Thursday, August 29, 2013

When the Clock Hands Are Free, Take ‘em…!


Most of the clock movements we offer include a FREE CHOICE of multiple sets of hour and minute hands. It's your choice,. Just tell us what you want! For some reason, some customers think the hands that they currently have in their possession are going to fit a different clock movement. Rarely happens. If it does, buy a lottery ticket that day.

There is no "standardization" of the mounting holes in clock hands. It's that simple. The mounting holes in clock hands are measured to within a few thousandths of an inch, and there are dozens of possibilities.. Put your ruler away.  Unless you have good calipers or a micrometer, you are not going measure the mounting holes in clock hands. We primarily use the American "I" shaft system, but it is only popular here, and only some imported movements use it. Almost  all of our movements use the "I" shaft. The best feature of the American "I" shaft is that it uses a small round nut to lock the minute hand in place. It's very secure.

In all of our categories of clock hands, at the top of the first page on the web site, we  show an excellent profile drawing of the actual mounting hole sizes for the clock hands listed in that section. We also are sure to link every clock movement we sell with the clock hands that can be used with that movement. Just go to any movement page and click on "clock hands" at the bottom of the movement page to see our selection..
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Friday, August 2, 2013

Pendulum Movements

Choosing and installing a pendulum movement requires a couple of simple, extra measurements. You need to measure the hand shaft as you normally would. (Link to First Time Clock Repair) you also need to measure the pendulum length by installing the pendulum on the movement, then measuring from the bottom of the pendulum to the center of the clock face. Also note the diameter of the pendulum bob (the round disc). Please see the drawing below:

If you are replacing an old mechanical movement with a modern battery operated quartz pendulum movement, please remember that the pendulums for mechanical movements are usually too heavy to be operated by a modern battery operated quartz movement. As long as your pendulum measures 16" or less, our adjustable pendulums will work on your clock. All you have to do is choose what size pendulum bob (the disc at the bottom of a pendulum) you would like. They are available in 2-1/8", 2-3/4" or 3-1/2" diameters. You choose what’s best for you!

If you have pendulum that you want to use, and it weighs more than 2-1/2 ounces, then you should consider the following pendulum drive units:

https://buysluxurywatchesformen.blogspot.com/clock-part/pd200-heavy-duty-pendulum-drive/

Or

https://buysluxurywatchesformen.blogspot.com/clock-part/heavy-duty-pendulum-drive/

As always, your choice of pendulum movements also includes your choice of over 50 styles of clock hands in gold or black. Just pick what you would like.

We stock two lines of time only pendulum movements. Our American made AA battery powered line:

https://buysluxurywatchesformen.blogspot.com/clock-part/mini-quartz-pendulum-movements/

And our C cell powered line of pendulum movements:

https://buysluxurywatchesformen.blogspot.com/clock-part/standard-size-quartz-pendulum-movements/

Both lines of pendulum movements can be used for a variety of applications. The "C" cell versions can operate clock hands up to 6" long and offer longer battery life. The AA battery versions operate hands less than 5" and offer compact size and lower price. Both come with a choice of pendulums and clock hands.

There's also a wide variety of chiming movements. Please see: Choosing a Chime Movement. Some movements chime every 15 minutes, some on the hour and half hour, and some just on the hour only. There are also a wide variety of shaft lengths and different models to choose from:

https://buysluxurywatchesformen.blogspot.com/clock-parts/chiming-clock-movements/

On some of our more expensive chime movements, they may only be available in a longer shaft. This is normally not a problem as if the hand shaft is to long, it can normally be "shimmed" back in your case, pulling the hand shaft back, by using some washers over the shaft before installation. Standard fender washers from your local hardware store work very well.

Come to hous.com for the best selection of pendulum movements.
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Friday, July 12, 2013

Clock Making As A Hobby

Clock making changed dramatically with the invention of the quartz movement over 4 decades ago. Before that, battery operated movements were not as reliable, and some models actually had to be properly balanced just to operate.

