Student Quinn interviews Cy about clocks
Quinn Schott
Mrs. Leach
English 9-2
3/27/14
A Journey Into The Broken Springs of Time
For my I-search I decided to research clock smithing/repairing. One reason I chose it is because I knew a neighbor who did it. I also chose it because I have always been interested in mechanics, especially ones that work well. My grandmother gave me her mom’s old pocket watch, and it still works perfectly, after more than 100 years. I thought that was pretty amazing. I also sometimes like to examine the mechanics of an object and see how they work. Too get started I needed a bit of background information, so after a bit of research I found this article about a clock smith.
In Jason Sheeler's column of 9-1-2011 he summarizes the life of Michael Brewer. Sheeler summarizes how Michael Brewers skills as a rocket scientist, and interest in taking things apart introduced him to the world of clock fixing. Rockets and clocks are not all that different, "I now spend my days taking apart clocks that are hundreds of years old. I like making sure they work. I guess it's not all that different from what I used to do as a quality engineer." The author relays Michael Brewers account in order to educate and entertain the readers of the newspaper.
Before the interview I thought it would be smart to do some more research to find some intriguing questions. I found this piece by Mark Friedman on the demise of clock fixers.
In Mark Friedman’s article “Clock Fixers Now Facing High Noon,” he describes the problems facing the clock repair industry, and why it is hard to find young people interested in the job. Friedman quotes a series of experts on why the clock repair industry is lacking new talent while there is much demand for the job, and discusses the patience required for the profession. “Younger people don’t want to get involved in the business because they don’t have the patience.” Friedman emphasizes this in order to make the reader well aware that there is still demand for clock fixers.
The next step was to find someone I could interview, I first checked up on my old neighbor, an expert clock smith. Unfortunately it turned out he was busy, so I had to continue my search elsewhere. I then found the Website of a clock smith in Rincon Valley who called himself Cyrus. I sent him an email asking if I could interview him and lucky for me he agreed. So the next week I went over to his shop and interviewed him. despite the fact that many of my questions were not so brilliant, I thought it went well.
I entered the shop and was stunned. Hundreds and hundreds of clocks of all shapes and sizes covered the floor and walls. Gears and coils covered three work benches scattered throughout the shop. The tick tock of all the clocks sounded like the pattering of rain. My expert was a clock smith of four years named Cyrus, one of the last people to graduate from the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) Clock School, before it closed due to lack of students. He works in his shop in Rincon Valley with two assistants. He is almost completely deaf, which causes him to have a slight European-sounding accent. “It helps with the business” he said with a chuckle, “people think I’m Dutch or something.”
Cyrus was born in Ohio before he moved to Sonoma County and became involved in the wine industry. “I started an auto repair shop in Cotati back in the 1970’s,” he said, explaining how a background in machinery helps to repair clocks. When asked about the future of clock repairmen he said it looked dim. “Some kids don’t even know how to read an analog clock.” Despite this, business is booming. I was astonished when he showed me a waiting list of 127 people. I asked him if he thought digital would ever completely replace analog clocks. He hesitated then said yes, and stared off into the back of the shop, as if he wasn’t quite sure himself.
“Chaos,” came the instantaneous brisk reply to what a typical day is like. “My teacher called it a religious profession because you’re always on your knees looking for a tiny piece, saying ‘Oh my god’! Where is it?’” The best part of his job, he said, is when a customer hears the sound of their great-grandfather's clock running again. “Sometimes they even cry.” I asked about the worst part of the job and instantly, he said “getting people to pay.” Most clocks have sentimental value and they’ll pay whatever it takes to get them running. But often customers encounter more pressing financial bills, so coming to pick up the clock moves lower on the list.
I asked him how he got started in clock repair and he pointed to a big grandfather clock with glass sides imposing its old and majestic presence from the middle of the shop. “I first fixed that when I was eleven; it’s my favorite clock and I’ve been fixing it ever since.” The oldest clock Cyrus has fixed was from 1589. “Old clocks are a pain because the parts aren’t standardized,” he said. Pointing to table full of metalworking tools, he explains, that sometimes there is a broken one and he has to make his own.
Despite not being what most people call young, he says he’s a “young whippersnapper in the profession.” Not many young people are going into the profession because it requires a lot of time and patience. “It’s a difficult job, I’ll be learning till the day I die.” When asked about his least favorite type of clock he said “Cuckoo clocks. With all the wires, fragile pieces of metal and unbalanced weights, they are an engineering disaster.” I asked if the ceaseless tick and tock of the clocks ever drove him crazy, and smiling, he reminded me that he is near deaf.
