I've spent the week doing projects that just need doing.

It started out innocently enough, de-scaling the Pride's water fountains one at a time. Tear one down, soak the lime deposits off using white vinegar, run the parts through the dishwasher to get the vinegar smell off, new filters, test 'em out, then put each back in service.

Then it was the stovetop that annoyed me in its manky-ness. It's an old thing, dating back to the War. Pulled everything apart to clean the chrome rings around the burners, the little pans underneath, the now naked top of the hob itself within an inch of its life, fixed an earthing strap that had broken to one of the burners, re-assembled all spanking like it was new again. The build quality is just fantastic, and that makes the project worth doing.

I've been cleaning up in the workshop in the cellar, and came across a couple worn and sad looking clocks.

The first is one of the so-called Kit-Kat-Klock made by California Clock Company in one form or another since the mid-1930s. I bought this new for the Lady of the Manor back when we first got married. It crapped out probably ten years ago and I thought it long gone before I discovered it in a box on a shelf underneath the workbench.

Did some digging around and found the company is still going strong, has parts, and has a series of basic turorial vids on how to troubleshoot the things. After a pleasant couple days of experimentation, refreshing some of the bits and a quick order of some other bits needing replaced, it runs nicely and is ready to go up in her studio. It's a very clever design once you get into it.



This morning I came across another musty dusty electric, this a "Hammond Synchronous"; very late '30s "Deco" looking thing. Plugged it in and I could hear the motor hum, but no motion.

Did some digging and discovered many interesting things about this one. Hammond Clock was a very early electric clock maker and held a patent on a clock motor that needs manually started. So, plugged it in and gave the start wheel a couple spins and it ran under its own power.

His hallmark was making the bits very precisely and elegantly, but the whole assembled by unskilled labour. Perfect for me; nice parts an idiot can put together.

So, tore it down, cleaned everything, re-assembled with a couple discrete drops of oil, had a new piece of glass cut at the local frame shop, re-assembled, and is now running off down in the workshop.



He was in business from 1933 through 1941, so truly a piece of Art Moderne (Deco) style. The Depression kicked his arse and he had his patent pulled after it came to light some German patent existed. The Americans didn't want to offend the Nazis at that time so cancelled his patent. He limped along up until the war making electric conversions of Seth Thomas Regulators for the railroads and the Postal Service, though the war put an end to that before it really took off.

Resilient bastard, though; after the war he was back in business but making organs. You'll probably have heard of Hammond Organ. So, interesting history of a pretty neat clock.

Oh, yeah. The workshop is actually getting tidier even with these distractions. Grin!