My first practice piece!

[peggy332014]

I am so excited! Yesterday, I had located a local classifieds page on facebook, and put in an ad to see if anyone had any old clocks or pocket watches they’d didn’t want. I said I’m learning to clean and repair clocks and wouldn’t be able to pay much for them, but to please message me!

Here is what I got!

Peggy, i have a very old Thomas clock that is not working.. i would let you try to fix it and clean it and if you got it actually working i would pay you. if you broke it, no problem. but i would like to be able to keep the clock as it belonged to my mother.. just something for you to practice on if you are interested in it.

I plan on taking lots of pics, and being very careful with it. I think it just needs cleaning.

So, I’m making arrangements to pick up the clock next week! I will let you all know how I do!

[peggy332014]

[attachment=0:13jemi2w]<!– ia0 –>My clock and watch ad on Facebook.Ok, I was wanting to post a pic of my ad, and had to find out how to do it, so here is my facebook ad!

[ewinrow]

Very good and good luck.

[peggy332014]

“Thank you!”

[arutha]

Great idea Peggy, well done
If you run into any problems at all we will be here to help. Just remember that once you have the movement out of the case the first job is to let the mainsprings down.
Paul.

[peggy332014]

Yup! Thank you Arutha!

I just talked to the clock owner, and she said that her sister had the clock for several years, and had left it outside, and it ended up in pieces. I guess the case came apart. When she got it back, her husband tried to put the clock back together. She also said, the movement is okay, she thinks, but all the parts are there. So I’m going to have fun if it’s kind of in a ‘pile’! What a challenge!

I will see if I’m able to restore it some.. we’ll see. I will definitely be asking questions! She’s going to be sending me a pic of the clock and I will post it for y’all to see.

[peggy332014]

Here’s the clock! Looks like my work is cut out for me! WOW! Nothing like going in knee deep! I get the clock tomorrow!

[arutha]

Very nice, whats known as a “Gingerbread” or “Kitchen” clock.

[peggy332014]

Okay!

Here’s the closest match I found on Etsy.com which is called the Seth Thomas Eclipse Wall Clock. I just was trying to find a similar one to compare.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/176017411/seth-thomas-eclipse-wall-clock?ref=sr_gallery_30&ga_search_query=seth+thomas+clock&ga_ex=adwords&ga_gclid=CMjd3oKMob0CFYFhMgodAGUAfw&ga_utm_source=google&ga_utm_medium=sem&ga_utm_geo=US&ga_utm_term=seth+thomas+clock_Exact&ga_utm_campaign=adobe_vintage&ga_utm_ag=electronics-clock&ga_ef_id=Ux4bMgAABTltGlj2%3A20140320121723%3As&ga_page=4&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery

[peggy332014]

Here’s a YouTube video of how it’s suppose to work! Oh fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8PWqUcnRJg&feature=player_detailpage

[willofiam]

Cool clock, I like..nice looking pendulum bob, not bob but bob 🙄 , dont think I have ever seen one like it.. the dial paper looks original too…this era of clock was most likely glued together with hide glue, that would be why it was in parts after being left outside, water will soften the glue. I like the looks of the crackled finish, are you going to leave it or refinish it? If it has not been serviced in a while it will probably need bushings and pivot work, who knows until it comes apart, definitely a good cleaning ect…. like Paul said the first thing is to let down the mainsprings, check them well for rust. I think if you take your time this could turn out really nice, I just finished a total service on a Wm L Gilbert “eagle” that looks very similar and with the alarm system, lots of bad pivot holes, some of the worst I have seen and the poor customer actually paid someone to look at it and his diagnosis was that it was o.k., funny because he said he was a professional and charged them yet did nothing, the clock I am working on now is also a kitchen or gingerbread clock with steel plates, just about every pivot is close breaking as the previous smith punched the holes to tighten them up, I think do that is poor practice and the proof is in the way the pivots have worn, there is no way to check the bearing surface, it is a quick lazy way of fixing a worn pivot hole….so new pivots and bushing for everyone 🙄 Have fun, William

[peggy332014]

Thank you William for your input! She said if I can’t fix it, no problem. I’n not sure if I’ll try and restore the case, just try to clean it carefully without messing up it’s originality. The alarm mechanism looks corroded some.

I’m not sure how to start at it. the alarm has a verge on it, too. Don’t know if I can take the clock mechanism out without disconnecting some the things in the front. I’m going to do a lot of looking at it closely before I start loosening stuff. and take lot’s of pics.

[arutha]

Take pictures and write notes and make little drawings to, just to remind you where that loose washer went. The times I have been left with a single washer that has stuck to something and then come off in the cleaning tank! 🙄
Paul.

[peggy332014]

Good idea! Will do! 💡

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