I worked on a clock hack over the weekend. Made a few hour hands from an original. I'll order a slightly heavier gauge sheet metal from McMasterCarr this morning. But they came out pretty nice. Could be better. My three original hour hands are well aged. Curious what the original enamel was. Satin or semi? (my guess is a satin/matt) I really like this one for the minute hand in orange. (easier to cut.. ; ) ) Any idea what the finish should be? I intended to just give away the extras if anyone needed them but it is best to drill the needed stem size before enameling : ( My home drill index is too limiting to get a proper fix but i'll bring home a larger set from work.
Rockland,
Realize that post goes back a-ways...hoping you see this.
It happens that I have the same POLYGON clock, original model, with pieces needing replacing.
- Its missing 2 of the cubes at the end of the spikes.
- The hands are bent, need replacing.
Can you tell me where you purchased the hands for your clock? Are you in the business of restoration..maybe can help with MY clock? Appreciate your help..thx!
I used to buy and salvage the (Nelson designed) clock hands from less desirable unmemorable later model (1980's) quartz Howard Miller clocks. (George Nelson's office had the contract with Howard Miller until his death in 1986) (Greed)will, now sells them (even the broken and damaged clocks) as if they are gold.just for the Nelson designed clock hands.
Greedwill. Lol. Good one. Haven't heard that before.I don't go to their stores anymore. The outrageous prices they are charging for junk has also made me decide not to donate to them either. I used to donate to a local animal shelter thrift store until I heard from a picker that he was buying things from one of their employees off of CL.
I think the supposed primary function of Goodwill is to give jobs to people who are otherwise unemployable. I try to remember this when I experience terrible service at their stores.
Those later clocks are going to be worth more as time goes by, and you are only creating scarcity by destroying them, which increases prices. Your desire creates a market, prices go up.
Destroying a clock for its hands is like killing a person of lesser social standing in the interest of obtaining their organs for transplant...
For clarification purposes, the Howard Miller clocks I am talking about are broken and damaged later uninspired quartz models (not by George Nelson or any other worthy designers). If I am not mistaken, vintage cars and other mechanical objects worthy of restoration uses salvaged usable parts to bring them back into shape. I apologize if i offended anyone who values all objects/stuff like people.
(sorry off topic)
No offense to Goodwill or any charitable institutions charging like a typical retailer for their merchandise, but they need to buy their inventory (like a typical retailer/small business and change from non-profit to for profit and not get special tax breaks from the IRS. A typical retailer has to show the IRS proof of cost to purchase the inventory, and get taxed after all overhead costs like rent, salaries, etc.are deducted (that's why retail is marked up so high).
There was a time when Goodwill actually repairs a damaged item first before it is sold but all that has changed. There are still many charitable institutions out there who should be commended for not acquiring the "antiques roadshow mentality" yet (if it is old and shiny it must be collectible/valuable) and are still practicing what they were founded for, to primarily help the less fortunate and not to be in the business of selling antiques and collectibles. It should not matter to them whether what they got for free is a real Warhol or not. If they want to create more revenue for them, fine, sell (what they think) the valuable stuff they receive privately.
Also, marking up the (free) items so high ends up never getting sold and just ends up in the landfill.
I don't do restoration projects...just personal ones. No time in my day. Though if i did make certain parts for a clock, i will make extra for no fee...just as easy to make a few more.
A good wood worker will easily make the parts you need to fix your missed/broken parts.
And i have purchased a 70's howard miller clock just for the hands...it is common that they used some hands for thick odd oak edged clocks with peeling paper faces and of no real design or interest or value...so i had no problem taking the hands.
4 yrs ago i did make some hands for a few clocks i have. Still ticking but not what i would consider as nice as originals.I just used the originals as a template but dont't have the tooling to make them perfect.
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