Now, quartz movements use a slice of a cultured quartz crystal bar, which is very accurately angle cut, and when electrified, resonates, causing the electrical circuit around it to produce a specific frequency output. Imagine a tuning fork that can run essentially forever (or at least until you need to change the batteries). , The accuracy and stability of quartz crystals is nothing short of amazing. This makes it easy to have clock movements that are accurate to within a couple of minutes a year. Another advantage to the new quartz movements is that they do not have to be leveled, and can operate in almost any position. The only exception is quartz movements with a pendulum function. By the way, pendulums on quartz movements have nothing to do with time-keeping, they are just there to add an authentic touch.

Since you can make a clock out of virtually anything-Why not give it a try!

You can use:
  • CD's
  • Tennis Rackets
  • Old Vinyl Records
  • Metal Boxes
  • Plates
  • Wood Slabs
  • Cast Iron Pans
  • Computer Circuit Boards
  • Marquetry
  • Signs
  • Decorated Foam Core Boards
  • Books
  • Paintings & Drawings
  • Photos
  • Needlepoint & Quilts
  • Nautical Steering Wheels
  • Propellers
  • Hub Caps
  • Slate
  • Tiles
  • Stained Glass
  • Mirrors

The list is almost endless. All you have to do is pick something that is 3/4" thick or less and you are ready to make your own custom clock design. The material thickness will determine the hand shaft length you will need, and we have a lot to choose from. Try clock making and let us help you make it easy!
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Thursday, June 20, 2013

Large Clocks

If you want to make or repair large clocks, then hous.com is the place to be.

We sell the best and most powerful high torque clock movements in the business. We have 2 shaft lengths of our American Made AA Battery powered high torque movement and 2 shaft lengths of our imported C battery High torque movement, as well as pendulum and continuous sweep models. The best selection anywhere. All of these models feature our exclusive Extended Minute Hand Shaft. This feature allows an increased space between the hour and minute hand, which is helpful when trying to properly align the 2 hands. We are making it easy!

Our high torque movements can run hands as large as 17-3/4”. This will allow you to repair or use with clocks up to 40” in diameter, depending on the layout of the numbers. If you are repairing a large clock, it is general best to order new hands with a high torque movement as the hole sizes in clock hands are not standardized. You can see the clock hand mounting hole sizes at:

https://buysluxurywatchesformen.blogspot.com/clock-parts/clock-hands-for-i-shaft-high-torque-movements/

If they match what you have, then you will be able to use your old clock hands. If using your old hands, please check to make sure that your minute hand (the longer one) is balanced. This is easily done by placing the mounting hole on your fingertip to see if the hand is balanced. If it lays there flat then it’s balanced, if it tilts or falls off, then it’s not balanced. Large minute hands can be balanced by using small amounts of latex caulk on the back.

If you would like to wall mount our high torque movements on the surface of a wall, we have surface mounting cups for both AA and C Cell powered high torque movements:

https://buysluxurywatchesformen.blogspot.com/clock-part/2-piece-mounting-cup/

https://buysluxurywatchesformen.blogspot.com/clock-part/2-piece-mounting-cup-for-c-cell-high-torque-movements/

We also have self-adhesive 4”stick on numbers, in both Roman and Arabic (regular) that are designed for a lot any smooth surface:

https://buysluxurywatchesformen.blogspot.com/clock-part/4-black-vinyl-numbers/

Another tip for numbers for large clocks are “house numbers” you can buy at major hardware stores.

Our high torque movements are not designed for exterior use. They may be used outdoors when not directly exposed to the elements (under a roof or awning) but will operate irregularly when temperatures reach 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Thursday, June 13, 2013

Choosing a Chime Movement

Modern battery operated chime movements can be easily installed and give you years of trouble free, accurate service. While most of our chime movements sound the Westminster Chime (chime of Big Ben in London), combinations with Whittington,  Ave Maria or Bim-bam are also available. All of these chime movements have varying features such as the chime pattern and the length of the hand shaft.  For more information on checking the length of the hand shaft, Please see this article.

hous.com demonstrates  its industry leadership skills by having the only website that allows you to actually hear the different chime movements. This is the new industry standard and unique to hous.com. All of our chime movements include a FREE choice of hour and minute hands, and come with a 3 year replacement warranty.

Please pay careful attention to the details listed with each movement. Some are only  available with one shaft length, but the length of a long hand shaft used may be shortened by something as simple as adding some washers from your local hardware store over the hand shaft before installation. Other chime movements have volume controls, night strike shut-offs, remote speakers and other features. Remote speakers give the best sound because you can do an effective speaker installation yourself by installing the speaker into the best position for your clock case.

