Product Description

My brother Curtis has become a clock nerd – Johnsonarts Approved. It seems that one of the fundamental tasks in restoring or maintaining a spring-driven clock is the safe removal and re-installation of the spring.

Joe Collins – who is a well regarded force of the National Association for Watch and Clock Collectors – provides us with his solution.

Here is a video of Joe demonstrating how it works.

All I did was tart the thing up.

In essence, what is wanted is a means to grab the spring arbor – the axle driven by the wound spring – and either wind or unwind the spring in a controlled manner.

The grabonski I chose was a 1/4” tap ratchet tap wrench 9” long.

Due to the exciting torsion of a winding and taunt spring, some braking means is necessary. In this case a pair of jaws which can be tightened like those of a vise.

The second fundamental element: a means by which the hole in the end of the spring can be grabbed so that once grabbed onto, the wound-up torsion of the spring can be slowly, gradually, and safely unwound.

A hook can be used, but I chose a screw. This allows for different head sizes for smaller or larger springs.

Thirdly, I’ve included a post that can be slipped into the winding clevis for those springs having same and not a simple hole in the end.

Made of cypress, poplar and oak, with a bit of inlay just for fun.