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HERMANN: |
Do
you like the sound of clocks? |
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MARTIN: |
Yes, I do. They're comforting. |
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HERMANN: |
They are. People my age grew up with clocks in the house. We had a
large clock in our living room. My father brought it with him from
Switzerland. |
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MARTIN: |
Do
you have clocks in your home? |
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HERMANN: |
Too
many. My wife says we have too many. |
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MARTIN: |
OK.
First you make the clock. |
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HERMANN: |
I put it together. I assemble it. |
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MARTIN: |
Right. That must take a lot of skill. |
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HERMANN: |
In
the beginning it was difficult. Now it's easy. |
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MARTIN: |
Then you make the case. |
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HERMANN: |
Usually I work that way. First, I make the clock. Next, I make the
case. |
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MARTIN: |
Tell me how you make the case. |
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HERMANN: |
First, I select the wood. |
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MARTIN: |
What kind of wood do you like? |
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HERMANN: |
I
use all kinds. For the clocks with chimes, I use hard woods. |
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MARTIN: |
Why
is that? |
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HERMANN: |
It
sounds better. The hard woods make the chimes sound very nice. Soft
woods make the chimes sound dull, uninteresting. |
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MARTIN: |
What next? |
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HERMANN: |
Then I measure everything. Next I cut the wood. |
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MARTIN: |
What about the glass? |
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HERMANN: |
That's next. I put the wood pieces together first. Then I cut the
glass and fit it into the wooden case. |
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MARTIN: |
And
then you put the clock inside? |
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HERMANN: |
Not
yet. I have to finish the wood first. That's easier before I put the
clock inside. |
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MARTIN: |
I
can't believe there are so many skills. You have to know so many
things. |
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HERMANN: |
That's right. I have to put the clock together. |
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MARTIN: |
You
have to be a skillful clockmaker. |
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HERMANN: |
Then I have to make the case out of wood. |
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MARTIN: |
You
have to be a skillful wood worker. |
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HERMANN: |
Next I have to cut the glass. |
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MARTIN: |
That means you're a skillful glass cutter. |
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HERMANN: |
Then I have to finish the wooden case. |
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MARTIN: |
Finally, you're a skillful wood finisher. |
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HERMANN: |
Oh,
not finally. It isn't done yet. |
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MARTIN: |
There's more. |
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HERMANN: |
I
have to make sure that the clock runs properly. |
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MARTIN: |
Tell me about that. |
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HERMANN: |
I
can't correct the clock until it's finished. After I put it all
together, I correct the clock. |
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MARTIN: |
What does that mean? |
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HERMANN: |
The
clocks always run too fast or too slow. I have to correct them.
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MARTIN: |
That's another skill. |
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HERMANN: |
It's not difficult. It usually takes a few days to get it right.
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MARTIN: |
Why
is that? |
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HERMANN: |
I
change it a little one day. Then I check it the next day. Then I
change it a little more. Then the next day a little more, until it's
correct. |
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MARTIN: |
And
they sound terrific. |
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MARTIN: |
Mr.
Hermann, how many clocks do you have in this shop? |
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HERMANN: |
I
don't know. Probably three hundred. |
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MARTIN: |
Are
they all for sale? |
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HERMANN: |
No,
I like some of them too much. That's a problem, isn't it? |
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MARTIN: |
I
would want to keep them all. It takes unusual skill to make such
beautiful clocks. |
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