We are a hands-on clock and watch workshop club formed in 2005 in West Essex offering instruction and help in clock and watch making and repair.
Epping Forest Horology Club, EFHC, was established by a group of enthusiasts to provide workshop facilities and appropriately qualified instructors. Facilities include specialist tools and equipment and the weekly workshop sessions are suitable for those interested in the practical side of horology from expert enthusiasts to complete beginners.
The venture is supported by
The British Horological Institute and is an approved BHI examination centre.
The Worshipful Company of Clockmakers who have assisted with equipment.
The Club is an honorary member of The British Watch and Clock Makers Guild .
The information below was last updated on 30 Jan 2010.
*NEW THURSDAY AFTERNOON WATCHMAKING SESSION*
If you've always thought you'd like to know more about watches or if you have a collection of watches and would like to maintain them yourself then our new Thursday afternoon watchmaking session is right up your street.
We know that many who will join us for afternoon watchmaking sessions will be people who, like a number of our present members, have taken early retirement or have reached full retirement age. Many reading this will be thinking, as has been said to us many times, 'there is no way that I can handle mechanisms that small - my eyes aren't that good'.
If you are one of those people then we want to assure you that our watchmaking tutor, John Hatt FBHI, will show you how you will be able to do it - he does it himself!
Phone us on the Contact Number below to talk about your horological aspirations and worries and how our Thursday afternoon session will address them - there's no obligation and we believe you will find you have new horizons opening up.
*NEW THURSDAY EVENING CLOCKMAKING SESSION*
We are now recruiting for a new clockmaking session to run on Thursday evenings (6.30pm to 9.00pm). This will start as soon as sufficient numbers have noted interest. As always we are restricted by available benches to a maximum of twelve attendees.CONTACT
Telephone 0844 251 0345
E-mail membership.secretary(at)efhc.org.uk
Please type in the @ symbol without any spaces in place of (at). Our apologies for this cumbersome process but this and the absence of a link are intended (successfully so far) to thwart automated scanning for addresses to be used for spam which had become a nuisance. Please note that this address is NEVER used for messages or replies and anything purporting to come from the club this way is fraudulent. If you do not get at least an acknowledgement of e-mail within a couple of days please telephone or try again, the spam filtering may be too aggressive.
*PROSPECTIVE NEW SESSIONS*
Enquiries are invited from those interested in new clockmaking sessions to take place on Mondays (same session times as Tuesdays and Thursdays). At present this is to take notes of interest from those for whom a Monday would be a preferable Club day. Decisions as to when to commence these sessions will be taken in light of the perceived demand.
FACILITIES
Epping Forest Horology Club (EFHC) has a 59 sq metre (640 sq ft) fully equipped clockmaking workshop with 12 work benches, 6 clockmaking lathes, watchmakers lathes, 3 milling machines, 3 pillar drills, wheel cutting engine, pantograph engraving machine, clock and watch cleaning and timing equipment etc. and a wide range of hand and specialist tools. The new 50 sq metre (540 sq ft) workshop for watchmaking with a 20 seat lecture room will be available for use very soon. It will be equipped with audio and video aids for use when teaching, 12 watchmakers' benches, watch cleaning and timing equipment and a range of specialist watchmaking tools. In addition we recommend that members provide themselves with a basic toolkit for clock or watch making (or both) and we can suggest suitable starter kits.
LOCATION
-BY ROAD: The workshop is located near Epping in Essex (just North East of London, England) approximately 10 km (7 miles) from M25 Junction 26 or 8 km (5 miles) from M11 either Junction 7 (southbound) or Junction 5 (northbound)
-BY TRAIN: London Underground Central Line to Epping then take a taxi approximately 5km (3 miles)
ACTIVITIES
An instructor is present at the workshop sessions to provide help on any aspect of making or repairing clocks or watches. The format of each session is 'hands-on' rather than formal lectures which are organised separately.
The majority of members learn practical skills on clocks or watches of their own which need servicing, repair or restoration while some make clocks.
Members taking the British Horological Institute Distance Learning Course can work through the practical exercises in the weekday sessions and/or attend the theory lessons on Saturdays. Those working for formal BHI qualifications can use the club facilities to make test pieces or generate records of repairs and also sit the BHI examinations locally since we are an approved BHI examination centre.
Additional short duration courses of one, two or three days are organised from time to time on special topics, e.g. platform escapement overhaul, hand engraving, watchmakers' lathe work with hand gravers etc. These courses are open to members and are at substantially lower rates than others available.
PROGRAMME
Tuesday and Thursday afternoons clockmaking 2.00pm to 6.00pm.
Tuesday evenings clockmaking 6.30pm to 9.00pm
Thursday evenings watchmaking 6.30pm to 9.00pm
The club has 12 workbenches in each workshop so limit the number in each session.
The 'year' is divided into three terms and now totals 40 weeks. The dates for the 2009/10 year are:-
Autumn Term
Start week commencing Monday 14th September 2009
Finish week ending Friday 18th December 2009
Spring Term
Start week commencing Monday 4th January 2010
Finish week ending Friday 26th March 2010
Summer Term
Start week commencing Monday 12th April 2010
Finish week ending Friday 16th July 2010
Theory lessons on Saturdays commence on 9th January 2010 with a view to preparing students for the BHI examinations in May 2010
The workshop is closed from mid July to mid September.
ACCESS
Potential members with disabilities are invited to contact the club to discuss their needs.
FEES
Session fees are the same as last year.
Membership Joining Fee £60 (this is a non-refundable fee)
It is acceptable to join for short courses or theory lessons only.
Afternoon Sessions £350 per year (Tuesday or Thursday)
Evening Sessions £220 per year (Tuesday or Thursday)
Fees will be reduced for those joining later for less than 3 terms
The fees for the 2010 courses of theory lessons were £185 for the BHI Year 1 Theory syllabus and £185 for the BHI Year 2 Theory syllabus. Courses are only open to members of the club and therefore non-members were also liable for the £60 membership joining fee. Each Year course included the appropriate BHI Distance Learning Course manual for use during the course and retention thereafter by the attendee.
*BHI THEORY COURSES*
Enrolment for the 2010 Courses is now closed
If you are interested in undertaking study of the BHI Theory syllabus with us in the future let us know and we'll keep you advised of developments at the Club. No decision has, as yet, been made as to whether or not the BHI study courses will be run in 2011.
LINKS
We believe these websites may be helpful to others with similar interests to ourselves but we do not necessarily support all of the views expressed on them. The club cannot be held liable for any viruses somebody might pick up if they take the links.
The British Horological Institute The Examining Body for Horologists including a wealth of information available to members
The Clockmakers' CompanyAn active City of London craft guild promoting horological education and training
The St Albans Clock Club A club for both amateur and professional clockmakers which organises monthly lectures and other activities.
The Antiquarian Horological Society Promotes the study of clocks and watches and the history of time measurement
Horology - The Index The most extensive collection of horological resources on the internet.
Clocks magazine The monthly magazine for clock collectors, repairers and makers worldwide
Robert B Loomes FBHIAntique clock restoration and repairs including painted dial restoration
Quicktest supply small tools and materials for the watch or clock maker or jeweller. They also have a link to the Uxbridge and Midlands Clock Fairs