The recent post about using a powerdriver to wind a clock has got me
wondering...

I have a lovely old bracket clock which has been in my family for
generations; made by g-grandfather, who was a (unsurpringly) a clockmaker.

It has an allegedly 8-day movement, and as a kid I can well recall my
grandmother (the clockmaker's daughter) winding it religously every
Sunday morning without fail - she reckoned it was very important that it
was done at the same time every week, to the same degree of winding.

These days, despite a service, the clock unfortunately doesn't last the
full week, so it's really hard to remember to wind it just before it
stops, which it invariably does. I don't know why it no longer lasts as
long, but also, each time I wind it I feel granny's ghost at my sholder
ticking me off for my bad winding practice. TBH for both reasons it
rarely runs now, which is a shame.

Does anyone know, was granny talking sense? Or is this just an old
wife's tale?

Thanks
David

"Lobster" wrote in message
news
The recent post about using a powerdriver to wind a clock has got me
wondering...

I have a lovely old bracket clock which has been in my family for
generations; made by g-grandfather, who was a (unsurpringly) a clockmaker.

It has an allegedly 8-day movement, and as a kid I can well recall my
grandmother (the clockmaker's daughter) winding it religously every Sunday
morning without fail - she reckoned it was very important that it was done
at the same time every week, to the same degree of winding.

These days, despite a service, the clock unfortunately doesn't last the
full week, so it's really hard to remember to wind it just before it
stops, which it invariably does. I don't know why it no longer lasts as
long, but also, each time I wind it I feel granny's ghost at my sholder
ticking me off for my bad winding practice. TBH for both reasons it
rarely runs now, which is a shame.

Does anyone know, was granny talking sense? Or is this just an old wife's
tale?

The latter. The spring has probably lost some of its tension with age which
is why it runs down faster. Nothing lasts forever.
--
Dave Baker

Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle your
clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working perfectly for over a
year - more than enough time for it to 'dry like glue'.

I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you name it - and
never had a problem at all.


--
Dave - WD40 Liberation Front.

On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 00:43:20 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something to
do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle your
clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended
by Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working perfectly for
over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry like glue'.

I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you name it - and
never had a problem at all.

I name...condoms.



--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

In message , Terry Casey
writes

I have two suggestions.

The first is to consult a clockmaker - they still do exist (why not
look for a news group dedicated to clockmaking?)

There was a clock man who used to post here. Kevin Poole? Still
around, perhaps?

--
Graeme

On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 00:43:20 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:


Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle your
clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working perfectly for over a
year - more than enough time for it to 'dry like glue'.

Quite right it does nothing of the sort. It picks up dust from the
atmosphere and sets like concrete. :-)

Derek



I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you name it - and
never had a problem at all.

On 18/09/2010 17:25, Graham. wrote:

This isn't related to the problem with your bracket clock but the question is very similar: why do grandfather clocks always stop
on Thursdays? See if you can work that one out!


To coin a phrase as it were.
"Citation needed!"


IIRC this question was posed some years ago during one of the televised
"Christmas Lectures to Young People" at the Royal Institution.

The reference to Thursday is probably apochryphal and, as I hinted, does
not relate to spring driven clocks, so has no connection with the loss
of tension in a spring. There are other causes though, which others have
posted in response to the OP's problem which also have a bearing on the
grandfather clock problem ...

--

Terry

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle your
clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working perfectly for over a
year - more than enough time for it to 'dry like glue'.

I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you name it - and
never had a problem at all.


--
Dave - WD40 Liberation Front.

The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock with
WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole mechanism
out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before it would work
again.

Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

S

Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?

Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long way.
That isn't luck.


--
Dave - WD40 Liberation Front.

The Medway Handyman wrote:

Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?

Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

i would be happy to sell you one so you can prove your point
\0

On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:29:30 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?


Dunno, hit me.

Me old dad used 3 in 1 diluted with paraffin.


Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?


IME it attracts atmospheric contaminants - then it dries and gums up
the works.

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long way.
That isn't luck.

It's 'cos it's a jack of all trades -furniture polish cum label
remover, shifts greasy handprints, smells nice, handy to have on an
exhibition stand.

However, I've never seen it specified in a service manual. I take that
to indicate there is always a specialist product that does the job
better. Indeed one item of our equipment uses 4or5 different aerosol
lubricants including a special one for drive chains.

