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Clocks, Watches/Grandfather clock's part

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Expert: - 2/4/2010


Question
I have a grandfather clock I purchased several years ago from Alabama Grandfather Clock Company in Loxley, Alabama which due to my military relocations has lost or misplaced one of the parts, the clock's chain. For some reasons each time we move, the movers had to diassemble the chain and the weights and now we find the chain was missing. Is there anyway we can acquire a chain to replace it?
I appreciate your assistance on this matter.

Romie

Answer
Romie, I am sure the chain can be replaced.  I don't understand why the movers remove the chains for transporting.  I imagine it is just that they don't know how to secure the chains properly.  Reinstalling them takes some patience and effort, particularly the center chain.  I do a lot of military pack up and set up work for Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, AL, and I run into removed chains occasionally.  I try to let the company know that it is better to secure the chains and provide them with procedures for doing this.  

The first thing I look for is the model of the movement number so I can determine the proper chain.  The information I would need would be found on the back plate of the movement.  The companies of that era would probably have been Hermle (FHS or Hermle), Jauch (Erhard or Heinz Jauch), Kieninger (Original Kieninger or a K number) or Urgos (Usually a UW number).  If you can send that information to my shop email address below, I can research it and give you the details.  

Also I am very interested in the "Alabama Grandfather Clock Company".  Do you have any paperwork with the clock that would shed some light on the company?  I am doing research on the history of the clock industry in Baldwin County, Alabama.  I remember a clock company in either Loxley or Robertsdale that went by the name of Epp.  I was a white building on the west side of the road with "Home of the Epp Grandfather Clock".  Mr. Epp was rather elderly in the 1980's, and the company is no longer in business.  But I think this would be a different company.  I would appreciate any information you have.

John Newman
THE VILLAGE CLOCKSMITH
Old Prattvillage
Prattville, Alabama
klokdok@juno.com

(Due to the number of Allexperts questions and
the workload I have at my clock shop, I regret
that I cannot answer personal email questions on a timely basis
other than Allexperts follow ups.)  

Clocks, Watches

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John Newman

Expertise

As much as I would like to offer values of clocks, I am not a certified appraiser and will not venture into giving an unresearched guess. There is very little published information on what I consider to be the value of "modern production clocks". Considerations are what the clock originally sold for, the condition of the case and movement, and particularly the area in which you live, the demand and the economy. ALSO, WATCHES ARE NOT MY FIELD. However, I can advise the clock owner on proper maintenance of a clock to keep it running, small corrections and adjustments and how to move a clock without damaging it. I can also advise on obtaining parts for clocks. It helps if you can send any information on the clock movement which is usually found on the back plate of the movement. I have been a clockmaker for about 35 years and was plant engineer in the mid 90's and later operations and engineering consultant at Emperor Clock Company in Fairhope, Alabama. I now have my own clock shop.

Experience

One of my greatest accomplishments was traveling to China to assist a clock factory in building clocks to the standards which we required. With the proper specifications and quality control, some beautiful clock cases were built. The factory people from the wood carvers to the plant manager were very congenial, friendly and I left a lot of wonderful friends when I returned from my trips.

Organizations
Chamber of Commerce Small Business Committee

Publications
Horological Times, a publication of the American Watch and Clockmakers Instute. Collaberated column author, with Photos and ideas for clock movement conversion article.

Education/Credentials
Associate of Science Mechanical Engineering Technology Emperor Introductory Clock Repair (Eventually taught a portion of the class after becoming employee)

Awards and Honors
Small Business of the Quarter (Prattville, Alabama) Leadership Class of 2009 (Autauga County, Alabama)

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