The Clock Repairer's Handbook Kindle Edition

This is not a " first read" book on clock repair. I purchased it because I had exhausted all of my reading material and none of it would move me forward. I would go through my repair process flawlessly( how one knows this is a matter of experience and theory & trust, I guess) and I would have no idea on how to proceed. Extremely frustrating but getting help is called for if you've come to end of your ability. So---i bought this book and really had no faith in it. I had read some of the free samples. However, I jumped into the book at a particular area that I knew had to be a possible problem area. The escapement. What I found was a wealth of information that wowed me. I had intuitively been pondering many of the facts I encountered but had been unable to put it all together & it was a Eureka moment. All my learning materials (books, videos, YouTube, etc. Along with experience) had none of the theory ( not formulas, etc.- but getting to know your subject stuff, fun stuff but, theory) that I needed to move forward. This book was worth the price for even one page.. A gain, not the 1st book a beginner should read but, when you are ready it's informative and relevant and worth much more than a few bucks. For what it's worth.

I purchased this as a companion to the clock oil I needed. It is written for readers who are knowledgeable about clock repair, not for the average person who knows nothing about the terminology. I wanted a simple instruction with illustrations on how to oil my pendulum clock -- this book did not help. There were very few illustrations and none that even matched my grandfather clock (which isn't that old). If you are looking for a history of clock repair and tool descriptions and understand all the terminology, then this might be for you. I returned it.

The author may live in Indiana but he uses the Queen's English. Obviously a Brit and a lover of the English language. Some may think his writing is slightly stilted, but to borrow a phrase from Winston Churchill, It is something up with one must simply be prepared to put.The first chapter must be read first before jumping to any other subject in the book. It details theory and troubleshooting. Unfortunately, most of it went over my head, but a second read-through was quite enlightening. Things began to make sense, especially since I then had a clockwork mechanism in my hands.The drawings were created by a professional machinist and can be somewhat confusing to the layman. Hopefully, anyone willing to take on clocks as a hobby will have some mechanical abilities.I was able to determine why my clock was striking a few hours incorrectly and make the correction. And, in the process, learned to do the oiling that needs to be done every two to three years. Without oil, clock parts begin to deform and/or wear away. Very important. Clock oil kits are available online for under $20.00. And yes, you can oil the mechanism on the kitchen table; use a soft mat.I used a few miniature and small screwdrivers and small, smoothed jawed needle-nose pliers that I bought from Sears. More advanced work, such as machining new parts, installing new bushings in pivot holes, or adding metal by silver soldering, will require training and expensive shop equipment.I would not consider this a book for rank beginners; more of a middle-level book that carries a wide variety of repair topics on many different types of clocks. It's probably great for the apprentice in the clock repair shop. Yes, the book did work for me. It was informative. I'm glad I bought it but I doubt that I'll use most of the information in it. Then again, who knows?

Other reviewers noted that this book was more appropriate for people who were familiar with clocks. They were right. If you are looking for a quick reference book on how to lubricate or repair a mechanical clock, look elsewhere.

I bought this book along with several others to learn about basic clock repair to maintain and repair my small collection of mechanical clocks. The organization of topics is very logical, first starting with clock troubleshooting. His first chapter does assume a working knowledge of clock part terminology that,at times, leaves the novice lost. More pictures of his discussion points would have been helpful here. However,follow-on chapters on the various components of the clock movement and their repair is excellent. I would suggest anyone just starting to learn clock repair read Steven G. Conover's "Clock Repair Basics" prior to reading this handbook. This will provide much needed basic terminology with pictures/diagrams to help learn the parts breakdown.Laurie Penman's handbook is a good buy to add knowledge and repair processes. His repair techniques involve more hand tool useage than many repairers do, allowing the novice to obtain basic repair tools to address many of the minor adjustments and repairs to clock movements. His chapter on tools clearly outlines the uses for the more expensive and elaborate tools: lathe; depthening tool and bushing tool; thus giving the novice a better understanding of repair limitations without additional tool investment.

This little book is a bounty of clock repair approach and technique for the thoughtful reader. It does require some effort to read and understand. That effort will be rewarded if you're seriously interested in old mechanical clocks (which in itself is an anachronistic effort, rewarded with regular ticking and melodious chimes)In 50 years, all the experience and mastery of this handbook will be lost to time, as clock repair and those who make a living at it go the way of buggy whip manufacturers...

Have to love the British DNA bias against German and French made clocks. Great advice but far more technical than what we needed. Laurie clearly is an expert and he writes very well. Book covers old world clocks. If you are looking to repair one of the battery operated clocks this is not for you. But if you have an old world Grandfather clock or other non-battery powered clock you will find useful information here. Recommended.

If, like me, you know nothing about the technical construction of clocks then this book is not the ideal place to start.That said, however, after reading through most of it, it is very well written and informative. The author begins by explaining how to systematically approach various clock faults and advises on remedies for same.He advises that the last thing to do is to take a clock apart-as 'life is too short for this approach' and directs the repairer to other remedies first.However for many faults a clock has to be disassembled and for this he advises on what to check. This is where it gets complicated for me as I was unaware of what 'pinions', 'arbors', 'escapements' etc actually are.I feel that a chapter on the basic operation of a clock would have been extremely helpful.This chapter, even if short, could have explained the various terms used in horology. However, for me the book is redeemed by the inclusion of a systematic 'fault finding' section which advises on what actions to take for various problems.Also there is a very helpful chapter on what tools to acquire for various repair jobs.Overall a very well written and sometimes witty book and well worth buying if you intend to go in to the horology field.Recommended!

Although the author has tried to write a book for people of all abilities, this is not a good book for the absolute beginner.The author assumes a knowledge of clock functions and a familiarity with technical expressions that the beginner won't have. Although there are some sections dealing with very basic things, e.g. "How to oil a clock", Mr Penman is soon on about "verge flags" and "lantern pinions" or casually suggesting that we solder new teeth into damaged cogs or make our own replacement parts.I needed a basic book to tell me how to clean, lubricate and adjust my mantle clock. Sadly, I soon got completely bogged down in this one.

If you want to learn how to repair clocks or upgrade your existing skills this is well worth the money.The book is very detailed and the author is obviously well qualified to produce this book. Even if you are just interested if finding out how clocks work this will be all you need.

The book contains all the information I need to help me to build a skeleton clock. Having built a weight driven clock the book has helped me to understand how the escapement works. The glossary was especially useful in learning the words that are specific to clock makers. The books describes how clocks work which clock builders' manuals don't always do. The book is very useful for an amateur clock builder.

I am finding this generally very usefull