1963 Clock Repair Question

[Sebastian S.]

I took my clock apart today to give it a good cleaning and to see if I could get it back to working order. Everything worked out just fine except for the hour hand which seems loose now on the shaft. I saw a post from quite a few years back where a repair shop told a client that the metal around the arms had loosened too much and they would not stay stationary. Not sure what was done to resolve the issue does anyone have any suggestions that may work...

Sebastian

[Joe R.]

Re: 1963 Clock Repair Question

Sebastian,

You may be able to take a punch and flatten the mounting plate on the hour hand so it will be tighter on the shaft.

If that doesn't work send it to a clock repair facility.

JR

[Steven B.]

Re: 1963 Clock Repair Question

There are also quite a few replacement hands available from various vendors like Instrument Services that sell replacement hands and other clock parts although I do not know about 63-64 clock hands.

Steve

[Stuart F.]

Re: 1963 Clock Repair Question

What ever you do, don't use super glue.

Stu Fox

[Joe R.]

Re: 1963 Clock Repair Question

What ever you do, don't use super glue.

Stu Fox

Stu,

So you have learned from experience! Super Glue will bond those two shafts together and render the clock mechanism useless. Been there and done that!

JR

[Sebastian S.]

Re: 1963 Clock Repair Question

I don't have the clock in front of me and although I won't be using superglue I can't see how the two shafts would be rendered useless unless of course you used the glue at the top of the hour hand shaft and glued it to the minute hand shaft. The problem I'm having is when the hour hand is put back first on the hour hand shaft the joint between the two is loose thus causing the hour hand to move freely. If you were to drop a dot of adhesive it should work in theory the problem comes if and when you need to open the case up again you will need to separate that hour hand from the shaft somehow. Am I wrong in my theory again I don't have the clock in front of me for reference. Any other thoughts and or suggestions as I'm really happy my clock is working with the exception of the loose hour hand...

SS

[Bob R.]

Re: 1963 Clock Repair Question

I had a similar problem with my 63 clock hands and I sent the clock to D&M Restorations. For $100 they attached the hands and the clock has been fine since. Those clocks are getting very expensive and damaging one trying to fix the hands is better left to someone who knows how, it was worth the $100.

[Gary J.]

Re: 1963 Clock Repair Question

Just send it to Joe Ray and he can take care of it for you. He has done two clocks for me.

[Steven B.]

Re: 1963 Clock Repair Question

D&M indicates on their website that they have replacement hour hands.

http://dandmrestoration.com/newsflash-we-have-63-64-corvette-clock-pointers/

If you dare to try, there are generally different consistencies of cyanoacrylate adhesives. You can find them in most hobby shops where the retailer will usually put their store name on them. On Amazon a retailer that shows up is Bob Smith Industries. The adhesives can be found in thin, a very viscous form that will flow like crazy between any two or more parts that are in contact with each other, gap filling, which is a little more forgiving, and thick which does not have a tendency to flow. It's more of a topical application. I have used the gap filling (not on clock hands) and you can control it. Using a piece of plastic bag, like a sandwich bag, put a few drops of glue on the bag. Then use a toothpick to pick up the glue and apply it. It may take a couple of touches with the toothpick because it will initially fill the grain in the wood. The activator for cyanoacrylates is water vapor. You can cure it fast if you simply breath on it as if you were trying to fog a glass. There is also an uncure available for cyanoacrylates but I believe that the primary ingredient is acetone. It will soften the adhesive so that parts can be separated. It may be difficult to clean surfaces that have had the adhesive on them. I would avoid a general adhesive like Loctite in a bubble/blister pack or crazy glue. Those are usually a thin adhesive and tend to go anywhere there are two parts in close contact. The gap filling does not tend to flow through capillary action.
I would be inclined to try to find an hour hand through D&M that Bob mentioned. If it was a '65-'67 the hands are all over the place. I just got done getting a mechanical for a '67 working. I find the way they work is interesting in that they convert electrical energy into a mechanical winding energy.
Others may have some additional ideas.
Good luck with your project.

Steve

[Sebastian S.]

Re: 1963 Clock Repair Question

Thanks to everyone got the hour hand pinched slightly from behind and all went together very well. Unit is back in the car without clips want to give it a full 24hrs just to make sure all is running very well. Any tricks or things to watch out for when trying to get it the unit back in with the clips?