Chelsea Ships Bell Clock Repair Question

[John Stone]

Hi Rick
You bet. I’ll definitely let the forum know how it turns out. Keith and I emailed back and forth for a week before I shipped the clock. It was obvious to me he is a man of many skills. He sent me pictures of his work and I have to say I’d love to have lunch with him or visit his shop one day. By all accounts, He is a very interesting guy.

Thanks for the advice and input. Very helpful. Makes me feel better about my choice too.

Best
John

[John Stone]

Rick, et al.,
My clock is not returned yet, but very soon I think. Keith reports it’s repaired and up and running. He is adjusting the running rate so it keeps as accurate a time as possible. We briefly lost email comms before reestablishing them. In the meantime, he sent me a letter. In this day and age, I’d say that is pretty rare. The letterhead itself looks like a work of art. And it was typed...not on a laser printer but on a “typewriter.”

So far, dealing with Keith Sternberg has been a pleasant return to what seems like a bygone era. I’m not trying to be dramatic...just an observation of a professional way of interacting with people that is not common in the present time of impersonal email, text, and voice messages.

I asked for and received his permission to post a photo of his letter.

Will let you know when I have the clock back, reinstalled on the Far Reach, and running.

[billsimmeth]

Wow! That letter looks like it came from "The Time Machine"! Would love to meet this cat some day.

Good luck with the clock -- I'd say it's in good hands.

[JD-MDR]

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Hi John, I know you are familiar with ship clocks and barometers so I'm asking you if you know about this one. Iver Wellbach & Co Copenhagen. $325. Thanks

[John Stone]

JD-MDR
I appreciate your confidence. Unfortunately, clocks are outside my field of expertise. I know a little and that’s about it. Certainly not enough to comment here.

I think there are some knowledgeable folks on the forum though. I got an old Weems and Plath battery powered quarts ship’s clock and matching barometer too and that darn thing runs great. If funds are tight, I’d get a windvane before I spent much on a clock.

Best regards
John

[JD-MDR]

The consignment store here has three monitors for sale. asking $1900 thats 40 % for the store so I guess those sellers would take $1200. I still don.t like old stuff. A new one would include all the updates and be designed for my boat and for wheel steering etc. But thats $4500 + tax.. I'm not spending anything for a while just dreaming.. I wonder how I will get weather when I go from Hilo to Kodiak. The barometer would work well.I think the trip from LA to Hilo is an easy sail.at the right time of year.

[John Stone]

JD MDR
I think a used monitor is fine. Get the serial number and call scanmar. A monitor is a pretty robust piece of equipment. See what Scanmar has to say.

I have some used equipment that has worked very well for me: the 9’ Fatty Knees, the bronzed edson Model 119 gallon a stroke bilge pump, the ABI windlass, Luke storm anchor, Plath sextant, taffrail log, charts, etc. I do my homework and chose carefully. But in the end you have to be comfortable with your choices. It’s you that’s out there so your psychology and confidence is the most important thing. I do things I am very comfortable with while some other people would not be comfortable. It depends on your comfort level. Itrust myself over any piece of equipment any day. There is no one way that fits everyone’s sensibilities the same way.

I get my wx via (1) pilot charts, (2) my barometer, (3) wx Fax—I down load them off my $150 Sony GR 7600 HF receiver. I purchased the Black Cat wx Fax App for about $10. I made a simple long wire random length antenna and soldered a 3.5mm jack for the external antenna connector. The fax’s are pretty good to very good. I’m still experimenting with it but getting better all the time. (4) I listen to the USCG high seas forecast, (5) I listen in to the wx routers on the HF receiver.

[JD-MDR]

Thanks John. I remember your post of the weather fax and the shortwave radio. I will study it more. right now it seems complicated to me but I will figure it out. I have plenty of time. I do like the barometer. I use to work with an old timer on a wooden schooner converted to a fishing boat. He always watched the barometer. If it was continually dropping fast he knew we were in for it. I might be getting old enough to forecast the weather by the aches in my bones and joints. Once out there, at least if I sense changing weather I can prepare early for deteriorating conditions. I have crossed a few times from the west coast to Kodiak or Dutch Harbor on Motor boats. sometimes the weather is calm the whole way. I'm curious about the clock and barometer set. I've seen it on Craigs list a few times in the past year or so nobody has bought it.

[John Stone]

Final update on the repair to my Chelsea Ships Bell Clock. Anticipated cost to have Chelsea clean the Clock was $800-$1000. Any repairs were going to be extra.

Local repair guy in Wilmington NC said he had worked in lots of Chelsea clocks but it would be $350-$450 to clean it (he couldn’t be more firm), repairs were extra, and it would be about four months before he could look at it.

I shipped my clock to Keith Sternberg, Lopez Island, Washington. He told me $200 for a cleaning and any repairs would be extra. He took it apart and determined it had a broken balance staff. He tracked one down, ordered it, and modified it to fit. He took the clock completely apart, cleaned, oiled, reassembled, and adjusted the timing. Had my clock back in less than a month.

Total cost was $250. It’s been reinstalled on the Far Reach for a couple weeks. It runs perfect.

[mgphl52]

Gotta love the old-school typewriter!

[rjnale]

John
That is great news on the clock. I'm so glad it worked out.
Finding Keith was like finding the proverbial 4 leaf clover!
I don't personally know him but have read many of his research articles and seen pictures of his steam engine work.
He is an interesting man with many talents and passions. He could truly be a "renaissance man"! I would love to meet him someday.
I would suggest you send him the matching barometer over the winter for cleaning and adjusting. Then you are good for another 4-5 years of perfect operation with both.
Thanks form the update and posting his correspondence. It's priceless.
Rick

[rjnale]

JD-MDR
Sorry for the late follow up on the Iver Weibach clock and barometer set.
As a longtime clock collector, I hope you passed on the Iver Weilbach set.
They are not worth the price. If they showed
Many old European and American companies offer junk in comparison to what they made years ago. For example there's a bunch of Danish marine lamps oil and electric and clocks out there that are not made in Denmark or even set foot in Denmark. There all solid brass thin gauge or brass plated tin.
Your better off keeping an eye out for a early Chelsea or even Seth Thomas set from the late 30's or back. They would be double the price but but 10 times the quality.
Or buy a new Weems & Plath battery operated quartz set. It will at least be accurate and reasonable price.
My dad always said with heart surgery and hand grenades you pay the price and never look for bargains!
Rick

[JD-MDR]

Thanks for the info Rick. Luckily I'm not able to spend for a while. I probably would have bought those on impulse. Hopefully someday I will be able to afford the good ones.

[JD-MDR]

I got these on impulse $15ea Weems&Plath.theyare 3".Illrestore them someday

[Frenchy]

Not Bad, J.D. If they're brass plated steel, you can sand a bit, prime with rust converter (ospho) and paint black. The rust
converter has worked for me. Good luck - Jean