MTFCA Forum

Hello all, good to be back.

I was recently gifted this beautiful Stewart & Clark Mfg 1908-1914 "Chelsea" brass dash clock. I want to untwist it from the rear dash mount so that I can wind it and fix it if it is broken. It has so far resisted my efforts. It should unscrew from both the front bezel and the rear mount. The front bezel comes off easily, the rear mount does not. I tried WD-30 on the rear mount clock thread, waited 12 hours, tried it, WD-30 again. Over my wife's objections I commandeered her leather belt, wrapped it on the rear mount and used a strap wrench on the clock but it did not turn. My channel lock pliers with a cloth to protect the piece are not big enough to get around this. I don't want to damage the brass case or the clock. What else can I try?

I had a clock like yours many years ago it had 3 screws in from the bottom ,first I had to remove the dash mounting plate and then a false bottom under that was 3 screws.

3 screws mount the clock to the base the other 3 mount the clock works to the case . In the bottom of the case is a gear part of the rim wind Can you post a pic of the bottom of your clock

Do not use WD 40 to loosen stuck screws. Use Aero Croil. That is what it was made for.

I put it in a plastic bag in the freezer for 30 minutes then took it out and put a heat gun on the rear mount threaded junction then tried the strap wrench and belt but it won't turn still.

Is it possible the case bottom is reverse thread to counteract the rim winding force?

I tried actual penetrating oil, and counter rotating but nothing so far. I am bumping it with a rubber hammer. A problem is that my strap wrench and belt slip. I am going to continue to try it once or twice a day until hopefully it moves.

The big belt is still slipping. Maybe I should get another strap wrench...

The rear mount back has nearly nothing on it. There isn't anything worth mentioning looking into the drilled hole in the back just more case.  The silvery substance at the joint is almost certainly brass polish residue. It is less now since I have been spraying penetrating oil. It was obvious that it was brass polish residue when I received it. The rear mount has to unscrew off in order to access the winding key to be able to wind it. It is supposed to be an 8 day clock... 

Ignacio, I would follow the instructions the member gave that said he had one like, or similar, to yours and try to find three screws to loosen. I have never had one of that brand clock, but did have a couple of others. One was a large Elgin. It didn't run so I took it to Dostal's Jewelers in downtown Rosenburg. The jeweler, there was willing to work on an antique clock and upon disassembly, found that the main spring was broken. Parts for it not being made anymore, he knew the name of an individual or company in Tennessee that he could order the replacement main spring. He repaired and lubricated the clock and it is still "ticking".

Colin, It came off the base after I purchased new strap wrenches. The rubber was too hard on my 30 year old strap wrench. Ironically nothing but friction was holding the clock on. Someone in its past damaged the base by drilling a hole in the mount and apparently trying to punch it out. The penetrating oil was apparently working as it got through. The threaded edge on the rear mount was a head-fake. It is probably a missing bezel that screwed on. My expectation was that there would be a winding mechanism on the back but there isn't one. There is a mysterious lever under the top bezel of unknown function. If I rock it back and forth it ticks for a little while then stop. Did they have self-winding in that time? I am not sure how this dude works.

Rim wind and shake to start?

What or how is "Rim wind"?

Now you have it, three screws on the back allow the mechanism to be removed from the case. The two extra holes with the shadows around them indicate where two mounting studs once were. These were probably removed to fit your clock into that tubular brass mounting. Mine has a U shaped bracket attached to the two studs,{missing on yours} that allows the clock to be fitted into a metal dash board.
Mine is rim wind. The bezel on the front is knurled around the perimeter. This is there so that you have a grip on the bezel that allows it to be rotated. This is the rim wind function. There is no Key.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Here is my Rim Wind Seth Thomas - quite similar to others. In the second picture you can see the knurling Allan speaks of. Mine takes about 4 half-turns to wind. To set the time, you pull that same bezel outward and turn to set. Then, slide it back in and be sure it engages to run.

Ignacio: In looking at the 4th picture in your original post, it looks like there IS some knurling on your clock's bezel.

Thank you! I rim wound it clockwise until it wouldn't turn anymore. It runs for about 45 seconds and stops unless I gently shake it then it runs again and stops again. Sometimes it doesn't run at all when I shake it. Does the rim actually turn when it is running getting ready to be wound again?

I do not think the rim turns as the clock is running, although, I am NO clock expert. Keeping that in mind, it sounds to me like your clock is functional and needs a good cleaning and oiling. Some say go to a clock repairman and others say a watch repairman. I see it falling somewhere in the middle. Sorry to not be of much help here, but a reputable repair person should tell you if a repair is beyond their scope and be able to recommend someone who can do the job.

I bought a beautiful stem wind Waltham clock in Pratt, Kansas many years ago while on a national T tour. It ran when the dealer wound it, but had stopped by the time I went to pay for it. Wound again, stopped again, price reduced, bought it anyway.
We have a watchmaker in our old car club and he took a look at it. He replaced the mainspring, from his stock!. and it works a treat. My only regret is that my heaaing has deteriorated to the extent that I cannot hear its exquisite workings any more.

Allan from down under.

How you have the same clock as I pictured. The 3 screws on the bottom will allow you to remove the clock from the case, I took my clock apart cleaned all the parts and reassembled it and used clock oil. Your other option is Use brake clean we have this in Canada Its a cleaner that will evaporate,It is in a spray it will flush the dirt out , then use a clock oil on all the shafts just a drop each . The lever you see is to speed up or slow down the speed of the clock to get an accurate clock you need to get the clock running to see how accurate the clock is. When you reassemble the clock into the case ,screw the rim on and keep turning this will wind the main spring the clock should run on its own no shaking and my clock has how ran for 4 years and will run 7 days on one wind. Good luck Cheers Colin

One of the forum members open his clock and just used clock oil on the shafts and his clock run and is still running last I herd.

The angle mount is the same as the Stewart speedometer both of my clocks are 1910 your looks like 1908 the rim wind works with an outer cup and the inner cup with the thread

Thanks, I cleaned it and added clock oil. No change, it runs for a little while then stops. Off to a 'real' clock repair shop...

I wonder if I can somehow find a brass trim ring that fits this base? It is threaded but probably the trim ring is long gone.