After this I decided to look into what he said about there being a lot of demand for his services. I found it strange that with so much demand there aren’t more people fixing clocks. I suppose that one reason is that it is a tedious job, lots of small pieces floating around that you have to keep track of. You also have to have patience because you work on one teeny tiny part of a clock for hours before getting half of it right. Another reason could be because you have to go to school for a long time before becoming skilled enough to open your own shop. Another path is to become an apprentice, but that also takes a while to learn and is filled with menial labor.
In Lora Volkert’s article “Timepiece Expert Finds Demand for Repair Services,” she presents an interview stressing the fact that clock repairmen have a lot of business. Volkert interviews Larry Haris who talks about there being a waiting list three months long, and his fee, among other things. “The backlog of repairs at Arden’s has grown from two to three weeks into at least two to three months.” Volkert interviews this man in order to get paid and let readers know that there is still demand for clock repairmen.
As I entered the clock shop for the second time I once again was taken aback by the pitter patter of the hundreds of clocks on the walls, floors and workbenches. Each clock has a unique sound; some are sharp, while others echo, and fade away like ghosts. Lamps bent at crooked angles were haphazardly attached to workbenches, like windblown trees on a rocky mountain peak. The atmosphere was relaxed and humorous, and the three men shared jokes and finished each other’s sentences, while working on meticulously tedious projects. One assistant, John, spoke aloud his actions as he tried to decide which type of epoxy to use.
As I explored the shop I saw empty clock housings scattered across the shelves, while their mechanics lay on tables, like skeletons of their former selves. The receptionist, a cheerful bearded man, bellowed a jolly laugh in response to some joke, unheard by me; meanwhile Cyrus stated that the clock he was working on was 300 years old from England. I watched as the final piece sliced into place and, as if tapped by magic, the clock started working. But it was dreadfully off and Cyrus cursed, hooking up a metronome-like device that amplified the steadiness of the rhythm, which would get closer and closer to perfect as he worked over the course of the day.
Suddenly I saw John trip and fall out of sight behind a table and the room exploded with hearty laughter. I wandered over to the receptionist who was laughing while rummaging through the wrenches, hacksaws and other tools that were scattered aimlessly across a workbench. He found what he was looking for and pulled it out of the mess. It was a tiny ring box, and when he opened it up, I choked back a laugh for fear that it would blow this tiny piece of machinery to the floor. Inside was a miniscule gear a quarter the size of a dime that was essential to making a clock run smoothly.
Just then a man walked in. He had a weathered face and was wearing paint-splattered overalls. He was carrying a cuckoo clock in a Newman’s Own coffee box and said his name was Kim. That’s 128 on the waiting list I thought. Kim finished explaining how his cuckoo broke, then took a step back in wonderment at the sheer number of clocks.
“What’s this one?” He asked, bending down to examine a contraption that looked like a mix between a grandfather clock and a cash register.
“That one’s a pain in the ass!” Came Cyrus’s dry swift reply, causing the shop to burst into a torrent of jolly laughter. Kim continued to gaze in wonderment at the vast array of clocks, occasionally inquiring about a price. I continued to absorb the cheerful environment until I had to go. Luckily though, my ride was late, and I got to experience the passing of the hour. Suddenly the shop erupted in a cacophony of sweet-sounding gongs, whistles, cuckoos, music boxes and the harsh smashes and clanks of broken bells. Satisfied with this intriguing experience I said my “thank yous” and “good byes” and departed.
This experience concluded the fun part of my I-search paper and was a truly memorable experience. I learned a lot since the beginning and have now skimmed my toes in one more possible field of work. Although it is interesting I don't think it would be the best job for me. To much time learning and to much time inside. But as a hobby I think it could be quite entertaining. So I feel satisfied with my choice of topic for the I-search.
Works cited
Anonymous As Told to Jason Sheeler. "Michael Brewer, 80; Clock Repairman." Texas
Monthly.01 Sep. 2011: n/a. eLibrary. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.
Eaton, Cyrus. Personal Interview, 4 march 2014.
Friedman, Mark. "Clock Fixers Now Facing High Noon." Arkansas Business. 01 Apr. 2013: 15.
eLibrary. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.
Volkert, Lora. "Timepiece Expert Finds Demand For Repair Services." Idaho Business Review.
