Plastisol Marine Clocks in a brass case.

[jakeroyd]

Whilst skip surfing a couple of years ago I dug out a Plastimo marine clock beautifully mounted In a cylindrical brass case as you would expect.
Put a battery in it and it worked fine.
Last season it became intermittent and finally stopped.

I have just replaced the mechanism (a standard digital plastic job) for a mere £4.
However this has prompted a question.
Stripping the old mech down there did not seem to be much wrong with it apart from some corrosion in the on off switch.


My question or or observation is this:-
Do all expensive marine clocks have a perfectly standard cheapie mechanism in them that the marine environment ruins after a year or two ?

 

[Laysula]

I have just stripped the mechanism on a Kelvin Hughes clock for the same reason, just a bit of corrosion on the internal battery connections. Works fine now.

 

[richardabeattie]

Can you point us to the supplier of the £4 replacement? In what way is it digital - my brass clock has hands.

 

[jakeroyd]

Hmm "Plastisol" clocks eh.
Spellchecker strikes again?

 

[jakeroyd]

Can you point us to the supplier of the £4 replacement? In what way is it digital - my brass clock has hands.

I
By digital mean the impulses derived from the mechanism are digital. They drive a stepper motor.

Picked this mechanism becuse the hands nearly match the style of the Plastimo.
I just cut them to length with kitchen scissors.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152215598...49&var=451405693318&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Topcat47]

I have an old Kelvin Hughes clockwork clock with an almost dentical problem. The old movement is the cheapest nastiest on the (then) market. The hands are "nice" but how do i ensure they will fit the cheap electrical replacement. Clockwork replacements are not available.

 

[fredrussell]

My question or or observation is this:-
Do all expensive marine clocks have a perfectly standard cheapie mechanism in them that the marine environment ruins after a year or two ?

I hope you do not mean to suggest that a company is passing off a piece of tosh as a "Marine" item in order to treble the price tag???

Thats simply outrageous!

 

[Laysula]

I have an old Kelvin Hughes clockwork clock with an almost dentical problem. The old movement is the cheapest nastiest on the (then) market. The hands are "nice" but how do i ensure they will fit the cheap electrical replacement. Clockwork replacements are not available.

My Kelvin Hughes clock is about 3" in diameter with a round cased movement The square cased movements will not fit in.

 

[jakeroyd]

I have an old Kelvin Hughes clockwork clock with an almost dentical problem. The old movement is the cheapest nastiest on the (then) market. The hands are "nice" but how do i ensure they will fit the cheap electrical replacement. Clockwork replacements are not available.

The eBay cheapies do run to a sort of standard.
There are about 3 thread lengths and various diameters that the hands secure to.
i chose the range of motors I indicated above because they come with a range of hand styles.
For the Plastimo I cut them to lengh.
The old original Plastimo hands did not fit , although the seconds hand did.
The hands are a push fit on the nylon spindles.
The centre hole in the face tends to be the same for all the ones I have ever had dealings with.

Besides they are so cheap you can take a risk.

 

[jakeroyd]

My Kelvin Hughes clock is about 3" in diameter with a round cased movement The square cased movements will not fit in.

There are some round cased movements on eBay , but not many.

 

[macd]

In what way is it digital - my brass clock has hands.

Hands have fingers?
(If you feel inclined to raise a couple in reply, I'll quite understand.)

 

[alahol2]

I've asked before, but live in hope... does anyone know of a replacement barometer movement that would sit inside a Plastimo case?

 

[jakeroyd]

I've asked before, but live in hope... does anyone know of a replacement barometer movement that would sit inside a Plastimo case?

My skip diving also got me a Plastimo barometer, but it was largely useless.
I also looked for a replacement mechanism but could not find one.

However with modern weather data I would argue you don't need one unless crossing oceans where I guess in the old fashioned way noting the readings every 6hrs etc.

 

[jakeroyd]

I hope you do not mean to suggest that a company is passing off a piece of tosh as a "Marine" item in order to treble the price tag???

Thats simply outrageous!

What are you implying? Marine suppliers never even dream of doing this

 

[Seajet]

I have also been down this road, got a Plastimo clock & barometer set - not that cheap at around £165 a few years ago - the brass casings seem impressively robust, wish I could say the same for the works - both packed up within 18 months.

I've tried E-bay etc for a replacement barometer movement without luck.

 

[Laysula]

What are you implying? Marine suppliers never even dream of doing this

Quite right. Quadruple more like.

 

[Billjratt]

My plastimo clock failed quite early in life - the second hand moved but the hours and minutes stayed put. Lubrication of the plastic wheels and careful manipulation of the alarm/time lever are required, been fine for 15 years now.