Platform Escapement Course at Upton Hall Part 1

As part of the George Daniels Education Trust, students on our course were offered a place on 'Service and Repair of Platform Escapements' with Paul Shrouder FBHI (http://bhi.co.uk/courses). Me and one other student, Stuart Andrews, attended the first weekend at Upton Hall, the home of the BHI.

As the course is spread over two weekends, we are offered free accommodation with lunch and breakfast. The bedrooms were very comfortable and it was pretty exciting to be staying in Upton Hall however the main museum was shut off to us so we did not sleep to the sound of many ticking and chiming clocks. My room overlooked this huge bell situated in the garden which strikes the hour. I was relieved to learn that it stopped ringing after 10pm although had to wait to find out myself what time it started again! ( It was 8 o'clock in the morning...)

 There were six people in total attending the course and we all got a tool kit provided as well as lots of workshop equipment available for us to use at any time e.g. cleaning machines, microscope and lathes.

We were all given a platform with all the components for which we took apart, assessed for repairs and cleaned. We were also given a couple more platforms without components so that we could practice with the jewelling tool. Our class has already been given a demonstration of this tool by our Artist in Residence, Peter Naylor, however it was really good to have a proper go with it especially before having to set the jewels in my balance cock and plate project. We also got the chance to use practice with rubbed jewels which I had never had a chance to try.

We were given information on different jewels available and how to order them if they were needed; we were also shown how to make them to size with laser rod. 

Impulse roller removing tools

We were shown how to remove the balance spring collet from the balance staff as well as the impulse roller using the Bradux tool (bottom tool) and a Kay's Pattern roller remover (I may have written/heard this wrong so please correct me if it's not right).

Re-pivoting practice.

There was lots of time for practice and the pace was easy going so I managed to replace a pallet stone jewel in the end and re-pivot some blue steel after spending quite a while trying to 'catch the centre'

Some of the loot unearthed in an antique shop

Our tutor Paul showed us some amazing treasure that he had got along with an old watch maker's cabinet in an antique shop. Lots of domed jewels, pallet stones, Liverpool windows and my favourite, blue jewels and blue steel settings with diamonds for jewels. There were many other things too and the find has inspired me to go into more antique shops!

Our tutor Paul Shrouder demonstrating the jacot tool

The jacot tool and its bow

One tool, I really enjoyed using was the Jacot tool. We have one at BCU that attaches to the lathe but this one uses a bow and is more used for smaller things. We practiced burnishing pivots on escape wheels

Stuart using his jacot tool to burnish an escapement pivot

I would like to say a massive thank you to our tutor Paul whose advice and information was very much based on experience rather than theory. Very friendly, easy to get along with and a great teacher. I look forward to next week.