Saved £1300

[cdjswiss]

This Sumiswald wall clock was stopping every day at 5 minutes to 11.

 

 

Our local clockmaker suggested a complete overhaul for CHF 2,000.00.

 

Five minutes to 11 o'clock ? ... why? That's just before the cam lever drops into the cam slot for the 11 o'clock chime. Perhaps a dirty cam? No, but a rather dry one.

 

An order to Cousins for some Moebus liquid grease. A smear of grease onto the cam outer edge.

 

Presto!  It has now run without stopping for 18 months.

Edited December 29, 2014 by cdjswiss

[bobm12]

That is a super fix, cdw. It shows you not only know the parts but their principles of operations, i.e. the why's: essential for a good troubleshooting! Beautiful clock by the way!

[Geo]

Lovely clock CDJ and a great result. I find it hard to believe that someone wanted to charge £1300 to service it. If it required a few major components manufactured the possibly, but just for a service????

[cdjswiss]

Lovely clock CDJ and a great result. I find it hard to believe that someone wanted to charge £1300 to service it. If it required a few major components manufactured the possibly, but just for a service????

 

Strip down, clean, re-bushing (the customer is always persuaded of the need) etc. This is an old clock and the offer was not surprising. For repair  to my antique English carriage clock the same clockmaker wouldn't touch it for less than CHF 2,500.00. All it needed was a new platform escapement from Cousins for £85. The clockmaker would have rebuilt the old escapement including cutting a new escape wheel.There are many rich Swiss who would willingly fork out these large sums. Hearing aids are another example CHF 8,000.00 for a pair! I buy from Paul in Keighley and do my own fitting.

[Geo]

You're a man after my own heart CDJ.

Having been brought up on a farm, there was nothing my father wouldn't to repair. I've followed in his footsteps and taken it to a higher level.

[Blacklab]

Strip down, clean, re-bushing (the customer is always persuaded of the need) etc. This is an old clock and the offer was not surprising. For repair  to my antique English carriage clock the same clockmaker wouldn't touch it for less than CHF 2,500.00. All it needed was a new platform escapement from Cousins for £85. The clockmaker would have rebuilt the old escapement including cutting a new escape wheel.There are many rich Swiss who would willingly fork out these large sums. Hearing aids are another example CHF 8,000.00 for a pair! I buy from Paul in Keighley and do my own fitting.

.....and thats why the Swiss are rich, dont get me started on the price of the watches, tools, oils etc. etc.

[clockboy]

Makes you wonder. You can buy a brand new Hermle Westminster chiming 8 Day Clock Movement  for £160.

The lash up,s I have come across beggars belief, epoxy glue, bushes squeezed tighter by the plate being punched, these being just two I encountered recently this year.  

It,s sad really that the general public are being conned and these cowboys just give us genuine caring watch & clock repairs a poor reputation.

Perhaps that,s why these clocks quite literally keep turning up on my doorstep.

Ironically my interest is watches not clocks but a repair is a repair and I always try to do a good job.