
I am a full time clock repairperson located in Montgomery, Alabama. I overhaul clocks and do clock repairs in my shop. It’s convenient, so if I need to check on a clock, it’s just a few steps away.
My Story: How I Became a Clock Repairperson
I took early retirement in 2001 and began looking into what I could do that I would enjoy.
I have two antique mantle clocks, one belonged to my granddaddy that he purchased in 1942 for $2.00. After his death, I was given the clock. It would not run, so I took it to my uncle to fix. I paid him $35.00 for cleaning and adjusting in 1977. I took it home and it ran about 2 minutes and it stopped.
I found another person who worked on clocks. This man said he charged $50.00 just to look at an antique clock, so I said that was fine. Two weeks later I called to check on the clock. “It’s been running fine for 1 1/2 weeks” the man said. I took the clock home and it ran 2 minutes, so now I had $85.00 invested in this clock and it still will not run.
I looked in the back of the clock thinking I could repair it myself.
That was a mistake, so I began looking on the websites to find out how to fix my clock. I realized quickly that this was over my head. I found a clock school in Chattanooga, TN, the Chattanooga Horological Institute. I traveled to Chattanooga every week for 10 weeks to learn how to repair clocks. I spent 8- 10 hours a day, 5 days a week taking different movements apart and putting them back together.
I found why my granddaddy’s clock would not run … it was worn out.
The movement needed overhauling. I replaced almost all the bushing and other repairs necessary to the clock. Today, it is still running and I enjoy hearing the sounds of this clock as I did 50 years ago.