Telechron Clock Disassembly Help

[rp2813]

Hey all,

I thought I should start a new thread since this is about pulling a clock apart.

Yesterday I picked up a Telechron "Pharaoh" clock for $6 at a thrift shop.  The cord has been clipped flush with the case, so there's no way to test it.  I suspect it will need a new rotor, but I have a spare I can try in it, if I can just get at the mechanism.

In order to extract the mechanism from the case and install a new cord, besides the two screws on the back that must be removed, there is also the flat round knurled knob on the end of the rod that adjusts the hands that needs to be unscrewed.   The hole on the back of the case where the rod juts through is too small for the knob to fit through it, so it has to come off.

But it won't come off.  I've tried with two pairs of pliers and have tried in both directions, in case it might have a reverse thread.  No luck, and I don't want to cause any more damage to this component than I already have. 

Does anyone have any experience with this or have suggestions?  Maybe a hair dryer just like for E1 handset problems?

I've attached a picture of the clock.  It's from the web, but my clock is identical and in very good condition.  It just lacks a cord, unlike the one pictured. 

[rp2813]

Here's a picture that shows front and back.  I can tell that my clock's cord was cloth-sheathed like the one shown.

Also I have found that my clock is a pre-war model.  The post-war Pharaohs didn't have the trim decals on each side, and the brass dial bezel was different.

In this picture you can kind of tell that the knob is too big to fit through the hole on the back.

[HarrySmith]

I do not know theses clocks and the picture is not very clear when you zoom in but it appears the knob may come off the shaft. Maybe a small set screw in it?

[MDK]

My Telechron had the knob threaded onto the shaft.

[LarryInMichigan]

Ralph,

Congratulations on getting a great deal on a beautiful clock.  I really like Telechron clocks.  A Telechron clock in good working condition will keep perfect time as long as the electric utility provider keeps supplying 60 Hz power.

The knob is most probably reverse-threaded, and it is likely stuck onto the shaft really well after 80 years or so.  With enough effort though, it should unscrew.  Some thread-loosening product might help.

If the clock had a cloth cord, it is no later than mid 1930s.  From what I have seen, the switch to rubber cords happened sometime in the mid 30s.

The clock probably has a "B" rotor, and those are quite expensive to replace.  A restored "B" rotor sells for around $90.  The rotors I have seen look to be nearly indestructible, so it probably won't need replacement, but it might need some oiling.  There are various schools on how to do that.  Once you have the movement open, you will probably want to clean and oil it.  The old oil becomes sticky and dirty, and the gears will probably not turn as freely as they should.

All of this is probably too much trouble, so you can just send the clock to me and save yourself the effort


Larry

[bingster]

The Pharoah (4F61) was in production from 1934 to 1942, when civilian clock production was halted. The clock should have a common "H" rotor, which was used in most small Telechrons from the 1930s into the 1960s.  The "B" rotor was a very early rotor, and by the 1930s was only used in large clocks and striking clocks.

The knob is reverse-threaded on the shaft, and I've removed some stubborn ones by gripping the shaft with needle-nosed pliers, and turning the knob with another pair.  You could also try touching a soldering iron to the knob to heat it enough to hopefully expand it and break the "seal."  Some of them can be incredibly stubborn, though.

[Bill]

Just a thought - I am by no means knowledgable. Somewhere deep in memory is a clock where I had the same problem. It turned out that the knob was permanently swaged onto the shaft, and was not expected to come off. Instead, the other end of the shaft was threaded, and somehow, turning the knob hard unscrewed the other end of the shaft from a threaded hole somewhere inside the clock body.

My memory goes no further. I do not recall specifically how I immobilized the innards of the clock, so that turning the knob unscrewed the shaft. Seems to me I simply grabbed the knob and gave it a short sharp turn, which popped it loose. Or perhaps the knob was expected to turn in only one direction, and turning it backward accomplished the job. Or perhaps the glass was removed and the hands were manually held in place. Before trying this - and do it carefully! - I would specifically do all the things suggested by Bingster.

Bingster, are you a member of NAWCC? Good people.

Bill

[LarryInMichigan]

I just got one of these (Telechron 4f61 - "Pharaoh") clocks.  I paid $12.50 plus $4.50 for shipping, and the seller shipped it Priority mail for $13.60 (not much profit there).  The wood is in pretty good shape.  It was listed as non-working, but I managed to clean out the rotor and unjam it, so I should soon have yet another beautiful working 1930s clock.

Larry