interapid repair

" snipped-for-privacy@aol.com" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

I'm going from memory here and my Interapid is at work but here goes. There are some little screws that hold a cover onto the side of the indicator. I would start there and clean the inside if it's gooked up. Mine had cutting oil inside that started to varnish. If you decide to remove the clock (dial portion), there are small screws on the underside that hold the clock assembly onto the indicator body. Warning: If you take the clock off it is tricky to get it put back on with the right amount of load. The clock spring will unwind as soon as you remove those screws. The whirring sound you hear is either the clock hand spinning or your sanity escaping out of your ears. Actually now that I think of it the indicator will operate like you are describing if the clock has been removed and installed improperly. It has no "spring" or load in one direction, but does in the other. If it feels dead in one direction then the clock spring may have unwound or broke. If it unwound you can remove the clock, then the crystal and CAREFULLY wind it back up, look at the gear on the bottom and make sure you are winding in the right direction. I can't remember what the magic number is, but I want to say it was five times around. If you get the number of winds wrong the clock hand won't be at top dead center and the load on the indicator tip will be one sided. It may take a couple of tries. Next holding the clock hand in place to keep the spring from unwinding, put the clock back on the indicator body. Hold the hand until you can get a couple of screws in which will keep the gear on the clock engaged with the rack which is connected to the tip. When you release the hand it will wind around and the gear rack will end up with the gear sitting in the middle of the rack. That is if the number of winds is right. If the rack doesn't end up centered, look at it's position and try to estimate how many more or fewer turns to take when winding the clock. Once you get it right clean and reinstall the crystal. Taking the clock off of an Interapid is not a job for the heavy handed or the impatient. Clear off the bench and put down a light colored cloth to work on. You will drop those tiny screws. and they are impossible to find.

thanx for the reply dan I dont have to worry about my sanity whirring outta my ears because it left a long time ago. I am concerned about what chemicals the innards may be sensitive to. Im thinking gumout, alcohol or trichlorothane. After cleaning, do you suggest any particular lubricant? thanx jerry

" snipped-for-privacy@aol.com" wrote in news:1114687452.893093.269040 @z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com:

The inside and body are mostly brass, so as long as you don't use anything that will hurt brass you'll be O.K. Depending on what the problem is with the indicator, would dictate what I would do to it. If you take it apart and find that it's clean inside and has just lost it's spring I wouldn't clean it. If it's gummed up with oil that's turned to varnish, I would clean it and use a miniscule amount of Starrett or Mitutoyo gage lube or wipe on a very light synthetic grease where needed. The key here is to not use very much lubricant if any at all. Most oils will turn to varnish over time and get sticky. If you think about it there is not much need for lubrication in the clock works or on the rack and pinion. Be careful with the solvents as they might remove the ink from the clock face. Again if you can avoid cleaning it or just carefully clean the affected area, you'll be better off. In mine I used Safety Kleen on a small cloth and a little brush to clean the inside of the body and the gear rack an pinion. I took the clock off but it was clean and moved freely, so I didn't mess with it. Hindsight being 20/20 I would have left the clock on, cleaned the body and rack and pinion and tried it out. Like I said before getting the clock wound and back on is a little tricky.