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Who Likes Old Clocks!!!

Started by Doug Rose, September 05, 2011, 02:20:20 PM

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LarryInMichigan

#30
The bulb is powered by a separate winding on the clock's coil.  I measured the output at around 2.9V (I think).  I bought a bulb which is supposedly rated for 3.47V (if it was in the correct bin) at a hardware store.  The bulb base is much longer than the socket so it sticks out quite a bit.  It does not feel hot.  The piece which holds the bulb socket is stamped "Use GE No. 41 Mazda".  I do not know what the ratings were for a GE no 41 bulb.

The dial below the time display displays seconds.  It turns continuously and is numbered from 5 to 60.  It had alot of sticky black oil on it, and unfortunately, in the process of trying to clean off the oil, I managed to rub off some of the "50" and "55" and second markings in that area.

For the looks of the mechanical parts, I would guess that this clock has seen many years of operation.  The shaft of the rotor was originally threaded to screw into a gear, but the threading had been scraped off by pliers, so it is now super glued to the gear (Don't tell anyone).

The top piece of the clock is a lid which flips open to allow the time to be set.  There are a couple of dark spots on the lid and one corner is warped upward a bit as can be seen in the upper left of the first picture.  I expect to be able to bleach out the spots with hair peroxide when I have time and either sunshine or a UV light.


Larry

jsowers

Quote from: LarryInMichigan on December 20, 2011, 01:38:55 PM
For the looks of the mechanical parts, I would guess that this clock has seen many years of operation.  The shaft of the rotor was originally threaded to screw into a gear, but the threading had been scraped off by pliers, so it is now super glued to the gear (Don't tell anyone).

Larry, I need to get you to fix the Telechron timer clock in my mom's 1953 GE stove. It hasn't worked since before I was born. I don't think Super Glue was even on the market when I took that clock out and looked at the problem. A large gear that's joined to a smaller gear just slips, or that was my diagnosis about 25 years ago. The separate 60-minute timer in that stove still works. I had to replace the rotor in it 25 years ago and clean the contacts. I think by now mom is used to the clock not working, so never mind.  :) I would be kind of afraid to set a 59-year-old stove to time bake.

Here is a link to what a #41 lamp is. You were close on the voltage and using a slightly higher voltage lamp may actually make it burn a little cooler, which would be preferable.

http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page/001/PROD/MiniAll/41
Jonathan

LarryInMichigan

Jonathan,

Send the clock over and I will take a look at it.  Telechron clocks were really made well and are usually repairable.

I didn't realize that the light bulb numbers were standard and not a 75 year old GE thing.  The bulb I bought has "40 China" on it.  The next time that I order radio parts, I will have to add a few #41 bulbs to the order.

BTW, I do have an ivory Plaskon 1946 "Frog-Eye" Setchell-Carlson radio in excellent condition.  It was quite cheap (about $23 plus shipping).


Larry

Dan

#33
Beautiful clock, that telechron ivory "digital readout".I love telechrons.

 I bought this one at an antique store for $16 and found out it is worth about $700. It is a telechron electrolarm 700 skyscraper  in the rare plasticon green color. All working, including light and bell. It is the FIRST electric alarm clock ever made, from 1927.

"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

LarryInMichigan

Nice clock, Dan!

The seller at the flea market who sold me the 8B05 also had a green Electrolarm, and I regret not buying it.  The plastic was in pretty good shape, but it was missing the glass and much of the trim.  He had it marked $95 or something like that but probably would have sold it for less.

BTW, there was a brief period of sunshine this morning, and I managed to bleach out most of the dark splotches on the top with hair peroxide and sunlight by the window.

Larry

Dan

#35
Thanks.I restored the trim myself and novus 2 works well on these too!

They only made brown (common about 15,000) and 2500 white and green combined, and I hear only 500 or so green exist. I wish you would have bought it. It is the rarest of the telechron skyscrapers
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Dan

#36
Here's a Hammond self starter that the antique dealer thought was broke and sold "as is" because when you plug it in  it doesn't work (you have to spin start the electric motor in the back for it to turn on) . Cool clock, it takes about two hours from 1150-150 for the day and date to turn over to the next day. Very art deco and very cool and a little understated next to the electrolarm but it runs perfectly quietly. Haven't had time to "novus 2 " this one yet. This dates to 1930. love it, these guys go for around $150-300.

"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Dan

One last one, another telechron electrolarm, in the more common brown (I need a white to complete the set). I love deco. Paid more for this one, but I couldn't resist.

"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

Kenny C

I love your clocks Dan.

I have a GE debutante and it sounds like a coffee grinder. It keeps time perfectly but is a little loud for a nightstand. Any tips on quieting it down?
In memory of
  Marie B.
1926-2010

bingster

If it's a Telechron-type GE (with the little window/red flag at the top), the noise is the rotor.  When they make noise like that, the rotor has to be replaced with a quiet one, or it has to be cut open, cleaned, oiled, and re-sealed.
= DARRIN =



Dan

Correct advice for Kenny sir! I have been lucky in that I haven't had to service any of mine yet. I try to find an outlet to test them first.
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright

LarryInMichigan

QuoteThey only made brown (common about 15,000) and 2500 white and green combined, and I hear only 500 or so green exist. I wish you would have bought it. It is the rarest of the telechron skyscrapers

If I had known that, I certainly would have bought it.  Oh well :(

I do have a black Hammond "skyscraper" which I bought last summer at an antiques shop in Chicago for $22 (plus the 10.75% sales tax!).  The bakelite has some damage, and I managed to ruin the face a bit while trying to clean off dirt and grease.

I have had success with some Telechron H type rotors adding oil by dropping a bit at a time into the area around the shaft.  Each application of oil takes a few hours to sink into the rotor.  After the oil has been added, the rotor needs to be left in various positions, and/or shaken, to allow the oil to distribute.

Larry

bingster

Quote from: Dan on December 23, 2011, 08:08:05 AM
Correct advice for Kenny sir! I have been lucky in that I haven't had to service any of mine yet. I try to find an outlet to test them first.

I've never been brave enough to do it, myself.  When I run into a noisy rotor, I buy junk Telechrons until I find one with a quiet rotor that I can use as a replacement. ;D
= DARRIN =



Bill

In the collector world of old radios, old clock radios sometimes show up with the "won't run" or "noisy" problems mentioned above. The first solution in that community is to turn the radio upside down and let the clock run for a week. Surprisingly often, this will redistribute the lube that has settled in the bottom of the case. No further steps necessary.

If that doesn't work, the next solution is to drill a very small hole in the back of the metal case, trying not to let the chips drop inside (though if a chip does get inside, it will settle to the bottom). Then use a hypodermic to put a small amount of clock oil through the hole, and close up the hole. The old radio guys usually solder it shut, but if you don't solder, a small careful smear of epoxy should do as well.

Maybe these thoughts will help?

Bill

Dan

Looks like my green skyscraper may be a little better than I thought...... Mine is better than this one!

http://tinyurl.com/6uo4jmf
"Imagine how weird telephones would look if our ears weren't so close to our mouths." - Steven Wright