IBM Master Clock

[Stephan]

I have written about this clock at length in another place but thought I would put a post here in case anyone was interested in these things.
This clock was given to me some 10 years ago and at the time my other half agreed to let my hang it on the wall in our entrance hall. (did I mention I am very spoilt)
This was done but I could tell she was not overly impressed with the industrial look of the thing.
I gave it a good service and got power to it but the first night I spent with it was not good.
These clocks have a solenoid actuated winding mechanism that is triggered every 60 seconds to keep the main spring wound.
So every 60 seconds you get a very loude "KLUNK"
For several days there after I set about making it quieter and although I never got rid of the effect I did manage to lessen it.

The clock ran like that for a number of years untill my current partner came into the picture.
She has very good hearing and the "KLUNK" again became a problem.
A new plan was devised that involved using a timer to shut off the power between 11 pm and 7 am and let the clock run on it's spring.
Then during the day the spring would rewind ready for the next night.
This plan was put into effect and worked for a while until one day the clock stopped.
It appears that the spring did not like this regular use (normally only used to cover power blackouts) and broke.

Now that I had to take it apart I decided to find a proper solution.
A bit of reading showed that an alternative winding system had been used.
One was not available but I found out how it worked and built my own version from a few bits I had in stock.
Mine is not exactly the same but does the job.

While the clock was apart I also decided to make a new dial for it to try and lessen the industrial look.
The end result of this exercise is shown in the pictures.
The only problem I have now is that the black hands tend to be a bit hard to see at times.
I am now on the lookout for a better set of hands.
I think chrome plated ones would work as there are other chrome bits on the clock.
Min hand is 140mm long and hour hand is 100mm long (in case you wanted to know)

Purists should note that all changes I have made are reversable, no new holes have been drilled
and all origional parts have been retained and are fixed to the back of the case.
All the new bits I have made have been marked accordingly.

[Bryan E]

Haha sounds like you need to get one of these - this guy winds every three and a half days. But if the AC is off it will awake me from the next room over! It takes approximately one minute to lift the weights back to the top and will run just short of seven days before the weights hit the bottom. It is definitely one of my favorite clocks.

Regards,
Bryan

[Stephan]

Hello Bryan,
A very elegant piece. Nothing industrial looking about it at all. I can see why you like it. Thanks for sharing.

[Tom Seymour]

Great clocks guys! Stephen, I have never seen one of those before.

Bryan, everyone needs one of those!! ....just a small problem finding and affording them.......

[Fortunat Mueller-Maerki]

There is a nice one of these in the NAWCC Conferenceroom / Boardroom in Columbia up on the 2nd Floor. If you et to Columbia go up there and have a look.

[Bill Kapp]

More than you ever wanted to know about the model 15 IBM master clock can be seen at:

http://williamkapp.tripod.com/id43.htm

I have two of these and one 60 beat model , a few Standard elec master clocks and a few Self winding Clock co master clocks.

happy hunting,

Bill Kapp

[veritas]

I recently bought a master clock. IBM model 35. I really like it and today just got it on the wall and i am now setting the beat.

[Stephan]

Pics please and have you got used to the noise it makes.

[veritas]

Hello Stephan, noise is not a problem, winds a few mins a day, makes hardly any noise. I have pics posted . Just do a search and you should see them Stephan.

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=8463&p=56190&hilit=ibm+35#p56190

[Stephan]

Nice looking clock. Must work different to mine.
Mine winds once each min. Became very annoying after a while.
The pulse that initiated the winding was the same pulse that triggered the rest of the system.
The spring was always fully wound so that any time the power went off you had a full 24 hour backup before it would stop.

[veritas]

Yes Stephan, it would annoy me as well, one time a minute. Mine is every 30 hours but not at the same time though. Keeping very good time, still dont have it quite dialed in yet though.