Hi everyone, I am new to the forum and have just recently discovered an interest in flip clocks. In 2014 I ordered a white Copal 227 from an eBay seller after seeing it on an episode of House, M.D. and feeling a lot of nostalgia for the flip clocks I remember from childhood.
I LOVE my Copal 227, but it's got a few issues. When I received it, used but working and cosmetically in good shape, it seemed to work perfectly (aside from missing one half-flap piece that had fallen off and was included anyway). After a few months or so it ran slightly off, getting slower by about a minute every couple of days, until after a couple weeks it was around 8 minutes slow. Then it got slower over the days, until it was a few hours slow, and then it stopped running altogether. But worst and most embarrassingly, my cat jumped up onto the night stand and sent the clock clattering down underneath the furniture, where it lost a few more tiles. After the clock fell, it ran again for part of a day, then stopped completely.
I have never disassembled a clock, much less repaired one. But I am really curious to know if it's feasible for me to try to fix the 227 myself, or if I should find someone else to repair it -- or what else would be the best course of action. I'm tempted to buy another flip clock so I have that lovely orange glow and comforting sound that always seemed to help me sleep. Nothing wrong with having a second working flip clock while I get the 227 back in shape, right?
A few questions for the members here:
1. What flip clock would you recommend for me? I am looking for something similar to the "space age" design of the Copal 227. I am partial to the red or white plastic casing, but not picky. It does need to have orange or white (not green) light.
2. How can I make sure the clock I purchase is 60 Hz and will run properly here in the U.S.? Is that something we have to trust based on the clock label? (I've read some posts on the forum here that suggest that some clocks' inner workings don't match the label, due to adjustments or repairs made, etc.)
3. Also: I have seen some clocks online that are labeled "Copal 228." Is this a real model? The pictures look very cool, but I can't determine if this is some kind of knockoff, or what.
4. I have tried to research Copal clocks, flip clock design, Japanese clock design, flip clock history, etc. I did web searches, Google Books, library books, e-books, academic and popular articles, and design journals. Nothing! Am I missing something? Are there key words I should be using other than "Copal," "flip clock," "clock design," "flip clock history"? I tried "flap clock" as a key word; no change. This forum is the best place I have found for information on any flip clocks (thank you, Mackey!). Would you recommend a book, website, or other source where I can learn about clock design and/or repair?
Thanks for reading!
I LOVE my Copal 227, but it's got a few issues. When I received it, used but working and cosmetically in good shape, it seemed to work perfectly (aside from missing one half-flap piece that had fallen off and was included anyway). After a few months or so it ran slightly off, getting slower by about a minute every couple of days, until after a couple weeks it was around 8 minutes slow. Then it got slower over the days, until it was a few hours slow, and then it stopped running altogether. But worst and most embarrassingly, my cat jumped up onto the night stand and sent the clock clattering down underneath the furniture, where it lost a few more tiles. After the clock fell, it ran again for part of a day, then stopped completely.
I have never disassembled a clock, much less repaired one. But I am really curious to know if it's feasible for me to try to fix the 227 myself, or if I should find someone else to repair it -- or what else would be the best course of action. I'm tempted to buy another flip clock so I have that lovely orange glow and comforting sound that always seemed to help me sleep. Nothing wrong with having a second working flip clock while I get the 227 back in shape, right?
A few questions for the members here:
1. What flip clock would you recommend for me? I am looking for something similar to the "space age" design of the Copal 227. I am partial to the red or white plastic casing, but not picky. It does need to have orange or white (not green) light.
2. How can I make sure the clock I purchase is 60 Hz and will run properly here in the U.S.? Is that something we have to trust based on the clock label? (I've read some posts on the forum here that suggest that some clocks' inner workings don't match the label, due to adjustments or repairs made, etc.)
3. Also: I have seen some clocks online that are labeled "Copal 228." Is this a real model? The pictures look very cool, but I can't determine if this is some kind of knockoff, or what.
4. I have tried to research Copal clocks, flip clock design, Japanese clock design, flip clock history, etc. I did web searches, Google Books, library books, e-books, academic and popular articles, and design journals. Nothing! Am I missing something? Are there key words I should be using other than "Copal," "flip clock," "clock design," "flip clock history"? I tried "flap clock" as a key word; no change. This forum is the best place I have found for information on any flip clocks (thank you, Mackey!). Would you recommend a book, website, or other source where I can learn about clock design and/or repair?
Thanks for reading!
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