The Caslon 201 - Perhaps the first commercially successful flip clock

[Mackey]

What can go wrong during a Caslon Restoration
(please realize the followers of the YouTube channel may be different from the members here - I address the audience as if they are not aware of the above discussions).

[Ontime]

Is there a solution to repair a missing number tab, other than just finding a replacement? And also - I wonder if that clear clock was a kind of promotional, for the stores to use in a display, to help sell other flip clocks, or a limited edition to commemorate flip clocks? (ok, it's a stretch!)

[Mackey]

Yes. You can glue the tile. Superglue works. This is very difficult to do in many situations and easy to mess up.

[Ontime]

Thanks Mackey - I was thinking of just that. Surgery for me isn't a problem, but it's nice to have a supply of parts instead. Just finding flip clocks at the thrifts around here is uncommon. After mentioning that I was in the thrift store to find a flip-clock (and had to explain what "flip clock" meant), the older employee said, "I had one of the early G.E. models, but when it stopped working, I just threw it out!"

Now fans...does this sound familiar? :-( She said,"I'm sorry, it was a long time ago, otherwise, I'd gladly give it to you."

Just think of all those clocks (or at least parts) that were buried in heaps of garbage or burned...along with many other mid-century coolness.

[flipoclock]

Just got my hands on a very early model 201. It is date stamped with a label which says October 1966, the first year they were introduced!

Instead of a plastic, removable backplate, it has an aluminium-like backplate which is held in place by 4 screws which also has a hole for the power cable to run through.

Before I noticed this (I only saw a picture of the front when I bought it), I was thinking of using this one for parts, I have been searching for a 201 for parts for quite awhile now. Now that I know that this one is probably quite rare, I will be restoring it.

In order to make it perfect again, it will need a new front bezel though since someone tried to remove it from the outside (which obviously does not work) so still need one for parts ;-)

[Mackey]

Nice find. That has to be one of the first made! Getting the chromed bezel off without damaging it is difficult. It seems it would be a simple matter of untwisting tabs... but that sucker doesn’t want to come off without bending.

[flipoclock]

Yeah, the bezel is a b*tch.... It requires a pair of very fine pliers, guts and patience.

First you (un)twist, then you push and pull, push and pull, push and pull... you get the idea

[Mackey]

Yes, I've done it but not very successfully. Thankfully it was a parts clock and the Bezel was in bad shape anyway.