I was
Already collecting various failures BEFORE applying the above catchphrase. Now, things are getting ridiculous.
For example, I just picked up a no-name battery analogue wall clock, because its case/surround allowed it to be stood on a shelf or mantle – not usually possible if they’re round. Just some old stock, covered in thick dust and, with a ticking second hand, not sweep.
The case had wood top and bottom with open sides supported by metal rods, and a silver face.
All it needed was a clean and polish, particularly the face, which some idiot had splashed tea or coffee through the open side, and it had dried there.
What could go wrong?
Quote a lot, cosmetically at least.
The face was made of thin aluminium sheet laminated onto a hardboard backing. No numbers, just radial lines marking the 12 hours.
From its appearance, I had no reason to suspect anything, and made a first pass with water to remove the tea/coffee, then applied a cleaning wax.
This did not go well.
Although all I had used was a microfibre cloth, the aluminium turned out to be some sort of soft alloy. The surface was covered with random scratches – the alloy was so soft it couldn’t even be polished to remove the scratches.
No idea what this stuff is made of, although I have come across it before. Not sure what it was for, but it came on a roll, like a thin tape, which was malleable and could be used to conceal gaps.
This is a stainless steel one – you can hit it with a hammer (gently) and it won’t care!
Not sure what to do – replacing the dial is simple, but not really economic – unless I have a suitable one in stock, but mine are all round, and this one is square, to suit the case.
Subterfuge may be the solution – I can use the cloth to lay on a ‘brushed metal’ finish, and depend on the clock being mounted far away on a wall, where the detail cannot be seen, and it looks original.
Then again, I’ve got a REAL aluminium clock face (just kidding, it’s stainless steel and can be cleaned and waxed without ‘melting’) liberated from a failed movement. Only problem with that one is that it’s round, and thick, having been intended to be hung on a wall with no surround or case.
I STILL can’t really believe this one.
After all, who in their right mind makes a clock face out of what amounts to little more than toffee?
All this hassle from a quick ‘Dismantle and Clean’ 10-minute task!
It will drag on for DAYS!