Clocks: How butchers messed it up and we fixed it up!!

[clockdaddy]

There's been a lot of discussion about the shameful repairs done by tinkerers who "thought" they knew what they were doing and clocksmiths out to make a quick.
It really horrible to see some of the attempted repairs that are botched so bad. Well, let's start posting before and after shots. Show us the crap you get in and tell us what you did to properly repair the clock. Be sure, if you can to give us before and after shots of the project.

There's a lot of good clocksmiths out there and a lot of different techniques, some of which could be greatly helpful to some of use.

Come on now show us your worse and your best!!!

CD

[Jerry Kenney]

Good thread. :thumb:

It might be a learning experience for us. I might have some before and after pics but mostly I just take before pics. I can add these to my Hall of Shame database.

Jerry

[Chris]

Well, not to condone the butchers, but we all make mistakes. I just screwed up yesterday. In trying to adjust the gap between the pallet arms on a French open escapement, I slipped and bent a tooth tip. I straightened it quickly with no damage, but it was ugly!

The worst things I see are punchings and those soldered-on brass bits that people used to push the pivots back into place.

What amazes me more recently, however, is how customers react with surprise at repair estimates. I think up here in New England, the purse strings must be getting tighter!!

[clockdaddy]

we all make mistakes. I just screwed up yesterday. In trying to adjust the gap between the pallet arms on a French open escapement, I slipped and bent a tooth tip. I straightened it quickly with no damage, but it was ugly!

I think up here in New England, the purse strings must be getting tighter!!


Chris,
There's a big difference between a mistake and stupidity. You made a mistake and fixed it, The tinkerers don't bother to attempt to learn anything about what they're doing. They just dive in and make their own rules as they go along. Even the older punchup jobs are not that upsetting to me because that was an accepted repair due to the lack of repair parts. They simply had to make do as best as they could.
It's the individuals that bend, wire up, apply sloppy solder, and calls a cleaning soaking it in Tide and then a bucket of WD 40. (Yes, I personally knew a man like that!!) All these things and many more. They haven't learned anything about Horology and don't want to, but they want to call themselves clockmakers. Bah...Humbug!!!!!!!!

Money is tightening up everywhere. When the cost of what you buy rises more than your income, people get scared, tighten up their spending and deal whenever they can to get something cheaper. We work in a luxury trade. That's one of the first things cut back on...luxuries.

CD

[shutterbug]

But they won't bat an eye at paying several grand to fix up their OTHER ticker :)