Hello Everyone

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:40 am     Post subject: Hello Everyone

Hello Everyone, I am 17 years old and I always been interested in clocks and the mechanical workings behind them. I currently attend high school and work part time at Target. While I am busy, I really would like to pick up a hobby of sorts and clock repair was one of my first ideas because it is something that has always interested me (as I already noted.) I was wondering if any one would kind of push me in the right direction for starting as it is a very daunting task. While it will be a hobby I would not mind making a few extra dollars to save for college. With that in mind it would help if someone knew a directory where I could find accurate values of clocks and such. I really appreciate it and I hope to be in further contact.

PS. My Father is a very talented stair builder who is great with fine woodworking if that will come in to play with some of the clocks.

Thank You All!!!!!

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:59 pm     Post subject:

Clock repair is actually a trained trade of sorts. I would suggest begining by looking into various schools of hourology (which is basically the school of clock/watch repair). There are also texts and phamplets out there by credible sources which can assist in teaching you aspects of clock repair. Note that repair of antique movements may require you to actually fabricate certain parts for the clock that may need to be replaced (especially if availability of those parts is rare/limited). This is where sound knowledge can really pay off.

Understand that some movements (particularly spring-wound) can be very dangerous to work on if you do not know what you are doing. Also understand that plenty of repair people out there will tell you that it is not something which will come to you overnight. Many have spent years and years of devoted time honing their experience and knowledge for this sort of thing.

Some repairers out there have told me that they began with simple movement service (cleaning and oiling) prior to advancing to repair. Perhaps this would be a good place to start initially...

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 2:44 pm     Post subject:

Go to some flea markets and find a modern time/strike or chime movement or clock. Start by taking it all apart mixing up the pieces and put it back together. Dont get an old movement. they are harder and quirkier.

Thats what I had to do when I was your age. First chime clock was one a friend daughter had thrown against the wall in a fit of rage. After figuring out where all the wheels went there was one with a bent pivot, that I straightened.

Buy a mainspring letdown set to release the mainsprings. Then you can remove the barrels and get to work.

After you get the wheels back in place sucessfully then you can learn the timing for the strike/chime trains.

That should keep you busy for a while.

-Pete

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 3:03 am     Post subject:

Nice! It's a good job, if you can make it. Your father is an artist.

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