T4 riveted in place

[estanek70]

I have just finished cleaning a Seth Thomas mantle clock that had T4 riveted to the top plate. I am not sure my nomanclature is correct but I am refering to the top plate is the one without the pilars. THe pivot was inserted into the pivot hole and then the pivot was hammered so it could not be removed without cutting the end off of the pivot. Obviously the arbor would then have to be repivoted. The pivot could not be polished nor the pivot hole bushed. The clock haS Had some work completed on it some years ago. After replacing the main spring and bushing a couple pivot holes, the clock does run and keep good time. I don't understand why the T4 pivot was installed as I discribed. Can anyone help? Thank you.

[pkamargo]

I would use a small file or other tool to eliminate the riveted tip to remove the part from the plate without cutting or breaking the pivot.
Work on the side of the riveted pivot, rotating it, slowly sharpening the tip until you can take it off the plate.

[estanek70]

pk, thank you for the suggestion. Do you have any idea why someone would do this to T4 in the first place? THanks.

[pkamargo]

I have no idea why this was done. But surely this was not a professional service.

I use to say, cleaning and oiling an old clock, maybe repairing some worn parts is not the hardest work. The real trouble is to fix damages caused by people that does not know what they are doing with their hands full of fingers.
As example I received a Junghans mistery swinger for repair... Someone just destroyed the pallets. Arbor missing, broken pendulette, pins of pallet replaced with absurdely thick wire glued there... I had to make a completely new part from zero.