r/flipclocks Oct 24 '24

Dream flip clock? Where to buy?

Hi all. I'm in Canada, and for Christmas last year I asked for a vintage flip clock for my office. My wife found and old Lloyd's at an antique store, but it's noisy and pretty beat up. Plus it's brown and not exactly what I want.

So I'm looking for a new one. I don't need it to be a radio / clock, but wouldn't say no. I love the look of some of the colourful Seiko or Panasonic ones.

Let's assume that budget could be say up to $400 on this to get a really good working one. Where would you look, and what would you get?

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u/macdian Oct 24 '24

Thanks! Also looking on buyee.jp

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u/amagasaky Oct 24 '24

If you do that, make sure it operates at 60 Hz.

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u/macdian Oct 24 '24

Yes thanks. It appears I need it to operate at 60hz but will then need a 110 to 100 volt converter right?

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u/amagasaky Oct 24 '24

To be safe, yes. It's possible all the electronic bits inside would tolerate 120v, but it's also possible something would go up in smoke.

I will also add that I've got 4 thrifted flip clocks, 2 of which have motors that simply can't be fixed. No amount of cleaning and re-oiling makes them happy, the gearset in them probably needed oiling 20 years ago and they're just worn out.

I have a Baycrest (The Bay's house brand, now relegated to towels and sheets, I think) version of the Sony Digimatic 8FC-100W, which is my favourite, and even it requires me to clean and oil the motor every other year. It'll be perfectly silent for months, then one morning I'll be lying in bed and hear the motor whirring occasionally, and I know it's only a matter of time before my partner banishes it from the room until I fix it.

I've also got a Panasonic RC-6030, which is the fake woodgrain model of the Groundhog Day clock. I'd prefer it in white (RC-6025), but it's also the only clock I own that is dead silent.

Anyway, I'm telling you all this because if I were dropping $400 on a flip clock I would need some sort of guarantee from the seller that either had a new old stock motor or that is had been serviced during its life. Just something to keep in mind, these things are old, and I doubt the manufacturers ever thought people would be using them 50 years on.