12 Jul. 2004: 1. eLibrary. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
Mrs. Leach
English 9-2
3/27/14
A Journey Into The Broken Springs of Time
For my I-search I decided to research clock smithing/repairing. One reason I chose it is because I knew a neighbor who did it. I also chose it because I have always been interested in mechanics, especially ones that work well. My grandmother gave me her mom’s old pocket watch, and it still works perfectly, after more than 100 years. I thought that was pretty amazing. I also sometimes like to examine the mechanics of an object and see how they work. Too get started I needed a bit of background information, so after a bit of research I found this article about a clock smith.
In Jason Sheeler's column of 9-1-2011 he summarizes the life of Michael Brewer. Sheeler summarizes how Michael Brewers skills as a rocket scientist, and interest in taking things apart introduced him to the world of clock fixing. Rockets and clocks are not all that different, "I now spend my days taking apart clocks that are hundreds of years old. I like making sure they work. I guess it's not all that different from what I used to do as a quality engineer." The author relays Michael Brewers account in order to educate and entertain the readers of the newspaper.
Before the interview I thought it would be smart to do some more research to find some intriguing questions. I found this piece by Mark Friedman on the demise of clock fixers.
In Mark Friedman’s article “Clock Fixers Now Facing High Noon,” he describes the problems facing the clock repair industry, and why it is hard to find young people interested in the job. Friedman quotes a series of experts on why the clock repair industry is lacking new talent while there is much demand for the job, and discusses the patience required for the profession. “Younger people don’t want to get involved in the business because they don’t have the patience.” Friedman emphasizes this in order to make the reader well aware that there is still demand for clock fixers.
The next step was to find someone I could interview, I first checked up on my old neighbor, an expert clock smith. Unfortunately it turned out he was busy, so I had to continue my search elsewhere. I then found the Website of a clock smith in Rincon Valley who called himself Cyrus. I sent him an email asking if I could interview him and lucky for me he agreed. So the next week I went over to his shop and interviewed him. despite the fact that many of my questions were not so brilliant, I thought it went well.
I entered the shop and was stunned. Hundreds and hundreds of clocks of all shapes and sizes covered the floor and walls. Gears and coils covered three work benches scattered throughout the shop. The tick tock of all the clocks sounded like the pattering of rain. My expert was a clock smith of four years named Cyrus, one of the last people to graduate from the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) Clock School, before it closed due to lack of students. He works in his shop in Rincon Valley with two assistants. He is almost completely deaf, which causes him to have a slight European-sounding accent. “It helps with the business” he said with a chuckle, “people think I’m Dutch or something.”
Cyrus was born in Ohio before he moved to Sonoma County and became involved in the wine industry. “I started an auto repair shop in Cotati back in the 1970’s,” he said, explaining how a background in machinery helps to repair clocks. When asked about the future of clock repairmen he said it looked dim. “Some kids don’t even know how to read an analog clock.” Despite this, business is booming. I was astonished when he showed me a waiting list of 127 people. I asked him if he thought digital would ever completely replace analog clocks. He hesitated then said yes, and stared off into the back of the shop, as if he wasn’t quite sure himself.
“Chaos,” came the instantaneous brisk reply to what a typical day is like. “My teacher called it a religious profession because you’re always on your knees looking for a tiny piece, saying ‘Oh my god’! Where is it?’” The best part of his job, he said, is when a customer hears the sound of their great-grandfather's clock running again. “Sometimes they even cry.” I asked about the worst part of the job and instantly, he said “getting people to pay.” Most clocks have sentimental value and they’ll pay whatever it takes to get them running. But often customers encounter more pressing financial bills, so coming to pick up the clock moves lower on the list.
I asked him how he got started in clock repair and he pointed to a big grandfather clock with glass sides imposing its old and majestic presence from the middle of the shop. “I first fixed that when I was eleven; it’s my favorite clock and I’ve been fixing it ever since.” The oldest clock Cyrus has fixed was from 1589. “Old clocks are a pain because the parts aren’t standardized,” he said. Pointing to table full of metalworking tools, he explains, that sometimes there is a broken one and he has to make his own.
Despite not being what most people call young, he says he’s a “young whippersnapper in the profession.” Not many young people are going into the profession because it requires a lot of time and patience. “It’s a difficult job, I’ll be learning till the day I die.” When asked about his least favorite type of clock he said “Cuckoo clocks. With all the wires, fragile pieces of metal and unbalanced weights, they are an engineering disaster.” I asked if the ceaseless tick and tock of the clocks ever drove him crazy, and smiling, he reminded me that he is near deaf.