Some of our chime movements are only available with a pendulum feature. If you like the features of a chime movement that has a pendulum, but you don’t need one, Just leave the pendulum swinging arm in its shipping position, and it will not affect anything except increasing battery life of the clock movement. Battery operated quartz pendulum Movements do not need a pendulum to keep accurate time.

See our Chiming Movements and Specialty Movements you see our wide selection for yourself. Let us know what we can do to make clock making easier for you.
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Monday, April 8, 2013

KHS TACTICAL Watches MISSIONTIMER 3 H3 OCEAN

By TLex Introducing KHS Tactical Watches. The company have a plethora of tactical watches most of which are suitable for diving.



Shown here is the new Missiontimer 3 Automatic H3 Ocean. Its 45.5mm x 12.5mm Stainless steel case is finished with a black IP coating. It has a water-resistance of 200m and houses a Swiss Made ETA 2824-2 automatic movement.



Further features include a divers bezel and a Sapphire crystal. The dial illumination consists of H3 Trigalights� tubes in blue chosen specifically for this the 'divers' model. Its price is 849�.



Below is the new Missiontimer 3 Chronograph H3 Ocean. It shares the same basic case and features as the Auto, but is powered by a Swiss Quartz caliber. Its price is 579�.



To be honest I have only just recently discovered the brand this year, so know little about them. But their website looks very professional and the watches look good if not a little typically 'tactical-like' Luminox, Traser etc.

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BREITLING Diver BLUEs

All BLUE, the Superocean Heritage Chronograph 46 . . .



True BLUE, the Chronomat 44 . . .



Code BLUE, the Superocean Chronograph II . . .



A hint of BLUE, the Superocean 44 . . .



Into the BLUE, the Superocean 42 . . .



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Friday, April 5, 2013

STEINHART Ocean TWO

By TLex Introducing the all new Ocean Two from Steinhart - developed by them over the course of several years.



It is a watch that is made up many fine details both sporty and elegant. Far less derivative than it predecessor and a whole lot more evolved. I must admit I really like it!



The new Ocean Two comes in 3 different color versions: Ocean Two Orange, White and Yellow each with their own distinct look.



The partly polished, partly satin finished 43mm x 13mm case has been constructed from high-grade Stainless steel. It features:



a screwed and engraved caseback and crown, a domed Sapphire crystal with double anti-reflecting coating on its inside, a 120-click unidirectional rotational divers bezel and a water-resistance of 300m / 990feet / 30atm.



The crown is color coded to match. The bezel is with a Sapphire crystal inlay with SuperLuminova markers. Both the crown and bezel have polished knurled edges. The bezel with 6 additional scoops.



The dial is made up of multiple parts. The hands, applied markers and date surround have been polished. The markers are applied with BGW9 SuperLuminova.



The watches are powered by an ETA 2824-2 Swiss Made, automatic movements 25 jewels and hacking seconds.



However they will also be available with Soprod A10 movements with exhibition casebacks sometime this year as a further option!

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Thursday, April 4, 2013

EXT�tico JUNTOR Al 7075 BLUE

By TLex This pretty blue bezel belongs to the EXT�tico Juntor.



Its case will be constructed from Aluminum 7075, a specialized material used for high-end bike to missile cases.



The bezel has been anodized blue, but theoretically any number of colors could be used.



The Juntor will be offered in a number of different case finishes and materials.



You can read about them HERE. The BRONZE version looks amazing!



See live images of EXT�tico DIVER N�1 #7, read about the new REGULADOR or follow the embedded link below to discover EXT�tico's full collection of dive watches . . .

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

TEMPEST Viking V2.0 PROTOTYPE





























� OceanicTime

Stay tuned for full details coming very soon . . .

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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

BLANCPAIN Fifty Fathoms Chronographe Flyback Quanti�me COMPLET

By TLex When THIS was released in March 2010, I have to admit I found it a little busy � however on reflection and 3 years on I might add (and after seeing the video) I�m all over this watch. This particular model of the Fifty Fathoms collection houses a complicated 448-part movement.



It has been fitted with a host of wonderful Blancpain movement innovations. The moon phase complete calendar mechanism is based on the caliber F185 movement and it offers the capability of �risk-free� setting of any indication regardless of the time of day or night. Beautifully brilliant!



