New clock

[SA1911a1]

I bought two clocks at a flea market a couple of weeks ago. Paid $50.00 for the pair, neither working. This big old thing had been stored in a barn for decades. It was missing a couple of parts and was dirty beyond belief. Several hours of farting around with the movement and I got her to tick. A little more work and it is now keeping very good time. I cleaned up the case with turpentine and then slathered on some Tung oil and it is now looking respectable. The clock was made between the 1880s and 1920s. This one may end up in my dining room.

Make no mistake, I am not a clock mechanic, I have just been lucky. Most of the issues I have been able to fix are fairly obvious. I pull the movements out of the things, give them some quality time with the ultrasonic cleaner and oil them with a mixture of half and half 20 weight full synthetic and Break Free. That fixes about 80% of the problems. I have three cases that the movements have defeated me after hours and hours of work. In the hands of a clockmaker, they could all be made to run, but the cost is excessive. I get a lot of enjoyment out of messing with the old things but I haven't figured out what to do with them once they are running.

I had to let the ones I have already fixed run down because the tick tocking and binging and bonging was about to drive my wife nutts.

I will show you the gingerbread clock I bought with this one if I can make the *^^#@$%^&^Y movement work. I am close, but so far, no cigar.

I have learned a couple of things in the past few months since I got my first one. (1) I would have been better off it I had not made the first one run and given up on the idea. (2) Hobby clock makers are every bit or more nutty than gun collectors.

[Junk Yard Dog]

WHo made it? Ansonia? Nice clock, I sold three like it on eBay several years back that came out of an old factory . None had worked in at least 80 years, and the cheapest sold for over 300. Clocks that size were common in industrial settings and general stores, schools, hospitals. Horologist is the word you are looking for, not clock doctor. I have several clocks I could tempt you with, no large ones, I was more of a pocket watch collector, I have 50-75 pocket watches made before 1920, most before 1900, maybe a few more, I lose track.

[SA1911a1]

That one has a Gilbert, time only, movement. No way of knowing if the movement and clock body have always been together. The Gilbert movements are tough, I have better luck with them than the others. The gingerbread also has a Gilbert movement, so I am hopeful.

I thought a horologist was a patron of loose women. Learn something new ever day!

[steelbuttplate]

That one has a Gilbert, time only, movement. No way of knowing if the movement and clock body have always been together. The Gilbert movements are tough, I have better luck with them than the others. The gingerbread also has a Gilbert movement, so I am hopeful.

I thought a horologist was a patron of loose women. Learn something new ever day!

That's "whorologist" Steve . I lost my license due to a phallicy charge.

[SA1911a1]

That one has a Gilbert, time only, movement. No way of knowing if the movement and clock body have always been together. The Gilbert movements are tough, I have better luck with them than the others. The gingerbread also has a Gilbert movement, so I am hopeful.

I thought a horologist was a patron of loose women. Learn something new ever day!

That's "whorologist" Steve . I lost my license due to a phallicy charge.

Well, I guess the next thing you will tell me is that this song is not sung by a pimp about prostitutes: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ut ... &FORM=VIRE

[ksbanker]

That is a beautiful clock! It is always rewarding to take something that has been neglected and isn't working and return it to function.

[awalker1829]

I really need to get my 1849 Seth Thomas cleaned and oiled. I do not know the exact year that it was manufactured-probably 1847 or 1848 as it was given as a wedding gift in 1849 and has been in the family ever since. Right now it's in a closet on a shelf. Still has most of the paper that was pasted on the back inside of the case when the clock left the factory.

[SA1911a1]

That is a beautiful clock! It is always rewarding to take something that has been neglected and isn't working and return it to function.

Thanks, I get a big kick out of fixing things.

[SA1911a1]

I really need to get my 1849 Seth Thomas cleaned and oiled. I do not know the exact year that it was manufactured-probably 1847 or 1848 as it was given as a wedding gift in 1849 and has been in the family ever since. Right now it's in a closet on a shelf. Still has most of the paper that was pasted on the back inside of the case when the clock left the factory.

There are a lot of places that fix the old movements. They can go through the movement and make it like new again. I believe the prices run around $150.00 if the clock isn't in too bad a shape. You might want to try what I do, just pull the movement, run it through an ultrasonic cleaner, (or use carb cleaner) lightly oil the pivots and see what happens. The most common problem seems to be the thing is just gunked up with a hundred years of dried up oil and dust.

