Workshop Hints
Excessive Gear Noise On Strike Train
The British Horological Institute has archived and edited the following from e-mails sent to the Clock/Clockers mailing lists on the Internet. The information here does not necessarily indicate a method approved by the BHI, we are only publishing this digest so that others can decide for themselves whether the methods listed below will suit them.
From: Sterrie Weaver, Michael Magill, Bruce Miers, Norm Schreck, John Collins, Gene Bertram, Tim Sweet
Gear noise is extremely difficult to remove, once the noise gets in clock gear trains it is VERY difficult to get out.
- Check and see if the fan is slipping on the arbor.
- check the warning wheel and fan arbors to see if they require bushings. I have found a lot of the strike side noise disappears after I have rebushed these two arbors.
- make a close inspection of all the wheels in that area, and the fan in particular, to see that it is not striking, ever so slightly, the edge of a lantern pinion or a stray end of a brass spring wire which may be fouling the fan ...
- Noise in strike train of clock could be due to excessive radial movement (not axial) of fan arbor pivots in bushings, resulting in noise as pivot bounces back and forth at high speed during strike. Rebushing may be effective in noise reduction.
- You might check the condition of the pinion bales. I've found that if they are significantly worn, they will introduce a great deal of noise. Replacing them all can be a major pain, even with one of those expensive tools for cutting the bales the same length (and boy are they handy), But it's usually quieted things down for me.
- look at the fly, it might be pushed all the way to one side and when the clock would strike it would scrap the side of the plate.
