Expert: William J Perkins - 1/30/2010

Question
QUESTION: hi william,this is brian . i recently had my ridgeway clock cleaned and the guy who cleaned it did a very good job on it,but i was wondering that is it ok to leave the clock locks gears off and run it like this? the guy who cleaned it said that it would be better to leave them off cause it would jam the clock up and stop it is this true or not? the locks are the little gears behind the face plate that lets you wind it so far and makes it stop at the bottom when the weights get low and they look like little sprockets.  thank you, brian

ANSWER: To my way of thinking the job is not done until every thing is restored to its proper operating condition.  Whether or not the works were functioning or not has nothing to do with anything.  In my opinion your repair person has not finished his work.  The stop works, installed by the maker, is integral to the full operation of the clock, as intended by the maker.  I do agree that the clock will run and keep time, however, one of its safety features has been deactivated.  This is your risk, not the repair person's.  I suspect the repair person does not understand how the stop works functions and has taken the easy way out, palming off his job as done.  Frankly there is no way I would accept this.  Regards WJP

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: WILLIAM THIS IS BRIAN AGAIN,OK WILL IT HURT TO LEAVE THE STOP WORKS OR CLOCK STOPS OUT AND WILL IT HURT ANYTHING ABOUT THE CLOCK? IF SO I WILL MAKE HIM PUT THEM BACK,BUT THE REASON THAT HE LEFT THEM OUT WAS IT WOULD JAM THE CLOCK AND MAKE IT STOP. I AGREE WITH TOU ABOUT PUTTING THEM BACK ,BUT ITS LIKE ANY OTHER SAFETY FEATURE LIKE SEAT BELT ALARM IN A VEHICLE, IT DONT HURT IT BUT IT REMINDS YOU.I JUST WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING ,IF IT DONT HURT IT I MAY LEAVE THEM OUT . THANK YOU  FOR YOUR HELP

Answer
Installed correctly, as it was at the factory, the stop works would never stop your clock.  The feature is designed to prevent gear and other damage through pulling the chains up to far.  By neutralizing these components you open the door for such damage.  It might not happen, that's a risk you have to determine yourself.  Placing the stop gears in their correct positions is not at all difficult.  Any competent repair person, and yeah some incompetents, could readily perform that task.  Again, I personally would not accept such lack of craftsmanship.  Sorry I cannot be of tangible help.  Regards WJP