[steelbuttplate]

That one has a Gilbert, time only, movement. No way of knowing if the movement and clock body have always been together. The Gilbert movements are tough, I have better luck with them than the others. The gingerbread also has a Gilbert movement, so I am hopeful.

I thought a horologist was a patron of loose women. Learn something new ever day!

That's "whorologist" Steve . I lost my license due to a phallicy charge.

Well, I guess the next thing you will tell me is that this song is not sung by a pimp about prostitutes: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ut ... &FORM=VIRE

WAR (uh huh oo) what is it good fo absolutely nothing (uh uh get down). Right Steve, it is about Pimps. NOT. Your thinking about Gladys Knight and the PIPS, not pimps. You done got too hot out there and it a hundred an fo in the shade.

[SA1911a1]

That one has a Gilbert, time only, movement. No way of knowing if the movement and clock body have always been together. The Gilbert movements are tough, I have better luck with them than the others. The gingerbread also has a Gilbert movement, so I am hopeful.

I thought a horologist was a patron of loose women. Learn something new ever day!

That's "whorologist" Steve . I lost my license due to a phallicy charge.

Well, I guess the next thing you will tell me is that this song is not sung by a pimp about prostitutes: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ut ... &FORM=VIRE

WAR (uh huh oo) what is it good fo absolutely nothing (uh uh get down). Right Steve, it is about Pimps. NOT. Your thinking about Gladys Knight and the PIPS, not pimps. You done got too hot out there and it a hundred an fo in the shade.

What do you mean "war", is he not saying "whore?" That is how I always heard it, and look, he is dressed like a pimp.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I really need to get my 1849 Seth Thomas cleaned and oiled. I do not know the exact year that it was manufactured-probably 1847 or 1848 as it was given as a wedding gift in 1849 and has been in the family ever since. Right now it's in a closet on a shelf. Still has most of the paper that was pasted on the back inside of the case when the clock left the factory.

There are a lot of places that fix the old movements. They can go through the movement and make it like new again. I believe the prices run around $150.00 if the clock isn't in too bad a shape. You might want to try what I do, just pull the movement, run it through an ultrasonic cleaner, (or use carb cleaner) lightly oil the pivots and see what happens. The most common problem seems to be the thing is just gunked up with a hundred years of dried up oil and dust.

Oh yea, I have seen old oil entirely lock up a phonograph spring motor, and that spring is 50-100 times the size and strength of a clock spring. I just had to spend most of a day loosening the action on a Marlin 336. I thought massive rust, there was no rust at all, just old lube that had dried like shellac and locked the action tight after 40+ years of sitting in a safe.

[Junk Yard Dog]

That one has a Gilbert, time only, movement. No way of knowing if the movement and clock body have always been together. The Gilbert movements are tough, I have better luck with them than the others. The gingerbread also has a Gilbert movement, so I am hopeful.

I thought a horologist was a patron of loose women. Learn something new ever day!

That's "whorologist" Steve . I lost my license due to a phallicy charge.

Well, I guess the next thing you will tell me is that this song is not sung by a pimp about prostitutes: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ut ... &FORM=VIRE

WAR (uh huh oo) what is it good fo absolutely nothing (uh uh get down). Right Steve, it is about Pimps. NOT. Your thinking about Gladys Knight and the PIPS, not pimps. You done got too hot out there and it a hundred an fo in the shade.

The lyrics of that song aren't hard to understand, but then I have heard them probably a thousand times over the years.

This on eon the other hand is more of a challenge.

https://youtu.be/UIVe-rZBcm4

[steelbuttplate]

So the guys are writing the song, one comes with the first line "in the garden of eden" . But he's so stoned what comes out his mouth is inna Gadda da vida baby. True or false.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Very true, and pretty much situation normal for most of these type groups then and now. Some of them are more functional addicts, to hear people say " oh, he died so young, what could have happened?" Gee....I don't know, let me give it a think.

[SA1911a1]

And yet, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are still performing. By all standards they should not have made it out of the 70s. Those are two tough old buzzards.

[steelbuttplate]

And yet, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are still performing. By all standards they should not have made it out of the 70s. Those are two tough old buzzards.

Jump and dance as hard as you can for 2 hrs., 4 times a week. Mick is in shape! I think Keith is just too stoned to die.