Restoring an 8-Day Triple Fusee Bracket Clock: A 10-Day Workshop Journey

October 5, 2026

Antique bracket clocks bring together craftsmanship, engineering and history. A triple fusee movement is a particularly intricate example, with separate trains for timekeeping, striking and chiming. Each train is driven by a mainspring and a cone-shaped pulley known as a fusee.

Recently, Keith undertook a major triple fusee bracket clock restoration at Clock Corner. This was far more than a routine service: the 10-day overhaul involved a complete strip-down, replacement mainsprings, precision bushing work and painstaking rebuilding and adjustment.

Work of this complexity requires specialist clockmaking knowledge, practical skill and the patience to understand how every part interacts. At Clock Corner, we bring that expertise to the workshop. Keith’s work on this clock demonstrates what that means in practice, from assessing wear and restoring pivot bearings to coordinating three intricate mechanisms.

Here is a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges involved and the specialist work that brought this timepiece back to life.

Step 1: The Full Strip-Down and Assessment

For this overhaul, Keith completely disassembled the movement. With three interconnected trains, there were numerous wheels, levers and spring barrels to keep track of.

Keith documented the stages of the strip-down. Over time, old oil can collect dust and dirt, contributing to wear in a clock movement. Taking the movement apart allowed him to inspect the components and assess where attention was needed.

Four workshop photographs showing the bracket clock assessment and strip-down

Step 2: Replacing the Mainsprings

The mainsprings supply the energy that drives a fusee clock. With age and use, springs can lose strength or develop damage, so their condition is an important part of an overhaul.

This triple fusee movement has three independent gear trains. As part of the overhaul, Keith replaced all three mainsprings. Removing the old grease and safely fitting the new springs into their barrels required care: mainsprings store considerable energy and must be handled with appropriate tools and experience.

Four workshop photographs showing clock components and mainsprings during restoration

Step 3: Precision Bushing Work

Wear around pivot holes can allow a clock’s wheels to move out of alignment. Correcting that wear helps the wheels turn freely and mesh properly.

Keith carried out bushing work to address the worn pivot holes:

Preparation: Preparing the worn holes to accept new bushings.
Fitting: Fitting appropriately sized brass bushings into the plates.
Finishing: Sizing and finishing the bushings so that the steel pivots could turn freely with suitable clearance.

Step 4: Rebuilding and Adjusting the Movement

Rebuilding a triple fusee clock requires careful coordination between the timekeeping, striking and chiming mechanisms. Each part has to be positioned and adjusted so the movement can work as a whole.

Keith cleaned the individual components, reassembled the movement and applied suitable clock lubricants where required. Small alignment errors can interfere with the striking or chiming sequence, making this a stage that rewards patience rather than speed.

Timing and strike adjustments involved repeated testing and fine-tuning of the warning pieces and selector wheels until the mechanisms worked together correctly.

Four workshop photographs showing the triple fusee movement during rebuilding

The Final Result: Specialist Skill in Practice

After 10 days of careful work and problem-solving, this bracket clock is ticking reliably and chiming beautifully once again. Behind that apparently effortless performance lies a substantial undertaking: diagnosing wear, carrying out precise repairs and bringing the timekeeping, striking and chiming mechanisms back into coordination.

This is the specialist knowledge and hands-on clockmaking skill that Clock Corner brings to complex restoration work. The photographs tell part of the story; the assessment, judgement and patient adjustment behind each stage are just as important.

Completed: October 2026

Talk to Clock Corner About Specialist Clock Restoration

Whether you have an heirloom grandfather clock, a carriage clock or a complex triple fusee movement, Clock Corner offers specialist knowledge and sympathetic restoration. If your clock needs attention, talk to us about the work it may require.

Contact Clock Corner to discuss your clock repair or restoration and ask about a repair estimate.