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oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

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Hello and welcome from me. So how long have you been an apprentice and what stages are you at with watches and how far have you got with clocks. I'm asking this as many years ago that's what I did and eventually ended up restoring the better antique clacks.   

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ChrisWheeler Member

ChrisWheeler

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59 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

Hello and welcome from me. So how long have you been an apprentice and what stages are you at with watches and how far have you got with clocks. I'm asking this as many years ago that's what I did and eventually ended up restoring the better antique clacks.   

I've been an apprentice for almost two years. I'm technically doing a clock pathway course, with my dad teaching me being a clockmaker himself. I'm on striking clocks at the moment. Watches I'm a bit more self taught! Only really working on manual wind watches at the moment, doing an automatic watch course in a few months! I'd definitely like to be working on the high end antiques but I'll work through the rest first ;)

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oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

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Striking clocks I expect you started on something like a smiths mantle 8 day strike. Are you up to french strikes and carriage clock strikes. I went from that sort on to chiming clocks, you wait until you get to grandfather clocks. So if your dad is teaching you I expect you are using all of his tools including his lathe. I did a 5 year apprenticeship then 2 years as an improver. 

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ChrisWheeler Member

ChrisWheeler

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On 06/05/2016 at 5:41 PM, oldhippy said:

Striking clocks I expect you started on something like a smiths mantle 8 day strike. Are you up to french strikes and carriage clock strikes. I went from that sort on to chiming clocks, you wait until you get to grandfather clocks. So if your dad is teaching you I expect you are using all of his tools including his lathe. I did a 5 year apprenticeship then 2 years as an improver. 

Spot on! I'm due to start on French striking work within the next month (after my exams next week), carriage clocks there after im assuming. Yeah we have a couple of lathes here, a Cowells 90CW and a Unimat for clock work and I was also fortunate enough to have been left a Lorche 6mm watchmakers lathe buy an old watchmaker we knew well. 5 years is what my Dad did but mine is technically 3 years, although I very much doubt I'll know enough by then!

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oldhippy Distinguished Member

oldhippy

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I had a unimat 3 for all my clock work and I found it to be very good, also a Boley for watch work. French movements are fine movements to work on and very good time keepers. Good luck with the exams let us know how you get on.

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