Introduction

[bernie weishapl]

Thought I would introduce myself. My name is Bernie and 67 yrs old. I have been doing clocks since 1981 and pocket watch restoration since about 1990. I took Bob’s watch course back then when it was on VHS tapes. Decided to run thru the watch, clock and lathe courses again as I always learn something new every time I do. I work on all clocks from 400 day, cuckcoo clocks, antique clocks as well as modern mechanical. Mostly I work on my own pocket watch collection and those that I buy at flea markets and garage sales that I fix, clean and then I will sell them. If a customer brings one in with their clocks I will do them but don’t advertise it anymore. I also do woodworking which I have for several years. I can turn replacement/broken columns or finials. I have scaled back my service call area from 125 radius to to 75 mile radius. I am thinking of cutting that down some more in a few years. We live in a very rural agricultural area. Will be going thru and reading a lot of the post on the different topic forums and hopefully learn something.

[randy]

Welcome to the group Bernie.
You’ll find us to be a kind bunch of watchbreakers that enjoy sharing our experiences/tricks of the trade/ tips on attire/ etc.etc.

Best,

Randy

[mahlon]

Hey Bernie, glad to have you here. I am just getting started in clock repair. Where do you call home. I am in central Okla. Mahlon

[willofiam]

Howdy Bernie, great to have you, welcome. I too have been working on all types of clocks, I guess that my goal has been to be able to fix anything that would come thru the door, why are you reducing your service area if you dont mind me asking. Has clock and watch repair been your full time employment? I hope you stick with us knuckleheads, great people on the forum as you will find out in your searching the posts, much knowledge on many different subjects. Whatever you do, have fun doin it, William

[bernie weishapl]

Thanks for the kind welcome. Mahlon I am up in the Northwest corner of Kansas on I-70 just 18 miles east of the Colorado border. Have lived there for 40 yrs and was born and raised 60 miles from there. William this has been a part time job for me since 1981. I am cutting down my service call area because people are just not willing to pay the mileage and service call fee. Generally I try to get 3 or 4 calls in a area but it seems since the economy went in the tank I only get 1 call here or there. A lot of them expect me to drive there for 10 to 15 cents a mile and at $3 a gallon I charge $1 a mile round trip. So if I go out 90 miles that is $180 plus $75 call. So they have $255 in the clock before we even get to the repair part. Then add another $250 to $450 for a overhaul 90% will balk. I can make more money at the bench than I can doing one call out there at 90 to 100 miles away. Anyway now that I am retired we like to visit the grandkids more often than we did when I was working.

[chris mabbott]

Welcome to the forum Bernie, I’ll be looking forward to seeing some of your pocket watch collection and tapping into your many years of experience which will be another valuable asset to us… not so seasoned newbies

Do you collect American PWs only or all types?

Chris

[Author]

Posts