dismantled and reassembled the clock myself and replaced the bell which had been removed. I have started the clock yet and i need some help. The minute hand is very loose and wobbly it is being held in place by brass wire. I can send you a picture. Can you help with how i fix the minute hand and restart the clock. Can you help me via telephone vudeo call through messanger. I live in scotland. There is no name on tge grandfather clock although it is an old one. With the two weights. Thank you clare burke

[@Martyn-ey9lw]

I realise this is an old post and you probably have solved the problem by now, if you haven't look at the reply I have sent to Ronald Clift.

[@DaltonClockRepair]

Make sure to use a washer on the outside of the minute hand and press in a little to expose the hole to insert the taper pin. Thanks to those of you who have already made this suggestion.

[@Granfatherclock]

Try to see if it has a even tick

[@wasili-vx2zi9qt7r]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@theheathkitshop2424]

It's too bad I don't have a time machine. I'd love to travel back in time to when I was 16, and find a kindly old clock maker to teach me how to repair clocks. What a wasted life I have.

[@DaltonDroneZone]

It’s not too late to start. There’s quite a few clocks out there in need of help.

[@guygumbrell2958]

Unfortunately, from about 24 minutes in your hands completely obscured what you were doing

[@joserobertodelima5706]

ILUMINACAÇÃO RUIM.