I’ve for some years been fascinated with, and serviced Metamec clocks. It is because you may work with Metamecs and get a little bit of every thing from a motion perspective. Metamec purchased in actions for a superb proportion of their clocks over the businesses lifetime. Suppliers modified with worth level and expertise which signifies that masking Metamec for all of the spares I ideally want is difficult!.
It takes a while to supply and refurbish good high quality elements so I have a tendency to make use of my complete inventory myself and don’t promote the elements exterior of service calls / jobs. I cowl the entire following for clocks that at the moment are turning up from all around the UK and in a single occasion just lately, Australia.
Collection 1 cabled
Collection 1 cabled with base mounted exterior beginning spiggot (changing into uncommon)
Collection 1 Cabled Alarm
Collection 2 cabled – wall and mantle clocks
30 hour mechanical
8 day mechanical
Keinzle 606 electro-mechanical (two derivatives proven beneath)
I additionally restore or change all quartz and steadiness wheel based mostly battery actions. These aren’t pictured however are pretty simple to determine in that they’re rectangular with a battery horizontally on the backside on the shortest fringe of the rectangular. About 2.5 inches by 3.5. Im out of unit inventory for these for the time being however have elements so they aren’t pictured beneath. They are usually the least requested items for fixes and are very dependable.
The older sieries 1 and a couple of cabled actions aren’t the identical story in any respect – fixed issues with coils, tensioners and put on – usually all 3 on any given motion.
I’m all for folks having a go themselves and publish articles on this weblog about find out how to do fairly advanced issues, nevertheless, I’ve but to listen to again from anyone who has managed a cabled motion repair on their very own. Ive tried to assist a number of folks by way of e mail however all fail. The issue is the collection 1 and a couple of actions are literally fairly finely balanced and require placing collectively fairly fastidiously when you’ve gutted and cleaned it. All of the elements themselves look brutal and crudely manufactured however the reality of it’s that they’re all inside fairly high quality tollerances by way of their positioning and placement. Put on in fairly obscure areas causes issues not least as a result of every thing is so cramped you merely cant see “in” to witness the bodily signs and diagnose the difficulty.
On the opposite facet of issues the Metamec mechanical actions are superb usually talking though I say that in gentle of the truth that they weren’t made to final. After they do fail its usually fairly catastrophic as they have a tendency to go across the plates and fixings the place issues warp or put on. The primary plates on the 30 hour actions go on a regular basis and as soon as bent off form can’t be returned to the right flat floor all of the spiggots predict. The 30 hour goes extra as a result of the act of winding places strain on the plates by way of leverage whenever you flip the winder. The 30 hour due to this fact will get 8 instances extra put on than its 8 day equal so I largely swap or convert these to an alternate motion – an 8 day if accessible.
The keinzle 606 is an epic motion and I’m fairly valuable about my inventory of them (to my surpise!). When you’ve got considered one of these maintain maintain of it – a future basic with a great deal of kudos already; costs are excessive.
I additionally do full restorations.
For the brassy Metamec clocks (and there are lots of!) I a do 3 stage chemical clear that will get the brushed or textured end again to manufacturing facility situation. Doing it some other means both doesn’t take away the oxidation deep in brushed texture or takes the brushed end down by smoothing off the microscopic ridges that give the glowing brushed /textured impact.
By way of woodwork I can restore a lot of the Metamec finishes though alternative is commonly the route for issues like solar broken and crackled acrylic in a few of the metallic finishes.
I can change most glass though this will get costly for the rarer stuff. Metamec glass faces are notably convex to accomodate the lengthy spindle clearance that Metamec most likely designed in in order that they might maintain motion variants to a minimal in a variety the place face depth and materials assorted tremendously. This implies fashionable alternative glass doesn’t often match and classic spares should be purchased particularly, usually on sale as one off gadgets.
I actually benefit from the Metamec work as its change into considerably of a specialisation for me so photos of your Metamec are at all times appreciated. The long run plan is for an listed gallery someplace on this web site for public reference, nevertheless, because of the astonishing time commitments of this job its about as prone to occur because the backyard 2m reflecting telescope observatory that’s positively positively perhaps going to occur. Finally.
If you need me to repair your Metamec please e mail me with an outline of the issue, and what you prefer to accomplished. A number of photos of the clock are actually useful if you need restoration work accomplished however not essentail if all you want is to get the clock working once more.
Lastly, I just lately did a job for a shopper on a retirement clock they needed utterly restored. I favored it a lot I went and acquired the equivalent mannequin which I’ve simply introduced again to life with the chemical clear, laquer and silicone UV resistant polish (automobile polish is nice on paint finishes they used). Sure it does have a 606e. Ive by no means paid an excessive amount of consideration to this mannequin however its actually grown on me – the type of 60’s – 70’s transitional design could be very cool. Its come to one thing when your dad and mom wedding ceremony presents come spherical in vogue once more however I cant assist liking it!.