After this I decided to look into what he said about there being a lot of demand for his services. I found it strange that with so much demand there aren’t more people fixing clocks. I suppose that one reason is that it is a tedious job, lots of small pieces floating around that you have to keep track of. You also have to have patience because you work on one teeny tiny part of a clock for hours before getting half of it right. Another reason could be because you have to go to school for a long time before becoming skilled enough to open your own shop. Another path is to become an apprentice, but that also takes a while to learn and is filled with menial labor.
In Lora Volkert’s article “Timepiece Expert Finds Demand for Repair Services,” she presents an interview stressing the fact that clock repairmen have a lot of business. Volkert interviews Larry Haris who talks about there being a waiting list three months long, and his fee, among other things. “The backlog of repairs at Arden’s has grown from two to three weeks into at least two to three months.” Volkert interviews this man in order to get paid and let readers know that there is still demand for clock repairmen.
As I entered the clock shop for the second time I once again was taken aback by the pitter patter of the hundreds of clocks on the walls, floors and workbenches. Each clock has a unique sound; some are sharp, while others echo, and fade away like ghosts. Lamps bent at crooked angles were haphazardly attached to workbenches, like windblown trees on a rocky mountain peak. The atmosphere was relaxed and humorous, and the three men shared jokes and finished each other’s sentences, while working on meticulously tedious projects. One assistant, John, spoke aloud his actions as he tried to decide which type of epoxy to use.
As I explored the shop I saw empty clock housings scattered across the shelves, while their mechanics lay on tables, like skeletons of their former selves. The receptionist, a cheerful bearded man, bellowed a jolly laugh in response to some joke, unheard by me; meanwhile Cyrus stated that the clock he was working on was 300 years old from England. I watched as the final piece sliced into place and, as if tapped by magic, the clock started working. But it was dreadfully off and Cyrus cursed, hooking up a metronome-like device that amplified the steadiness of the rhythm, which would get closer and closer to perfect as he worked over the course of the day.
Suddenly I saw John trip and fall out of sight behind a table and the room exploded with hearty laughter. I wandered over to the receptionist who was laughing while rummaging through the wrenches, hacksaws and other tools that were scattered aimlessly across a workbench. He found what he was looking for and pulled it out of the mess. It was a tiny ring box, and when he opened it up, I choked back a laugh for fear that it would blow this tiny piece of machinery to the floor. Inside was a miniscule gear a quarter the size of a dime that was essential to making a clock run smoothly.
Just then a man walked in. He had a weathered face and was wearing paint-splattered overalls. He was carrying a cuckoo clock in a Newman’s Own coffee box and said his name was Kim. That’s 128 on the waiting list I thought. Kim finished explaining how his cuckoo broke, then took a step back in wonderment at the sheer number of clocks.
“What’s this one?” He asked, bending down to examine a contraption that looked like a mix between a grandfather clock and a cash register.
“That one’s a pain in the ass!” Came Cyrus’s dry swift reply, causing the shop to burst into a torrent of jolly laughter. Kim continued to gaze in wonderment at the vast array of clocks, occasionally inquiring about a price. I continued to absorb the cheerful environment until I had to go. Luckily though, my ride was late, and I got to experience the passing of the hour. Suddenly the shop erupted in a cacophony of sweet-sounding gongs, whistles, cuckoos, music boxes and the harsh smashes and clanks of broken bells. Satisfied with this intriguing experience I said my “thank yous” and “good byes” and departed.
This experience concluded the fun part of my I-search paper and was a truly memorable experience. I learned a lot since the beginning and have now skimmed my toes in one more possible field of work. Although it is interesting I don't think it would be the best job for me. To much time learning and to much time inside. But as a hobby I think it could be quite entertaining. So I feel satisfied with my choice of topic for the I-search.
Works cited
Anonymous As Told to Jason Sheeler. "Michael Brewer, 80; Clock Repairman." Texas
Monthly.01 Sep. 2011: n/a. eLibrary. Web. 13 Feb. 2014.
Eaton, Cyrus. Personal Interview, 4 march 2014.
Friedman, Mark. "Clock Fixers Now Facing High Noon." Arkansas Business. 01 Apr. 2013: 15.
eLibrary. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.
Volkert, Lora. "Timepiece Expert Finds Demand For Repair Services." Idaho Business Review.
12 Jul. 2004: 1. eLibrary. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.