Derek

In message , Derek Geldard
writes
On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:29:30 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?


Dunno, hit me.

Me old dad used 3 in 1 diluted with paraffin.


Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?


IME it attracts atmospheric contaminants - then it dries and gums up
the works.

Inside a sealed watch ?

--
geoff

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?

Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long way.
That isn't luck.


--
Dave - WD40 Liberation Front.

No that's advertising: duck oil beats it hands down - and I wouldn't let
that near a clock either.

S

"Derek Geldard" wrote in message
news
On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:29:30 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended
by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?


Dunno, hit me.

Me old dad used 3 in 1 diluted with paraffin.

Which is more or less what we used to sell for the purpose: your Dad knew a
thing or two.

S



Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?

Same way as water does: it dries and leaves a load of crap behind.



IME it attracts atmospheric contaminants - then it dries and gums up
the works.

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long way.
That isn't luck.

It's 'cos it's a jack of all trades -furniture polish cum label
remover, shifts greasy handprints, smells nice, handy to have on an
exhibition stand.

However, I've never seen it specified in a service manual. I take that
to indicate there is always a specialist product that does the job
better. Indeed one item of our equipment uses 4or5 different aerosol
lubricants including a special one for drive chains.

Derek

"geoff" wrote in message
...
In message , Derek Geldard
writes
On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:29:30 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended
by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?


Dunno, hit me.

Me old dad used 3 in 1 diluted with paraffin.


Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?


IME it attracts atmospheric contaminants - then it dries and gums up
the works.

Inside a sealed watch ?

--
geoff

Squirt it in your watch if you must: let us know how you get on.

S

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "The Medway Handyman"
saying something like:

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long way.
That isn't luck.

No, it's clever marketing and bull****.

On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 15:57:16 +0100, Lobster wrote:
It has an allegedly 8-day movement, and as a kid I can well recall my
grandmother (the clockmaker's daughter) winding it religously every
Sunday morning without fail - she reckoned it was very important that it
was done at the same time every week, to the same degree of winding.

I remember my grandad saying to me that it was important not to over-wind
his because it could break the spring, and also that it was best not to
let it completely wind down because there was a danger of the spring
detaching itself from the drum. Whether there's truth in the latter, I
don't know (I do remember breaking a few clockwork movements as a kid
when the unwound spring parted from the drum) but I suspect that was his
reason for always winding it on the same day of the week (and the same
time being just habit, so he didn't forget).

I seem to recall that the mainspring broke in the early 80s - I think it
cost around 100 quid then to have it fixed. I bet it'd be several times
that today :-) (It's in my hands these days - sentimental reasons more
than anything. It's just a plain 'ol Smiths Enfield 8-day mantle clock
with Westminster chimes, its only claim to fame being that it was only
made during 1951 - later and earlier ones were different, so I suppose
it'd appeal to a die-hard collector)

These days, despite a service, the clock unfortunately doesn't last the
full week, so it's really hard to remember to wind it just before it
stops, which it invariably does.

I think the springs do get tired over the years, and of course there will
be more friction in the movement as it wears. Seek advice from a
professional clock repairer about oiling it if you decide to do so - I've
heard horror stories about people wrecking good clocks with the wrong
sort of oil.

In the meantime, I'd just wind it on a shorter cycle (and take care not
to overdo it). With mine if it was run down, I always took it gently for
the first few turns, mindful of what I'd been told :-)

TBH for both reasons it rarely runs now, which is a shame.

Mine's in storage overseas, but worked last time I tried it three years
ago. I seem to remmeber it had a lovely sound in a big room, but even the
ticking was irritatingly loud in a smaller spot.

cheers

Jules

In message , Spamlet
writes

"geoff" wrote in message
...
In message , Derek Geldard
writes
On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:29:30 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended
by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?


Dunno, hit me.

Me old dad used 3 in 1 diluted with paraffin.


Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?


IME it attracts atmospheric contaminants - then it dries and gums up
the works.

Inside a sealed watch ?

--
geoff

Squirt it in your watch if you must: let us know how you get on.

Not me - I haven't worn a watch for more than 15 years

Just wondering how you can attract "atmospheric contaminants" into a
sealed watch

--
geoff

On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:29:30 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle your
clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended
by Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working perfectly for
over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry like glue'. I've
used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before it
would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?

