New England Chapter No. 8 NAWCC

1998 SUMMER MEETING, SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1998

Meeting Pictures and Highlights by Brian Wilcox

John Kurdzionak, with his Sherline

George L. Collard showing documents from the American Watch Company

Chapter 8 Oldtimers (left to right) Bill Wood, Francis Walsh, Fred Koved, Dick Hauck, Bob Merrill (in back), Steve Sanborn, Jeff Wood

The Early summer meeting was held at the The Holiday Inn, Boxboro.MA.on June 6, 1998.

There 82 tables in the mart and 304 members and guests

Bob Merrill the Chapter President welcomed members and their guests with a special welcome to Chapter Eight Old-timers ,a new group formed with the qualification of below National Membership #7500. He reported that the newly formed mentor group was still taking small progressive steps but still active.The program for the day was successful and entertaining,with three "young " presenters;credited to the good work by Larry Chelmow and the program committee.Bruce Mauch,from Chelsea clock Company ,one of the featured speakers was unable to attend ,but Andy Demeter did double duty with his luncheon presentation

The morning workshop was presented by John Kurdzionak and titled .The Micro Lathe Versus . the Jewelers Lathe.John's main tool is a Sherline lathe ,choice of equipment with price being one the main factor, the main focus of the workshop was how to adapt the Sherline for the clockmakers clock shop.John's introduction to the lathe came from his interest in model steam engines, and working turning locomotive wheels,and his interest in clocks came from his Father.It was a very good workshop,everyone participated ,in fact the front row sounded like a class reunion of the Hovey Lathe School!-.The workshop was well received and everyone invited John back to the next Chapter meeting to continue his "stories with his sherline"

John has been repairing clocks professionally for the last six years and has recently assumed complete responsibility for the operation of the clock repair business at The Watchmaker in Stoneham, Massachusetts. He learned the basics of his craft from his father over the last twenty years.He is a Chapter Eight member and recording Secretary for Massachusetts Watchmakers Association.

Andy Demeter was the luncheon speaker and his topic The Chelsea Clock Company - It's History and Future. Beginning with Joseph Eastman,reviewing all the changes in ownership , revealing its trials and tribulations to the present day. .Andy has researched the history extremely well ,unearthing records, found here and there,with the odd visit to graveyards and has produced a good historical record of the the Chelsea Clock Company.The presentation was very interesting and drew many questions Andy has just completed a book The Chelsea Clock Company,the first 100 years to be published in the fall.

The first meeting of Chapter Old-timers, followed the first workshop of the day, was due to the sterling efforts of Dick Hauck. The qualification to be a Chapter Old-timers is below a National number of 7500.Seven members were attended the first meeting,Chapter President Bob Merrill was on hand ex officio.The meeting produced excellent suggestions and comments that would bridge the gap between old and new, it could work well with the newly formed Chapter mentor program.

The afternoon workshop was "A Tour of the American Watch Company Works," ,presented by George L. Collord, depicted the growth from February 8 1859 ,when the name of the company was changed by act of the legislature to "The American Watch Company".

An excellent slide show presentation showing the stages of growth in the building and the working conditions for the employees.and the steps to automation and the design of machines and manufacture of tools needed to make the parts.George had brought along some original tools dies drawings and intersting artifacts from the factory.The presentation was very well received .There were also some faces not normally seen at the afternoon workshops, those ever patient sponses who wait in hotel lobbies as we spent our time looking at time!

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New England Chapter No. 8 NAWCC

1998 SUMMER MEETING, SATURDAY, JUNE 6

Holiday Inn at Boxborough Woods, Massachusetts

VENUE: The Holiday Inn, Boxborough Woods, Massachusetts. The Hotel is located on the east side of Route 1-495 at exit 28. Those desiring overnight lodging should contact the hotel directly at 978-263-8701.

The Chapter hospitality suite will be open on Friday 5th, at 5.00pm -- ask at the front desk.

Registrations before May 30, 1998 are $18 .
Registrations received after May 30, 1998 and "walk-ins" will be $25
As always, registration includes your luncheon and is required for participation in any of the meeting activities.

THE PRESIDENT'S CORNER BOB MERRILL:
Thanks to all of you who supported the stamp petition.

We are aggressively searching for members for a Willard house team patterned after the highly successful Charles River Museum team. If you would like to spend time at the Willard House on a regular basis for purposes of supporting its activities or moving forward on Chapter 8 projects of special interest please contact a green hat.

Note the Annual Willard house workshop. Sign up early for it will fill quickly. See you there.

I expect to report to you at the June meeting on progress in our old timers and mentor programs.

VICE PRESIDENT AND PROGRAM CHAIRMAN'S MESSAGE --Larry Chelmow:
Hope this program has appeal to all members - Still trying very hard to have something for everyone and think that today's program should appeal to tool, watch, and clock folks alike. Also, I would like to encourage members who have done interesting restorations; or who might have some restoration and repair tips; or people with just some interesting pieces in their collection; to see me about presenting a workshop. The luncheon talk should be quite interesting as the Chelsea Clock Company is the only high volume manufacturer of complete clocks in the United States today. Andy Demeter will give a brief history of the company and Bruce Mauch will talk about the future of the company.

I think we have a good set of workshops scheduled for the meeting.This is John Kurdzionak's first presentation with us and he has experience with both the jewelers lathe and the micro lathe. This should be good information for those of us that do repair work. George Collord's background and interests combined with a set of photos done for the 1893 Columbian Exposition should be of particular interest to anyone that wants to see1890's high technology.

Who's who in todays meeting:-

Andrew Demeter

Andy has been a Chelsea Clock Collector for several years.His interest stems from both of his parents being naval officers during the second world war and his mother being a nurse at the Chelsea Naval Hospital. He has also been working on a book about the history of the Chelsea Clock Company and will be shortly looking for a publisher.

Bruce Mauch

Bruce is the Vice President of Manufacturing of the Chelsea Clock Company and has been with them approximately 25 years. Although he is an accountant by background, his work at Chelsea has turned him towards engineering. He is quite active in civic affairs in the city of Chelsea. He is president of the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Chelsea Rotary Club, co-author of the Chelsea City Charter, and chairman of the Chelsea Licensing Committee, to name a few.

George L. Collord

George is a full time collector, dealer, historian; in watches, clocks,scientific instruments, steam engines, and technology for 20 years. He studied machine process technology at Wentworth Institute in Boston and worked for six years in a job shop building special machinery.

John F. Kurdzionak

John has been repairing clocks professionally for the last six years and has recently assumed complete responsibility for the operation of the clock repair business at the Watchmaker in Stoneham, Massachusetts. He learned the basics of his craft from his father over the last twenty years.

Chapter meetings in 1998:

August 08,1998------Boxborough Woods
September--1998----Annual Symposium (no date established)
October 10 1998----Boxborough Woods

Chapter Eight Council

President: Robert L. Merrill
Past President Dr.Edmond Cooley
1st.Vice Presiden Lawrence Chelmow 2nd.Vice President Joseph Delaney:
Treasurer: Robert Frishman Secretary Brian Wilcox

Directors
Joseph Brown: William Gray Eberly: George Grant Richard Hauck
John Lelievre John Tuckwood

Associate Directors Wayne Paskerian & Philip Plourde

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