I repaired this “Seth Thomas Metals No. 4” oak shelf clock for a customer. The case is oak (having a pine backboard) with metal decorations. It is 22 5/8 inches tall and 14 7/8 inches wide. The minute hand is 2 11/32 inches long. The 8-day time and strike movement is marked “8 1/4” and this design of movement was later called the “NO. 89”.
This type of clock is often called a kitchen, parlor or shelf clock.
The Seth Thomas 1906 – 1907 catalog shows this clock (and five related models) on page 50.
Repair job 8909. I overhauled the movement, including polishing the pivots, installing 18 bushings, and replacing the mainsprings. The time mainwheel had worn teeth and the strike mainwheel had damaged teeth, so I had new gear rings made for both.
I replaced both mainsprings with long, thin springs to reduce future mainwheel tooth wear (as well as wear in general). A long, thin mainspring on the time side of the clock has the additional benefit of making the timekeeping more constant during a week of running.
The original mainsprings were very thick: Time: 3/4 by 0.019 inch; Strike: 3/4 by 0.018 inch.
The mainsprings are MS-301 from Ronell Clock, measuring 3/4 by 0.014 by 108 inches.
If you have a clock you’d like me to repair, please see my website, bills clockworks.com.
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