Not long enough to cause major probems? I've always heard that WD40
contains stuff that gradually evaporates, leaving a residue behind which
attracts dirt and debris. It's useful stuff for quick fixes (which is why
it gets such good press), but not as a long-term solution. Maybe the
'stuff' is part of the propellant, but I'm not sure if you can get WD40
that doesn't come in a spray can?

(I've never heard of it being sticky enough to actually glue anything
together, though)

cheers

Jules

Derek Geldard wrote:


However, I've never seen it specified in a service manual. I take that
to indicate there is always a specialist product that does the job
better. Indeed one item of our equipment uses 4or5 different aerosol
lubricants including a special one for drive chains.

I have. Yale reccommend it in the instruction book for thier locks & the
patio awning company I work for reccommend it for lubrication.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "The Medway Handyman"
saying something like:

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long
way. That isn't luck.

No, it's clever marketing and bull****.

No clever marketing or bull**** sustains a poor product over 50 years.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "The Medway Handyman"
saying something like:

No, it's clever marketing and bull****.

No clever marketing or bull**** sustains a poor product over 50 years.

guffaw
You must be kidding.

On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:51:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "The Medway Handyman"
saying something like:

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long
way. That isn't luck.

No, it's clever marketing and bull****.

No clever marketing or bull**** sustains a poor product over 50 years.

Consider how it's used - mostly on items that are already old or
exhibiting signs of wear. I think it takes a while for WD40 to cause
problems - a user could easily have disposed of the item by then, be
attributing problems to general wear and tear, or passed the item on to a
new home. Sure, there'll be some exceptions - but for the majority it
seems wonderful, because it fixes the symptoms of underlying problems
quickly and easily.

The Yale one's interesting - I wonder what actual testing they did to
show that WD40 was superior (and stayed superior over the lock's
lifetime) to other products.

cheers

Jules

On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:14:42 +0000, Cicero wrote:
I seem to recall that the mainspring broke in the early 80s - I think
it cost around 100 quid then to have it fixed. I bet it'd be several
times that today :-) (It's in my hands these days - sentimental
reasons more than anything. It's just a plain 'ol Smiths Enfield 8-day
mantle clock with Westminster chimes, its only claim to fame being that
it was only made during 1951 - later and earlier ones were different,
so I suppose it'd appeal to a die-hard collector)

It might have been made as a special 'Festival of Britain' version which
was held in 1951 and if so it might have a greater value than bog
standard versions.

Yes, that could well be it. I'm not sure what the changes are for that
particular year, so I don't know how it differs to the others before and
after it.

For the OP, the chap I spoke to about my clock recommended Meadows and
Passmore (http://www.m-p.co.uk) for sources of oil, spare parts etc.
(And he also had this to say: "Mr Fixit is the bane of proper repairers,
he oils a clock without taking it to bits and getting rid of the old
gummy oil. He has even been known to use WD40 or dunk the whole thing in
white spirit! Enough to make a repairer scream!" :-)

cheers

Jules

In article , Jules Richardson wrote:
Not long enough to cause major probems? I've always heard that WD40
contains stuff that gradually evaporates, leaving a residue behind which
attracts dirt and debris. It's useful stuff for quick fixes (which is why
it gets such good press), but not as a long-term solution. Maybe the
'stuff' is part of the propellant, but I'm not sure if you can get WD40
that doesn't come in a spray can?

You can get it in 5l containers for use with a hand squirt spray:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/32927/...-Applicator-5L


(I've never heard of it being sticky enough to actually glue anything
together, though)

Nor me. And oil has the same problem of holding dirt in place.
I've seen graphite recommended as a lock lubricant for that reason, e.g.
http://www.ukbumpkeys.com/product_Gr...1924_index.php

(Or you can always clean off builtup gunk with more WD-40 later, rather
than expecting it to be a permanent fix. If you use it on something like
a bicycle chain that was lubricated when new, cleaning off the existing
lubrication can do more harm than the WD-40 does good, but you will find
people telling you not to use it because its not a lubricant, because some
guy on the internet says so.)

"geoff" wrote in message
...
In message , Spamlet
writes

"geoff" wrote in message
...
In message , Derek Geldard
writes
On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:29:30 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was
something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids.
Reccommended
by
Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools -
you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?


Dunno, hit me.

