BU019 Bulle Replacement Column

If you have ever had a Bulle clock which has had leaky batteries then you will probably be familiar with the state of the column shown at the right hand side of the first photo. A gaping hole burnt through by battery acid.

This new replacement column is to the same dimensions and material as the original. Because the tube is so thin it cannot be obtained as standard stock from any supplier so it has had to manufactured by the process known as spinning; a large sheet of flat brass is forced against a former on the lathe.
The column is 165mm high by 55mm diameter and made from 0.5mm brass sheet. The old damaged column will need to be removed from the top plate and frame by heating the soft solder joint. The retaining ring is then slid off and used on the new column. The top plate and frame is then soldered to the new column.

Spinning brass is a fascinating process to watch. Many examples can be found on Youtube.com. A good example can be seen by clicking in the video below the photo.