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01-14-2007, 02:38 PM
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#1
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Williamsport
Posts: 489
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Clock repair
My mind tends to wander down strange and lightly traveled roads. Here's the latest.
My wife inherited two antique clocks from her parents, which to the best of my knowledge have not run in the 25 years we've been together. Anybody here tinker with clock repair as an ER hobby? I'm thinking about taking a whack at it.
I figure since they already don't work that I can't really make things any worse.
__________________
"Iron" Mike - Semper Fi
Jack of all trades; Master of none.
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01-14-2007, 02:55 PM
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#2
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Texas: No Country for Old Men
Posts: 50,021
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Re: Clock repair
Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredbop
Anybody here tinker with clock repair as an ER hobby? I'm thinking about taking a whack at it.
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Uh... Are you sure you have the proper disposition to take this on? I question whether "clock repair" and "whack" are compatible terms.
__________________
Numbers is hard
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01-14-2007, 03:02 PM
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#3
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 4,459
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Re: Clock repair
Probably depends a lot on the clock. A big pendulum clock is going to be easier to work on than a Rolex wristwatch.
I've built a wooden pendulum clock, and the mechanism is very simple.
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01-14-2007, 03:27 PM
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#4
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,677
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Re: Clock repair
If/when you decide that it's too much to handle on your own I know a person that does antique clock repair, PM me.
__________________
Dogs aren't our whole lives, but they make our lives whole. - Roger Caras
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01-14-2007, 05:53 PM
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#5
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Williamsport
Posts: 489
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Re: Clock repair
Quote:
Originally Posted by Outtahere
If/when you decide that it's too much to handle on your own I know a person that does antique clock repair, PM me.
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Noted, thanks for the over.
__________________
"Iron" Mike - Semper Fi
Jack of all trades; Master of none.
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01-14-2007, 09:03 PM
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#6
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 417
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Re: Clock repair
I'd check around on the net or whereever and find out if they're worth any money first. If they don't have much value, then I'd whack away.
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01-15-2007, 09:06 AM
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#7
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Mid Hudson Valley
Posts: 1,781
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Re: Clock repair
Hi RB,
I've tinkered with this on and off for years. We have a GF clock, a mantle clock, an anniversary clock (not worth fixing), a maddening Tweety clock that DW likes, and a zillion quartz wall clocks.
Anywho, when my GF clock died I called the local expert and he asked if the clock was level. I checked it and it was. He suggested that I not wind the clock too tightly and then give the pendulum a swing. I told him that I had given the pendulum about a dozen swings. He said call me back after a hundred swings! After about 50 or so the darn thing worked. Been working ever since.
Don't give up. Dont forget the law of motion... An object at rest tends to stay at rest. If the clock has been still for years, it'll take some coaxing.
__________________
In a panamax down by the river.
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01-15-2007, 09:12 AM
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#8
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Williamsport
Posts: 489
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Re: Clock repair
Thanks BUM. Good advice.
My mother asked "How can you talk about retirement so much?" Can't seem to get her to understand how multi-dimensional this list really is.
__________________
"Iron" Mike - Semper Fi
Jack of all trades; Master of none.
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01-15-2007, 09:28 AM
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#9
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Mid Hudson Valley
Posts: 1,781
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Re: Clock repair
BTW I also bought a watch repair battery replacement kit on ebay for cheap. I've been replacing the batteries on all the watches for some time now. Don't let anyone tell you their jeweler (or whomever) only charges for the battery. An assortment of 4 or 5 dozen watch batts is only a few dollars
My average cost of a replacement is less than 50 cents. Also its interesting to note that a very expensive quartz watch can have the same innards as a cheapo. You're often paying for the brand and a fancy case.
__________________
In a panamax down by the river.
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01-15-2007, 10:37 AM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
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Re: Clock repair
One word: Sproing... :P
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Have Funds, Will Retire
...not doing anything of true substance...
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01-15-2007, 12:14 PM
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#11
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,395
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Re: Clock repair
Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredbop
............My wife inherited two antique clocks from her parents, which to the best of my knowledge have not run in the 25 years we've been together. Anybody here tinker with clock repair as an ER hobby? I'm thinking about taking a whack at it...........
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Really need more info about the clocks. I have brought back a few 1840 - 1890 mantel and shelf clocks from the dead. All were found in the usual failure mode, the springs fully wound and won't run.
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-- Telly, the D-I-Y guy --
Two fools dancing on the hands of time
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01-15-2007, 12:23 PM
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#12
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Williamsport
Posts: 489
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Re: Clock repair
Telly, what's a good source book for trying to ID these things? I'm going to the local library Wednesday to see what I can find.
__________________
"Iron" Mike - Semper Fi
Jack of all trades; Master of none.
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