I recently began volunteering at a charity thrift store, the ReStore, preparing clocks for sale. The ReStore is an arm of Habitat for Humanity, which builds homes for low-income families, helps restore neighborhoods, etc. The ReStore sells donated items of all kinds (e.g. furniture, construction materials, tools, appliances, household items, etc, but not clothing) with all the profits going towards charitable works. My local store has about 20 employees and 70 volunteers.
Prices are generally low, with many bargains to be had. Over the years I've purchased a handful of clocks, most needing a lot of work but at great prices. My favorite is a hundred-year-old Ithaca Calendar Clock Company longcase clock, which took a long time to refurbish but now graces my dining room (most important, my wife loves it!) (see https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/some-of-the-coolest-clocks-ive-gotten.189583/page-2#post-1551542).
My question concerns how much work to put into clock preparation. Note that I do NOT use the word "repair," as that is not what generally is done. They can only get so much money for old clocks, and it is not cost-effective to put too much time, effort, and money into preparing clocks for sale. Note the previous clock repairer never took apart clock plates, he only worked on parts outside the inner workings of movements. Thus clocks were never properly bushed, cleaned, pegged, etc.
Clocks are typically labeled as "working," "needs repair," or "project clock,' where "project clock" usually means that the clock isn't working and is missing parts. The prices for the latter two categories are very low, it varies for the "working" category (I don't set prices).
I've just started, but so far I've prepared a number of clocks for sale, and I too haven't taken any movements apart. I've blown out dirt and oiled the movements (often only one side of cuckoo clocks due to the time needed to remove/replace the movement). And I have gritted my teeth when I saw dirty or worn pivot holes. I typically get the clocks working, but it pains me to know that some won't work that long due to the need to be taken apart and properly cleaned.
Everything at the ReStore is sold "as is," so purchasers of clocks should not expect to get a professionally repaired and refurbished clock. But my half-efforts still bother me.
Thoughts...?
Prices are generally low, with many bargains to be had. Over the years I've purchased a handful of clocks, most needing a lot of work but at great prices. My favorite is a hundred-year-old Ithaca Calendar Clock Company longcase clock, which took a long time to refurbish but now graces my dining room (most important, my wife loves it!) (see https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/some-of-the-coolest-clocks-ive-gotten.189583/page-2#post-1551542).
My question concerns how much work to put into clock preparation. Note that I do NOT use the word "repair," as that is not what generally is done. They can only get so much money for old clocks, and it is not cost-effective to put too much time, effort, and money into preparing clocks for sale. Note the previous clock repairer never took apart clock plates, he only worked on parts outside the inner workings of movements. Thus clocks were never properly bushed, cleaned, pegged, etc.
Clocks are typically labeled as "working," "needs repair," or "project clock,' where "project clock" usually means that the clock isn't working and is missing parts. The prices for the latter two categories are very low, it varies for the "working" category (I don't set prices).
I've just started, but so far I've prepared a number of clocks for sale, and I too haven't taken any movements apart. I've blown out dirt and oiled the movements (often only one side of cuckoo clocks due to the time needed to remove/replace the movement). And I have gritted my teeth when I saw dirty or worn pivot holes. I typically get the clocks working, but it pains me to know that some won't work that long due to the need to be taken apart and properly cleaned.
Everything at the ReStore is sold "as is," so purchasers of clocks should not expect to get a professionally repaired and refurbished clock. But my half-efforts still bother me.
Thoughts...?