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UHREN von UHR UHR442

By TLex Something cheap 'n' cheerful! The not too imaginatively named (new) UHR-442 from UHR von Uhren boasts: a generous 46mm Stainless steel case, a Sapphire crystal and a Swiss made automatic mechanical movement. It costs just 349euro.



Further features include: a unidirectional rotational divers bezel, 200m / 20amt of water-resistance and a screwdown crown and caseback. The watch is powered by the (not so) ubiquitous Swiss made ETA-2824 automatic mechanical movement.



The black dial is with luminescent hands and markers. There is no text or branding on the dial other than the word 'Automatic'. Dimensions include: 46mm diameter x 14mm thick x 53.5mm lug-lug. The overall weight of the watch is 231g.



The watch comes on a Stainless steel bracelet with a divers 'UHR' signed deployment clasp. Not a bad looking watch really, a little boring if I'm honest, but at a fair price. Was it expecting too much that the bezel be aligned properly, though!



More info. HERE . . .

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Monday, April 1, 2013

ARMIDA A5 1000m NEW

By TLex Let's get all the references about circular saw blades and Ninja shurikens out the way with! Armida have released a new version of their A5 Diver. The main case is the same as the previous version, so that's 44mm x 17mm with a lug-lug of 53mm, a lug width of 22mm and a water-resistance as per its name.



The case is fitted with: an HEV, a screwdown crown and caseback and a 3.5mm double domed Sapphire crystal with AR-coating on its inside. Under the hood of the new A5 1000m is a Swiss made ETA 2824-2 with 25 jewels and a power-reserve of 40hrs. The dial has new hands and markers. Swiss C3 lume has been used for them and the 12hr bezel marker.



The watch comes on a 22mm steel bracelet plus an additional rubber divers strap. Price is 699USD inc. international shipping.



Whilst the new bezel design is a little polarizing - it might be an acquired taste; it does offer something new and interesting for those who want just that! Follow the link HERE for more details . . .

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

HEXA K500 Premier EDITION Review

BACKGROUND HEXA, who are based in Tampa, Florida are a relatively new boutique watch brand whose aim is to build purpose-built mechanical dive watches with original designs that are innovative and utilitarian. Their first model, the K500 takes its name by combining the 'K' in Kraken, the legendary giant sea monster and the �500� of its 500 meter depth rating.



PACKAGING The K500 came suitably packaged in a custom �Hexa� Seahorse waterproof case in tough black plastic. Carefully wrapped up inside was the K500 watch on its link bracelet along with an Italian black rubber divers strap and the K500�s credit card-style warranty card and a small instruction booklet.



AESTHETIC HEXA set out to design a watch that was original in its design and utilitarian in its form � with the K500 they have achieved that goal. Whilst there are some notes of Sinn�s U series watches; the block hands and markers, the 4 o�clock crown position (inverted to 10 o�clock) and the overall simplicity of the design: specifically the dial layout, the K500 is its own thing.

There is an element of quirkiness with the crown and crown guard set up at 10�clock, you could be forgiven for thinking the watch is upside down on occasion. However the main theme is utility and ruggedness, which comes across loud and clear. I chose bead-blasted because for me it is the epitome of utility.




DIAL The matte black dial of the K500 is with rectangular luminous markers and Arabic numerals (12hr only). The numeral letterforms are based on interstate signage, designed to be absorbed at a glance. The dial is clean and simple. Text has been kept to a minimum. The �500M� text is in red � cool! And the date wheel (4 o�clock) is in black � perfect!

HANDS The K500 is fitted with block hands. The hour and minute hands are in grey and the seconds hand is in red with rectangular luminous pointer.



LUME The K500�s uses luminescence by L�m-Tec, who are one of the industry-leaders in luminescence technologies. Luminous material has been applied to the dial markers, hands and the bezel�s 12hr marker. The lume has a very bright glow with a light green hue. I would rate it at very good.



BEZEL The K500 has a 60 click-type unidirectional rotational divers bezel with an elapsed dive-time scale engraved and painted in black (5min increments) and a luminous triangular 12hr marker. The clicks are precise with a good amount of springiness to them. Whilst the bezel has good fit, there is tiny amount of movement � it is well within the acceptable range, though.

