1930s Westclox "Ben Franklin" Clock

[LarryInMichigan]

I bought this clock at a flea market a few months ago.  It is a mid 1930s Westclox "Ben Franklin" clock.  The shell is black bakelite.  This is  the only black bakelite clock that I have, though I have several brown bakelite ones.

The clock was dirty when I bought it.  As I usually do, I cleaned and oiled the movement, but when I tried to put back the motor, I found that the rotor post had broken off.  I do not know if I broke it by pulling too much on the motor, but I suspect that it was weak and/or bent when I got it.  The motor is a 1930s Sangamo synchronous AC motor, and they are not easy to replace.  A week or two ago, I found a lot of clock motors, including one Sangamo, on ebay, and I won the auction.  When I got the motor, I inserted it into the movement, and the clock ran backwards.  I discovered that the stator has rings on it which can be placed in two different positions to affect the direction of the motor.  I managed to remove the rings and place them the other way, and the clock now appears to be working, though it is a bit noisy.  




Larry

[gpo706]

Thats a beaut, Larry, I like the brass against the black bakelite, much reminiscent of older phones.

Nice you got it running again.

[LarryInMichigan]

Nice you got it running again.

I thought that I had, but I just discovered that one of the gears slipped off a post, so the second hand stopped moving even though the motor was running.  I had to disassemble the whole thing again.  I have probably spent $400 on this clock, including my time, so far.  It is rather classy though.

Larry

[Dennis Markham]

Very nice clock, Larry.  Congrats on getting the replacement motor.

[TelePlay]

Well, Larry, about 40 years newer and it's the Baby Ben version of the standard Ben Franklin from Westclock.

This in nothing of a "find" or of any value to anyone but me. I was digging in a box in the basement and found it after being tucked away for 43 years. What was funny was it shows the time I got up on the last day I used it, about 4:45 am. I set the hands to 10:10 but left the alarm setting as found. Still works just as fine as it did for the last year I spent in the military, oh so long ago and so far, far away.

[LarryInMichigan]

I had forgotten about this topic.  Black Ben Franklins are not particularly rare.  Since I posted this a few years ago, I bought and restored two more and gave one to my mother and the other to a friend.  They are both appreciated.  I also managed to get a much rarer white one which is part of my collection.  The white one was made a few years later and has a different type of motor and movement.

Larry

[Mr. Bones]

Nice Baby Ben, John!

     Brings back many memories; I used one for the 8 years I was in the military, as well as afterwards. Love that tick-tock all night! I'll have to find me another of that vintage.

Best regards!