Worn Bushing in Movement Endplate
NOTE THE WORN BUSHING AT BOTTOM OF THIS PLATE (SECOND HOLE FROM RIGHT)
The most common wear points in clocks are the bushings. These are the bearing surfaces located in the endplates within which the pivots of the various clock gears (wheels) turn. In most cases, the endplates are made of brass while the shafts (arbors) of the gears are mild steel. This is a reasonable arrangement since it's easier to replace bushings than pivots and/or arbors. As they wear, they either enlarge in diameter or wear from round to oval. If wear is allowed to continue, the operation of the clock will be jeopardized. Many times, clock repair people simply use a punch and hammer to physically close a worn bushing hole. While this will generally work, it is unsatisfactory since this process defaces the endplates as well as thins the metal in the area of the bushings. The only proper method (the method used by Time & Again) is to precisely drill out the old worn bushing and replace it with a commerically available or custom-made insert. A properly replaced bushing will be nearly undetectable.