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Minutes: December 9 HAM Board Meeting
Introductions were made, in
attendance were: David Grau, Al Takatsch, Stan Craig, George Painter, George
Tresansky, Brett Louis, Earl Knight, Dan Spath, Bob Rothen and Dave Hannemann
Our President, David
Grau, proposed a Tentative Agenda: What worked well; How can we make things better; What should we stop doing; What should
we start doing or continue; Special events; and Other stuff. The group members
suggested additions under “Other Stuff” to include soliciting new members and Fund Raising.
Stan Craig gave the
Treasurer’s report and indicated the organization was essentially in the same financial position as the previous year
with the exception of the expenditure to NAWCC to recruit new members that has not been very successful. We have 5 life members
and only 8 members have paid their 2008 dues. Our financial condition is considered
excellent.
Next the board discussed our
bi-monthly meeting costs. Currently, we have two meetings each month excluding
December. The first meeting of the month is generally comprised of a business
meeting followed by a lecture and/or a workshop. The members were charged $3.00
and a $1.00 for the 50/50. The second monthly meeting is a workshop for which
the members were charged $4.00 and a $1.00 for the 50/50. The Board proposed
and passed a motion to increase the cost for all meetings to $4.00 plus the 50/50. It
was revealed that members can purchase more than one chance at the 50/50 – as many chances at a $1.00 each they chose
to purchase. The Board also proposed and passed a motion to charge members $5.00
for our 4 hour meetings. These 4 hour workshops will be held on Sunday before
the second or fourth regular Monday meeting. In the case of these Sunday workshops
there would be no meeting on the Monday following the workshop.
The Board suggested
for the first meetings of the month we ask our members what they would like to discuss/learn.
Some suggestions were repair or problems with Hamilton electronic watches (505 movements), the use of clock and watch
bushing machines, setting watch jewels, hair springs, just to mention a few.
The Board members discussed
methods to promote the organization without overwhelming the instructors. Among
the suggestions were to use the Senior Center facilities and make a presentation on what the organization does. Also, we will provide information on the organization to the Senior Center by way of an article or flyers
placed on bulletin boards or in senior publications. However, any information
provided must articulate the organization DOES NOT provide a service for individuals to have their clocks and watches repaired. We PROVIDE the educational opportunity for individuals to learn how to repair their
own clocks and watches. The Horological Association of Maryland does not want
to impact those members that earn their livelihood repairing clocks and watches.
The board believes the
organization is accomplishing what the members want and is working well. The
topic of how to make things better was discussed and the Board suggests members indicate what topics they would like presented
to its officers so future meetings can be planned to address those requests. Presenters
need time to develop the presentation to address the member’s requests. Nothing
we are currently doing needs to be stopped, but we will be asking members to suggest topics for future meeting, lectures or
workshops.
Several special events, trips
like the one to the NAWCC Museum in Columbia, PA were proposed. Dave Hannemann
is going to check out the possibility of a tour of the clock collection at the B&O Railroad Mount St. Clair. Other suggestions were to visit the Smithsonian and see if we could get a special tour of at least part
of their vast collection or visit the Darwood of Baltimore.
Finally, the Board has adopted
the following meeting schedule for 2008:
January: 14th and 28th
February: 11th (but not in the large
room at the Senior Center) and 25th
March: 10th and 24th
April: 14th and 28th
May: 12th and a 4 hour meeting on
Sunday the 18th
June: 9th and 23rd
July: 14th and 28th
August: 11th and 25th
September: 8th and 22nd
October: 4 hour workshop on Sunday the 12th
and the regular meeting on the 27th
November: 10th and 24th
December: Board Meeting on the 8th
Respectfully submitted, Dave
Hannemann
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Country Funeral
As a young minister, I was asked by a funeral director to hold a grave-side service
for a homeless man, who had no family or friends. The funeral was to be held at a cemetery way back in the country, and this
man would be the first to be laid to rest there.
As
I was not familiar with the backwoods area, I became lost; and being a typical man did not stop for directions. I finally
arrived an hour late. I saw the backhoe and the crew, who was eating lunch, but the hearse was nowhere in sight.
I apologized to the workers for my tardiness, and stepped to the
side of the open grave, where I saw the vault lid already in place. I assured the workers I would not hold them up for long,
but this was the proper thing to do. The workers gathered around, still eating their lunch.
I poured out my heart
and soul.
As I preached the workers began to say "Amen," "Praise the Lord," and "Glory"! I preached, and I preached,
like I'd never preached before, from Genesis all the way to Revelations.
I
closed the lengthy service with a prayer and walked to my car.
As I was opening the door and taking off my coat, I
overheard one of the
workers saying to another, "I ain't never
seen anything like that before and
I've been putting in septic
tanks for twenty years."
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From the VP Shop:
Quail Cuckoo Clock:
It needed 16 bushings, re-pivot the escape wheel , suspension hangers
almost worn through. Pivots were flat and parallel, not the barrel type. This movement needs extra pivot room or wheel tilt
to stop the wheels from jamming after weights are hung and slightly warp the plates.
This clock is quite a exercise in patience. 2 count wheels, 2 gongs, 3 whistles,
Natural Bone for hands no bushing. Quail sounds every 15 minutes, at the hour it repeats its sequence below 4 times before
activating Cuckoo gong and whistles.
Its a 1 day 3 weight clock and setting up the timing on
Quail and Cuckoo can drive a person batty. Since so much is happening, timing needs to be within a tooth or something is not
going to work properly. I thought the timing was going to be a piece of cake due too I marked wheel alignment to individual
teeth but after putting it together the timing was all off. When the clock came to me, I assumed the clock had been working
properly. I instead found everything off. So I re-timed it to proper Bird Timing sequence:
Quail sounds: gong, cheep, pause, cheep cheep
Cuckoo sounds: gong, right whistle high short tone, left whistle
low long tone.
Make sure all levers are at rest at conclusion of whistles
I found it necessary to use a Plate Spreader to setup
warning and lock timing. When you spread the plates expect the levers to fall out every time.
Careful of the cast plates, they don't flex much when installing wheels.
Most levers have locking tapered pins
holding them, but I found they still cannot be installed unless 3rd and 4th wheel are
removed first.
Installation of 9 levers some mounted on the front plate and some on the back plate intertwined with the
wheels was an exercise in patience. A lot of patience!
I found a sequence to install levers and wheels which made it easier
but it still drove me crazy.
I hope I get another soon before I forget how to work on this type of monster.
I picked up a new Clock Lathe made by Taig. I'll bring it to the January meeting. Here's a picture.
Al T.
Importers & Distributors of Jewelers & Watchmakers Tools & Supplies
Horological Association of Maryland, Inc.
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