The bezel�s grip comprises of 12 widely spaced rectangular teeth. The bezel has a nice height to it making it easy to handle and turn. The bezel teeth by their design are a little sharp on their corners.



CASE The K500�s 316L surgical grade Stainless steel case has a diameter of 44mm x 14.75mm (thick) with lug to lug distance of 51mm and a lug width of 22mm. Features include: triple O-Rings, a screw down signed crown and a Hexa integrated crown-guard. The case has an unusual shape. It is blocky and angular with a slight roundness in the middle. I really like how each of the K500�s components compliment each other; the case, bezel, crown, hands, markers all working well in unison.



CROWN This is where things get a little interesting! The basic crown design is excellent � it�s nice and long with three tracks of teeth making for excellent grip. However it would benefit from a slightly wider girth and because of the way that it is positioned in relation to the top left lug�s underside it is inherently fiddly to operate � that�s without taking into account the topsy-turvy upside down time adjustments! The crown stem is rock solid. In short the crown setup looks cool, but might frustrate those of us who are a little less than nimble fingered!



CASEBACK The K500 is fitted with a solid screwdown Stainless steel case back with double O-Rings. It is engraved with a diagonal striped pattern with the HEXA star motif in its center. The watch�s serial number and some basic spec. is running around the caseback perimeter.

CRYSTAL The K500 is fitted with 3mm thick Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on its inside. The crystal is flat and as such works well with the angular theme of the watch.



WATER-resistance Each K500 watch has been individually pressure tested to ensure reliability at 500M (1,640 ft). As well as this it is also shock resistant and resistant to magnetic fields.



MOVEMENT The K500 is powered by a Japanese made Sii NE15/Seiko 6R15 automatic movement with 21,600 vibrations per hour, 23 jewels and 50 hours of power reserve. The movement hacks � meaning that the second hand stops during time-setting, allowing for precise (to the second) setting of the time. The movement has been adjusted to 6 positions in-house to ensure maximum accuracy (very impressive).



BRACELET The K500 comes on a heavy duty 316L Stainless steel 5 Link bracelet with a ratcheting divers clasp. Whilst brick-link bracelets don�t particularly excite me, in this instance it was a fair choice for the K500. Having said that the K500�s case in particular the chunky bezel design could have easily handled a heftier and more substantial bracelet design. Also included with the K500 was an Italian rubber divers strap with a lovely vanilla scent.



BUILD The K500 watches were assembled and tested in the United States by L�m-Tec. The fit and finish on the watches is excellent. I wouldn�t say that they�re most refined of watches, but certainly everything has been put together nicely. The dial and bezel markings are neat and crisp � all the various components are well fitting.

VALUE The K500 bead-blasted is priced 699USD, which is a more than fair price for the watch.



on the WRIST For a relatively big and clunky watch, the K500 wears pretty well thanks to downwardly angled lugs. The bezel has a lot of height to it, which is quite deceptive because the K500 actually has quite a low profile. HEXA have collaborated with Stone Creek Straps and the Strapsmith to create some lovely custom straps for the K500, which are bound to be a lot more comfortable than the bracelet. Worth checking out!



also CONSIDER It�s hard not to the think of Sinn�s U series watches when you see the K500, so, sure if you�re on a bigger budget and appreciate no nonsense tool watches I would recommended a visit to Sinn. Looks wise the K500 is a uniquely designed watch, so nothing particularly comes to mind, but for similar value for money check out some of the other Boutique brands in my listings.


� OceanicTime

OVERALL / 5 Some of things that I really appreciated about the K500 were: its slightly unusual design, the Seiko automatic movement adjusted to 6 positions, its fantastic luminescence by L�m-Tec, the clearly legible (at a glance) dial, excellent bezel height and action and great fit and finish. The only noticeable area for improvement would be the crown�s size and position � aesthetically it makes for an interesting looking watch, but I found it a little awkward and fiddly.

As mentioned at the beginning of the review, HEXA have achieved what they set out to do with the K500. It is very much a tool watch. You can tell that it was designed from the ground up and by an actual designer, which really seems to shine through. For a debut model, the K500 is a worthy contender. It�s reasonably priced and won�t disappoint!

My thanks to Rocky and Vic!

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