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One for a Clock Maker

Posted by Lannis <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/classicbikemart/info/user=Lannis' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 23, 2024, 1:57 am

A friend sent me a picture of his broken timing gear on his Guzzi ....

Looks a bit complicated to fix.

Then there's this picture of a Bristol Hercules like they used in Beaufighters and a lot of bombers ...

Supermen designed this thing on a drawing board, manufactured it on old fashioned gear-hobbing machines, and were able to maintain it in the field. Incredible.

Lannis

I don't take health advice from people who think the world is overpopulated.

Re: One for a Clock Maker

Posted by Leon Novello <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/classicbikemart/info/user=Leon+Novello' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 23, 2024, 2:07 am, in reply to "One for a Clock Maker"

That is the result of drilling too many holes to make it lighter.

Leon Novello

Re: One for a Clock Maker

Posted by Andy C <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/classicbikemart/info/user=Andy+C' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 23, 2024, 6:52 am, in reply to "One for a Clock Maker"

"Looks a bit complicated to fix." Not to mention expensive.

I was "lucky" enough to have started work on the drawing board doing manual drawings so have experirenced the old and new ways of doing things.

Who needs a signature anyway......

Re: One for a Clock Maker

Posted by Brickboy <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/classicbikemart/info/user=Brickboy' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 23, 2024, 7:54 am, in reply to "One for a Clock Maker"

And I bet the Hercules ones were steel. As Leon says, saving weight went too far here.

Re: One for a Clock Maker

Posted by Tonupdave <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/classicbikemart/info/user=Tonupdave' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 23, 2024, 9:08 am, in reply to "Re: One for a Clock Maker"

Ex.Clockmaker and reastorer here wait till you see the inside Torbilian pocket watch of the early 1800s ..the balance wheel that regulate the watch moves it two planes this was a method of making it accurate then there is the fusee part which is the method of maintaining the spring power when it unwinds this is a cone shaped drun with what in effect is a bicycle chain connecting the spring drum to the fusee the links on the cain are little larger than a 64th of an inch they were assembled by children ..these watches make Rolex and other watches look simple..

Tonupdave..T.U.D.

Re: One for a Clock Maker

Talking of Rolex - what makes them so expensive, or are you just buying a name ?

Who needs a signature anyway......

Re: One for a Clock Maker

Posted by Lannis <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/classicbikemart/info/user=Lannis' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 23, 2024, 12:01 pm, in reply to "Re: One for a Clock Maker"

Whatever the answer is, it's probably the same as for a McLaren or Bugatti.

Still just 4 wheels, bodywork, suspension, piston IC engine .. what makes it cost so much (20 times) more than a Toyota Land Cruiser ?

Lannis

I don't take health advice from people who think the world is overpopulated.

Re: One for a Clock Maker

I used to be keen on watches but this is the only one I had to repair myself. The second hand parted company with its boss after twenty years or so. I did manage to dismantle the watch and replace it. Still worked fine years later. It was my only foray into watch repair but I found it very interesting learning how to extract the winder so I could get the movement out. Hats off to proper clocksmiths like yourself, Dave - it's so tiny in there!

I sometimes wonder if I should have sold it - like bikes, I suppose. I don't know how much they're worth now but it was astonishingly accurate for a mechanical automatic watch - I very rarely had to correct it and it was only apart that once in the twenty years I owned it.

Re: One for a Clock Maker

Congratulations on doing that I didn't do watch work only antique clocks I had a watchmaker that did watch work.. though I do have a large collection of watches some worth money they all work as I have tinkered with them .. I now just replace batteries though did overhaul a neighbours Early French clock with silk suspension of the pendulum..

Tonupdave..T.U.D.

Re: One for a Clock Maker

Posted by spriddler <iframe src='https://members5.boardhost.com/classicbikemart/info/user=spriddler' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 23, 2024, 3:31 pm, in reply to "Re: One for a Clock Maker"

I used to supply very large quantities of watch batteries to Union Carbide in Geneva when I was export manager at Duracell Batteries. They supplied all the top brand Swiss watch makers with UCAR branded cells which we produced in our Duracell factories.
When discussing the specifications with one of their R&D chaps he mentioned that all of the leading watch makers used the three main Far Eastern sources for their surprisingly inexpensive bought-in electronics chips and drive/display circuitry. He also said that even cheap makes and fakes use the same ones since the vast volume produced of the quality ones brought the cost down to a level where it wasn't possible to produce a cheaper 'budget' priced product in the far smaller quantities for the fake watch market.
I guess the 'quality' comes down to the degree of care paid over the finish, the cost of the metal used for the case and strap, plus the retail price which reflects the snob (investment?) value of the very top brands.

'There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which taken at at the flood.....'

Re: One for a Clock Maker

Yebbut, no battery in this one, Sprid, it was a mechanical watch with automatic winding via a flywheel

Re: One for a Clock Maker

My watch that I use all the time is an Accurist
Chrono Maz bought it for my retirement its sealed so need the the case pressurised it's Quartz I always take it to a reputable jeweler to have the battery replaced the battery lasts up to three years .. and the jeweler charges £15 well worth it
The watch now is twice the price second hand now..

Tonupdave..T.U.D.

Re: One for a Clock Maker

I sold mine for £100 this year. After twenty or so years of excellent service I thought someone else could enjoy it

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