Michael Gainey’s

Master Clock Repair

AWCI Certified Clockmaker

Columbus, Ohio

614-833-0378

 

My Repair Philosophy

Part One

Estimating

 

There may be as many repair philosophies as there are repairmen.  But I believe that most of them will fall into one of three different categories.  I am not talking about methods of repair.  I am talking about what goes on inside the mind of a clockmaker when examining your clock in order to give you an estimate.

 

First, the clockmaker must diagnose why the clock is not working properly.  More often than not, he is going to do this without the benefit of long term testing and monitoring of the clock.  He needs to be able to examine what he can see of the movement’s condition and combine that information with what the clock owner is telling him they are experiencing.  There are an innumerable number of problems a clock might have and the clockmaker needs enough experience to determine the cause in order to give the customer an accurate estimate of the cost of the repair.

 

Needless to say, diagnosing the cause of a clock’s problem is not a perfect science.  A clockmaker’s ability to do this accurately is largely dependant on his experience.  Sometimes the diagnosis is obvious, other times it is not. What a clockmaker finds easiest to estimate is a clock with little or no wear, or one that is badly worn. A clock in good condition may need only a minor repair such as an cleaning or oiling.  A clock in bad condition usually needs to be overhauled.

 

Unfortunately, sometimes appearances are deceiving.  Clocks that “appear” to be in good condition when assembled, once cleaned or taken apart, may be in far worse condition than expected.  This is the difficulty in properly estimating a clock. 

 

What does the repairman do when the clock’s condition falls somewhere in the middle.  Does he recommend an oiling, a cleaning, or an overhaul?  The only option that does not involve a risk to the customer is the overhaul, because an overhaul comes with a guarantee.  So that must be the right answer....right?  I’m not always so sure.

 

What if by looking into a “crystal ball” we could determine that the clock would run another ten years with just a cleaning and oiling?  Would the overhaul be the right answer?  I don’t think so! 

 

Unfortunately, there is no crystal ball that will allow us to do this, but that doesn’t mean that some of these clocks, somewhere between worn a little and worn a lot, might run another five to ten years or more.  Once again, this is not a perfect science.

 

With no crystal ball in sight, what is the clock repairman to do?  Once again, there are basically three different approaches to this question.

 

The first approach or “philosophy” is usually born out of improper training and or lack of experience.  This philosophy usually centers around the clock needing to be cleaned.  The problem is always that the clock is dirty. This person is unable to recognize that a clock might be worn out.  More often than not, this person is afraid to dismantle the movement because he wouldn’t know what to do with it, and if he did take it apart, he wouldn’t know how to get it back together.  This approach is going to work some of the time.  Woe be to the customer whose clock movement is now clean but still will not run!

 

The other extreme or opposite philosophy is that any old, antique or even slightly worn clock must always be overhauled.  (Sometimes an old clock that appears to be in really good condition really is in good condition, because it was manufactured specifically to be durable.)  A clockmaker with this philosophy believes that he is protecting his customer because if he does not overhaul the clock he is more than likely not going to guarantee the job.   In a sense this is true.  The other thing this person is trying to avoid is an upset customer who pays for a cleaning that does not work, because it really did need an overhaul.   I used to agree with this concept because it does make some sense.  However, I feel the person who is protected the most is the clockmaker, not the customer.

 

Remember our “crystal ball”?  What if the clock really did not need to be overhauled?  Are customers protected when charged $350 for an overhaul when perhaps a cleaning for $125 would have been sufficient?  They got what they paid for, but did they get what they needed?

 

I cannot in good conscience automatically recommend an overhaul unless I am quite sure the clock needs it.  That does not mean that I won’t suggest it.  To imply however that it is the only option is, in my opinion, wrong.

 

This then leads us to the last philosophy I will discuss.  Like Goldilocks who found one bed too soft, one bed too hard and one just right, that is how I feel about my philosophy, it’s just right, not only the right approach, but the right thing to do.

 

Unfortunately, this approach costs me time, which in turn costs me money.  What do I do?  I inform.  A customer may not always know what is best for their clock, but a customer knows what is best in their circumstances.  Because of this I give my customers options where it is appropriate.  I try to educate my customer so that he or she knows the clock’s condition, the repair options, the potential risks involved, if it is likely that the estimate might change as the work progresses and whether there is or is not a guarantee.  I explain the difference between cleaning a clock and restoring a clock.  By doing this the customer is better able to make an informed decision.  The majority of my customers appreciate this approach.  Let me make it clear when I say, “The customer knows what is best for their circumstances”, that I do not mean that I let the customer tell me what the clock needs.  What I mean is that the customer knows how much money he or she has available, their tolerance for risk, the value they place on the clock, and whether they are thinking for the long or short term.

           

Some people would rather not have to make the decision between a cleaning and an overhaul.  They expect me to know what should be done because I am the professional.  For this customer I would more than likely recommend the overhaul.  This takes away any uncertainties concerning how the repair will turn out.  I know the clock will be in great shape when I am done, and the customer knows he is going to get a guarantee.  I feel good about offering the overhaul because the customer did not want options; the customer wanted the clock in optimal working condition.

           

This is how I approach the variables involved in the process of clock repair.  Other clockmakers may agree with me and others won’t.  That’s okay with me! If you affirm the rational in this approach and you have a clock needing repair, I welcome the chance to serve your clock repair needs.