Chapter 11: Clock Dials Project Clock: Dial

Transcription

1 Chapter 11: Clock Dials Project Clock: Dial The project clock was received in poor condition with many missing pieces. The dial was among those items missing. Research of the clock, based on the maker, the design and label information revealed that the clock was produced in the late 1840 s or early 1850 s. Further research into dial designs in use on Seth Thomas brass movement clocks of this type indicated that an early type painted zinc dial would have been used. Early type dials are distinguishable from later dials based on two common characteristics. First, earlier dials had a raised ridge pressed into the dial around the circumference of the chapter ring. Second, earlier dials tended to use dots for hour and minute marks instead of straight lines. As would be expected, locating an early style dial was more difficult than locating the more common later style. After several months of checking various sources such as local NAWCC chapter Marts, ebay and several personal sources, a dial of the correct type was located. This section recaps the inspection, documentation and restoration of the dial. Inspection/Documentation: The dial in its as-received condition is a mixed blessing. The floral pattern in the corners is quite nice and, in most cases is in good condition. The dial is of the correct type with the reinforcing ridge around the chapter ring and round hour and minute marks. Unfortunately, the floral in the upper left corner has been damaged.

2 The floral in the lower left corner is undamaged, but significantly worn and faded. As stated, the dial is a mixed blessing. There is a great deal of original material present and in good condition. On the other hand, restoring part of the upper left hand floral and having it match will be challenging. Likewise, redrawing the missing portions of the damaged numerals and having them blend in with the original portions will be similarly challenging. The back side of the dial was inspected but no markings were noted. Two-thirds of the numerals are in worn, but in undamaged condition. The paint which remains on the dial appeared to be sound with little lifted flakes. Most of the remaining paint can be retained. To complete the inspection, measurements of numerals, chapter rings and other basic specifications were taken for future reference. Alternatively, the 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 have all been heavily damaged and partially flaked away. The floral pattern from two of the good corners is carefully copied onto tracing paper.

3 These will be used to create a mask and/or stencil for restoring the damaged floral pattern. The dial is first cleaned with soap and a swab to remove surface dirt and, hopefully, even out the background color. Numerals and floral patterns are avoided. Restoration Goals: In order to stay on track and avoid unnecessary over restoration, specific objectives were set before beginning the process. Restore missing background color. Restore the damaged floral pattern but retain worn florals as received. Restore missing portions of numerals but retain existing numeral fragments. Blend all restoration to match existing material. The bare zinc is carefully cleaned with acetone and a swab to prepare the surface for paint. The dial, once completed, should look worn, but complete. Cleaning: While inspecting the dial, it was noted that the background color was inconsistent across the dial. Some areas were almost white while other areas were a deeper cream color. This could be due to built up dirt or long term exposure of only part of the dial to sunlight. The initial mix of background color is applied to a small area adjacent to the original background to determine match.

4 more glossy than the original, but the color match appears to be good. Close inspection of the old/new paint joint helps to determine which direction the new paint must be shaded to make a perfect match. In this case, the side-by-side comparison indicates that the original paint had a slight reddish tint. A new batch of paint is mixed based on this test. Painting background color where it has flaked from the floral pattern is done very carefully to preserve as much of the original image as possible. The first coat of background paint is applied to all bare areas of the dial. As noted in the main chapter, multiple coats, thinly applied will produce the best results. After applying four thin coats of background paint, the dial was allowed to cure for 24 hours. It was then lightly sanded with #1000 grit sandpaper and water being especially careful around the numerals, floral patterns and chapter ring. As can be seen, several more coats will be required to bring the thickness up to match the original paint. The new paint is notably

5 The bare areas where the numerals are placed are beginning to look more normal. In some areas the paint is thin and will require additional coats. Once enough paint has been applied to fill low spots, it is again carefully sanded to smooth and blend old/new paint intersections. The existing serifs on the numerals are used to center the dial on the turntable then missing serifs are drawn very lightly with a soft pencil. These lines will be used for reference when redrawing the missing numerals bodies. The final, inked serifs will be drawn after the numeral bodies are completed so that their length can be accurately determined. To finish off the background restoration, a small amount of paint is thinned about 20% with paint thinner. A straight-bristled, medium stiff brush is dipped into the paint then brushed on scrap paper until almost dry. It is then brushed across the dial where new and old paints meet. Short, quick strokes are used to lay a very light coat of paint across the new/old joint and blur any visible transition between the two. There is enough of each numeral remaining to provide good guidance for drawing in the missing portions. This technique works very well for eliminating any remaining evidence of the paint repair. As was done on the original dial, the numeral bodies are outlined prior to filling.

6 filled the serifs can be applied using the turntable fixture. To better control the application of ink to the bodies of the numerals, a small brush is used. The damaged floral pattern must now be restored. The brush is dipped into the ink then brushed on scrap paper to remove most of the ink. This is intended to reduce the amount of ink applied to only a thin, somewhat translucent layer which will better match the existing numerals. One of the tracing paper drawings is used to make a copy which is cut to provide a stencil outline for the flower. The 3, 4, 5 and 6 have been filled but any original fragments of the numeral are left untouched. Once the numeral bodies are The paper copy is used to make a quick stencil to use for outlining the damaged flora.

7 using the existing portions of the pattern as a guide. It takes a number of strokes to slowly release color and build up enough paint to match the pattern and intensity of the original floral. A soft pencil is used to very lightly outline the key lines of the image. Only a small amount of touch up was needed to green leaves. Worn leaves were left untouched. Several paint mixtures were tried in an attempt match the reddish/pink tone of the flower. These were tried on small areas of the dial until a satisfactory match was found. Comparing the before and after of the dial, it can be seen that much of the original material has been retained unchanged. This helps to retain the originality of the dial while the repairs make the dial presentable. In order to match the thin, flow of the original floral, was necessary to use a medium stiff brush that has been brushed on scrap paper until almost dry. It was then brushed repeatedly across the floral design

8 As a final step, the dial will be lightly sprayed with a matte finish clear varnish to create a uniform surface sheen and provide long term protection for the paint.