Me old dad used 3 in 1 diluted with paraffin.


Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?


IME it attracts atmospheric contaminants - then it dries and gums up
the works.

Inside a sealed watch ?

--
geoff

Squirt it in your watch if you must: let us know how you get on.

Not me - I haven't worn a watch for more than 15 years

Just wondering how you can attract "atmospheric contaminants" into a
sealed watch

--
geoff

Sorry Geoff, no offence intended. My threads are getting a bit muddled here
:-(
I wasn't the atmospheric contaminants 'proposer', but I would imagine that
if you did seal in an amount of WD40, well enough to prevent it evaporating,
the sheer weight would be enough to upset the works of a watch. In most of
my old watches it would have come out via the winder hole.

I do like the old tick tocks though (but not when I'm trying to sleep).
they all came a cropper of my active DIY phase though, so I too, haven't
worn one for years.

Cheers,
S

"Jules Richardson" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:51:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "The Medway Handyman"
saying something like:

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long
way. That isn't luck.

No, it's clever marketing and bull****.

No clever marketing or bull**** sustains a poor product over 50 years.

Consider how it's used - mostly on items that are already old or
exhibiting signs of wear. I think it takes a while for WD40 to cause
problems - a user could easily have disposed of the item by then, be
attributing problems to general wear and tear, or passed the item on to a
new home. Sure, there'll be some exceptions - but for the majority it
seems wonderful, because it fixes the symptoms of underlying problems
quickly and easily.

The Yale one's interesting - I wonder what actual testing they did to
show that WD40 was superior (and stayed superior over the lock's
lifetime) to other products.

cheers

Jules

One thing I can say it is very good at: stopping flies buzzing.

S

On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 22:09:07 +0100, Alan Braggins wrote:

In article , Jules Richardson
wrote:
Not long enough to cause major probems? I've always heard that WD40
contains stuff that gradually evaporates, leaving a residue behind which
attracts dirt and debris. It's useful stuff for quick fixes (which is
why it gets such good press), but not as a long-term solution. Maybe the
'stuff' is part of the propellant, but I'm not sure if you can get WD40
that doesn't come in a spray can?

You can get it in 5l containers for use with a hand squirt spray:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/32927/...ar-Lubricants/
WD-40-Spray-Applicator-5L

Interesting... wonder if it has the same drawbacks then. Like you say,
any oil is sticky to a certain extent - I think real clock oil is
supposed to be extremely thin for that reason.

If you use it on something like
a bicycle chain that was lubricated when new, cleaning off the existing
lubrication can do more harm than the WD-40 does good, but you will find
people telling you not to use it because its not a lubricant, because
some guy on the internet says so.)

Yeah, I think chains you're supposed to immerse in the "proper stuff"
aren't you, so that the lubricant gets into the places where it wouldn't
reach just by wiping.

re. clocks, a repairer once told me that most people overdo it and use
far too much oil, when all it needs is a tiny bit on pivot points /
shafts.

cheers

Jules

Jules Richardson wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:51:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when
the drugs began to take hold. I remember "The Medway Handyman"
saying something like:

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a
long way. That isn't luck.

No, it's clever marketing and bull****.

No clever marketing or bull**** sustains a poor product over 50
years.

Consider how it's used - mostly on items that are already old or
exhibiting signs of wear. I think it takes a while for WD40 to cause
problems - a user could easily have disposed of the item by then, be
attributing problems to general wear and tear, or passed the item on
to a new home. Sure, there'll be some exceptions - but for the
majority it seems wonderful, because it fixes the symptoms of
underlying problems quickly and easily.

Fine, but there is no scientific evidence whatsoever to support the view
that it causes any kind of damage. All we have is anecdotal evidence from a
bunch of luddites.

"Its American, so I can't admit its any good".


The Yale one's interesting - I wonder what actual testing they did to
show that WD40 was superior (and stayed superior over the lock's
lifetime) to other products.

Dunno, but the worlds leading lock maker reccommends it, which seems to
outweight a bunch of luddites.


--
Dave - WD40 Liberation Front.

Jules Richardson wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 22:09:07 +0100, Alan Braggins wrote:

In article , Jules
Richardson wrote:
Not long enough to cause major probems? I've always heard that WD40
contains stuff that gradually evaporates, leaving a residue behind
which attracts dirt and debris. It's useful stuff for quick fixes
(which is why it gets such good press), but not as a long-term
solution. Maybe the 'stuff' is part of the propellant, but I'm not
sure if you can get WD40 that doesn't come in a spray can?

