Terms, Warranties, limitations and Disclaimers
Since most of
our work is clock repair, the term “clock” will be used throughout this
statement. However, this statement
applies to any item brought to our shop for repair, whether a clock, music box,
gramophone, mechanical doll or other mechanical device.
Your written
authorization affirms your consent for us to complete the work as represented
in the written estimate as well as your acceptance of these “Terms, Warranties,
Limitations and Disclaimers.” We NO
LONGER accept checks or debit/credit cards.
“CASH is KING”. Full payment is
advance is required if we need to order a replacement movement or expensive
parts for your clock. Items sent to us
for repair must be prepaid (USPS Money Order) before the item is shipped back
to you. Estimates do not include the
cost of parts discovered unusable upon disassembly. All parts removed will be discarded unless
otherwise instructed by you. Unrepaired
clocks will be returned to you as disassembled.
We are not responsible for loss or damage in case of fire, theft or any
cause beyond our control. We are not
responsible for clocks left over thirty (30) days after notification that your
clock is ready to be picked up.
Once you have
been notified your clock is ready, repaired or not repaired, you are expected
to pick it up or arrange for delivery within (10) days. For the subsequent days, storage and
insurance fees may be charged at a rate of $1 per day. After thirty (30) days, you will receive
notification by Certified Mail of this action, and the amount will be charged
against the clock. By law, you have
thirty (30) days after notification by Certified Mail to claim
your clock. Thereafter, the clock
becomes the property of Father & Son Precision
time and subsequently will be sold to satisfy the debt.
Conservation: Retain clock in its present condition,
unrepaired, preserved in a broken and non-running condition.
Repair: Repair
damage/wear to the clock to include replacement of broken cables, chains,
mainsprings, chime cords, clean movement, and replace worn bushings/bearings,
repair damaged gear teeth.
Restoration: Includes repair plus removal of oxidation
(patina) from movement. Exclusive of
restoration are polishing pendulum bob, movement brasses, chime tubes, weight
shells, replacement or refinishing of case items.
We NEVER use
destructive ammoniated cleaning reagents.
1.
Full repairs
and restorations carry our one (1) year limited warranty, which begins on the
date when you are notified your clock is ready, [or in the case of delivered
clocks, when your clock is delivered].
The warranty is limited to actual work performed on the movement,
exclusive of time-keeping adjustments, leveling, damage from tampering, shock, abuse
or environmental conditions which contribute to corrosion and wear. Any tampering with the movement or relocating
the clock invalidates this warranty.
Additional service calls to your home are exclusive of the repair
warranty. For floor clock warranty work,
however, you are charged only for travel expenses. No clock is fully warranted unless we have
cleaned and repaired the movement. If
your clock was only oiled and adjusted to get it running, we cannot warrant its
running order. It will probably need
cleaning and rebuilding with a short time.
2.
For an
additional charge, you can have your clock delivered and set up after all work
is completed.
3.
Restoration
services to the dial, reverse glass tablets, casework, polishing and lacquering
of metal parts are ADDITIONAL.
4.
The mechanism is completely disassembled and cleaning in
special distillate ultrasonic solutions.
This removes all dust, oils and dirt.
Restoration services are charged in addition. Both repair and restoration services are
warranted for one (1) year.
5.
Each part is examined. Deformed
or worn gear teeth and pinion gears are corrected or replaced on the
gears. Each gear pivot and friction
surfaces are polished. Then we correct
for bushing wear. The “bushings” are the
holes in the metal plates through which each gear “pivot” (shaft end)
turns. Over time, each bushing wears and
accumulates embedded dirt. The
contaminants must be physically removed, not “buzzed out in a bucket of soapy
water”. Each worn bushing is drilled
out, and new bushings are pressed in place.
Bushings are bearings and look like little donuts. When everything is properly sized, assembled
and oiled, friction will be minimized.
6.
The mainsprings, if so equipped, are inspected and
cleaned. If there are visible
imperfections, they will be replaced. A
mainspring that breaks within your clock can do substantial damage.
7.
We run your clock for many days on our test equipment. When we are satisfied that the movement is
running properly, we return the movement to the case and then run it for a few
more days. We do not wish for you to be
disappointed. It is at this time that
you will receive notification that your clock is ready.
WARNING NOTICE
CONCERNING THE DANGERS OF SPRINGS
1.
A spring, even when only partially wound up, stores a great
deal of power. It MUST be treated with
every respect, or serious personal injury can occur.
2.
Most springs are thin flat strips of special hardened steel
which are confined to an enclosed barrel or a specific region within the
movement.
3.
As the spring is wound up, the CLICK systems prevent
uncoiling. The points of engagement
(holes punched in the mainspring ends) are, by nature, the weakest points in
the mainspring.
4.
Springs often, but not always, break at a hole. There is NEVER any warning!! The violent release of energy and the reverse
thrust set up when a mainspring breaks, almost always causes some damage to the
gear teeth on some wheels and pinion gears.
Whilst closed springs remain in the barrel, open types can often fly
outwards.
5.
If the CLICK system fails to work, the full power of the
mainspring is released. This usually
happens during winding and results in the key spinning backwards at extreme
speed and with considerable force. This
is the moment when YOU are at greatest risk of personal injury. Be aware of where your fingers are located at
all times. ALL springs can break; even a
NEW spring can break on the first winding.
6.
During the course of repairs, you will be informed if a
mainspring shows obvious weaknesses or if its anchor points are damaged. In addition, all click springs, ratchet
clicks and ratchet wheels will be replaced if they appear in danger of
failing. HOWEVER, MOST METAL FATIGUE IS
NOT VISIBLE!
DISCLAIMER: While every reasonable effort is made to
ensure that all work is carried out in accordance with the Codes of Conduct of
my professional bodies … The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors
and The American Watchmaker-Clockmaker Institute, I cannot accept liability for
any damage to the movement, case, glass or of a personal nature which can be
attributed to metal fatigue or mechanical breakdown of any part due to age or
manufacture, the use of keys of incorrect size, unreasonable winding force,
unskilled or unsuitable installation and operation, the attentions of any other
person, whether connected with the trade or not, damage caused by accident,
negligence, misuse, abuse, improper operation or failure to follow
instructions, damage or malfunction following repair, attempted repair or
adjustment by you or any other individual, unless we have designated that
person to do part of the work, excess wear or any kind of failure due to
inherent design flaw or material defect that is well-known to clock repair
practitioners, (e.g. Too-thin brass plates or nickel-electro-plated pivots). Additional exclusions are mainspring
breakage, or damage caused by mainspring damage, whether or not mainspring
replacement was part of our original repair; damage or malfunction occurring
during movement transport by any means to or from our premises or damage
appearing after a move to a new address of the clock owner or of a different
owner. Timekeeping ability of the
mechanism beyond manufacturer’s original expectations is not warranted. Mileage or time required for house calls,
whether or not a house call was charged for originals, is NOT covered under the
warranty.
“We have no quarrel with the man who has lower prices. He knows better than anybody else what his work is worth.”