You can get it in 5l containers for use with a hand squirt spray:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/32927/...ar-Lubricants/
WD-40-Spray-Applicator-5L

Interesting... wonder if it has the same drawbacks then. Like you say,
any oil is sticky to a certain extent - I think real clock oil is
supposed to be extremely thin for that reason.

Alledged drawbacks.

--
Dave - WD40 Liberation Front.

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
news
Jules Richardson wrote:
On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:51:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when
the drugs began to take hold. I remember "The Medway Handyman"
saying something like:

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a
long way. That isn't luck.

No, it's clever marketing and bull****.

No clever marketing or bull**** sustains a poor product over 50
years.

Consider how it's used - mostly on items that are already old or
exhibiting signs of wear. I think it takes a while for WD40 to cause
problems - a user could easily have disposed of the item by then, be
attributing problems to general wear and tear, or passed the item on
to a new home. Sure, there'll be some exceptions - but for the
majority it seems wonderful, because it fixes the symptoms of
underlying problems quickly and easily.

Fine, but there is no scientific evidence whatsoever to support the view
that it causes any kind of damage. All we have is anecdotal evidence from
a bunch of luddites.

"Its American, so I can't admit its any good".


The Yale one's interesting - I wonder what actual testing they did to
show that WD40 was superior (and stayed superior over the lock's
lifetime) to other products.

Dunno, but the worlds leading lock maker reccommends it, which seems to
outweight a bunch of luddites.
--
Dave - WD40 Liberation Front.

And the similarity between locks and clocks is?
(ocks) Some clocks have keys: I suppose you could reasonably safely use it
on the keys.

S

"Jules Richardson" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 20 Sep 2010 22:09:07 +0100, Alan Braggins wrote:

In article , Jules Richardson
wrote:
Not long enough to cause major probems? I've always heard that WD40
contains stuff that gradually evaporates, leaving a residue behind which
attracts dirt and debris. It's useful stuff for quick fixes (which is
why it gets such good press), but not as a long-term solution. Maybe the
'stuff' is part of the propellant, but I'm not sure if you can get WD40
that doesn't come in a spray can?

You can get it in 5l containers for use with a hand squirt spray:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/32927/...ar-Lubricants/
WD-40-Spray-Applicator-5L

Interesting... wonder if it has the same drawbacks then. Like you say,
any oil is sticky to a certain extent - I think real clock oil is
supposed to be extremely thin for that reason.

If you use it on something like
a bicycle chain that was lubricated when new, cleaning off the existing
lubrication can do more harm than the WD-40 does good, but you will find
people telling you not to use it because its not a lubricant, because
some guy on the internet says so.)

Yeah, I think chains you're supposed to immerse in the "proper stuff"
aren't you, so that the lubricant gets into the places where it wouldn't
reach just by wiping.

The idea of the proper stuff is so that it doesn't immediately end up all
over the back number plate and the people behind. My number plate was
generally plastered with it none the less. Happy daze ;-)

S



re. clocks, a repairer once told me that most people overdo it and use
far too much oil, when all it needs is a tiny bit on pivot points /
shafts.

cheers

Jules

"Spamlet" wrote in message
...

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended
by Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?

Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long way.
That isn't luck.


--
Dave - WD40 Liberation Front.

No that's advertising: duck oil beats it hands down - and I wouldn't let
that near a clock either.

S

Actually that is my brain fog: Plus Gas is what I generally have a good tin
of for soaking stubborn, nuts and bolts etc in. No offence intended to Duck
Oil enthusiasts, just a memory lapse.

S

"Spamlet" wrote in message
...

"Spamlet" wrote in message
...

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message ...
Spamlet wrote:
"chudford" wrote in message


We have a 10 day wall clock about 100 years old which keeps near
perfect time.

Last year it would stop after about 4 days, I think it was something
to do with the chime mechanism jamming.

Anyway a quick squirt of WD40 and it has been going perfectly ever
since, probably sacrilege to a clock maker.

Not just to a clockmaker! WD40 dries like glue: it is a miracle
your clock is still working!

Where on earth does this urban myth about WD40 come from?

It doesn't dry like glue at all, its very low in solids. Reccommended
by Yale for locks. Mr Chudfords clock has been working
perfectly for over a year - more than enough time for it to 'dry
like glue'. I've used it for years on locks, hinges, zips, tools - you
name it -
and never had a problem at all.


The 'urban myth' had not been invented when I sprayed my alarm clock
with WD40 and stuck the whole lot together. I had to take the whole
mechanism out and ultrasonic clean it in Genklene and 3inOne before
it would work again.

Then why has Chudfords clock been working perfectly for over a year?

Try it on your Rolex if you are so confident.

I don't have a Rolex, but I'd be quite happy to WD40 it if I did.

How can a product that acts very effectively as a penetrating oil &
lubricant gum up parts?

Its been around since 1953 and is the worlds leading brand by a long
way. That isn't luck.


--
Dave - WD40 Liberation Front.

No that's advertising: duck oil beats it hands down - and I wouldn't let
that near a clock either.

S

Actually that is my brain fog: Plus Gas is what I generally have a good
tin of for soaking stubborn, nuts and bolts etc in. No offence intended
to Duck Oil enthusiasts, just a memory lapse.

S

And woops again: checking Wikipedia, I now find that WD40 now own 3-in-one
too! so fings might not be quite what they used to be:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WD-40
They do start off by saying the active ingredient is a 'viscous' oil - which
one would not want in a clock. But further down they list ingredients
including 'light oil', which you *might* want.

WD40's own site says: "WD-40 remains effective even after it *appears to
dry*. The corrosion and rust protection ingredients *remain adhered to the
surface*."

I would say that comes pretty close to saying it has a solids or near solids
content which may stick delicate mechanisms like clocks and watches., as
experienced by several writers here.

And here are some more users that have no doubts about the sticky residue:
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-188742.html

So fings may be wot they used to be after all.

S

On Tue, 21 Sep 2010 01:33:02 +0100, Spamlet wrote:

They do start off by saying the active ingredient is a 'viscous' oil -
which one would not want in a clock. But further down they list
ingredients including 'light oil', which you *might* want.

To carry the viscous oil into the places it wouldn't normally get to.

WD40's own site says: "WD-40 remains effective even after it *appears to
dry*. The corrosion and rust protection ingredients *remain adhered to
the surface*."

Well that is what it is, a water displacer and corrosion inhibitor.
Which it does by coating stuff with a layer of sticky viscous oil.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:36:34 +0100, Dave Liquorice wrote:
WD40's own site says: "WD-40 remains effective even after it *appears
to dry*. The corrosion and rust protection ingredients *remain adhered
to the surface*."

Well that is what it is, a water displacer and corrosion inhibitor.
Which it does by coating stuff with a layer of sticky viscous oil.

Yes, certainly no argument from me there - but it's the turning from an
apparently light oil to a more sticky one which is the root of problems,
I think. Suddenly you end up with something with poor lubricating
properties and that dirt sticks nicely to, which is never good for
something with moving parts :-)

It's nice of the WD40 folk to put the above info on there (and more than
they used to do, I think!) - but it's a shame that their marketing blurb
always says "lubricates" where "temporarily lubricates" would paint a
more accurate picture and perhaps stop people from treating it as a
permanent solution.

On 21 Sep, 14:04, Jules Richardson
wrote:
On Tue, 21 Sep 2010 08:36:34 +0100, Dave Liquorice wrote:
WD40's own site says: "WD-40 remains effective even after it *appears
to dry*. The corrosion and rust protection ingredients *remain adhered
to the surface*."

Well that is what it is, a water displacer and corrosion inhibitor.
Which it does by coating stuff with a layer of sticky viscous oil.

Yes, certainly no argument from me there - but it's the turning from an
apparently light oil to a more sticky one which is the root of problems,
I think. Suddenly you end up with something with poor lubricating
properties and that dirt sticks nicely to, which is never good for
something with moving parts :-)

It's nice of the WD40 folk to put the above info on there (and more than
they used to do, I think!) - but it's a shame that their marketing blurb
always says "lubricates" where "temporarily lubricates" would paint a
more accurate picture and perhaps stop people from treating it as a
permanent solution.

shurely anything that needs lubricating *can't* be lubricated
permanently?
otherwise you wouldn't be squirting anything at it cos there'd be no
need.....

Jim K