The Micro-set units you sold the NAWCC for the Field Suitcase workshop program have been a fine asset to the program and the students love them. I use the optical sensor a lot because of the ambient room noise and the stability of the readings. Thanks for developing such a great unit.
Fred Tischler
MicroSet has opened a new page in the quest for advancing the science and the art of timekeeping.
David S. Goodman, author of "This Old Clock"
I received my new timer from you Monday. I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how happy I am with this new timer. Having been using my old MicroSet for over nine years on an almost daily basis, I was well acquainted with how handy a tool it is in the clock shop. Even though I realized that I was getting a much more advanced timer than my original one, I have been absolutely amazed at how much more I am able to do with the new one, and how much faster it is already making the process of troubleshooting and timing. I've not yet used all of the features that I now have, but am very happy with the ease of use and options that I now have.
The only problem I now have is that I see the need to get yet another from you sometime in the future! I'll let you know when I'm ready.
Chris McVetty, The Clock Meister
Well as I am sure you have heard already from others I was skeptical about how well your MicroSet would work for timing watches. I put off buying for a long while, I was thinking that it couldn't be very good if it was being sold so cheaply. I was planning on purchasing a Witschi because it is known as one of the best but as you know it is expensive. So I figured what the heck I may as well give your machine a try first and I am glad I did, it is wonderful.
I have been using a Vibrograf B200 for years and liked it just as many other watchmakers do. I have also been using a Witschi recently that a good friend let me borrow to try out, it is a very powerful machine indeed but your machine in my opinion is just as good, if not better. Yours is portable, very accurate, more versatile, and a lot less money. I am using both machines side by side and getting the same readings from both.
I have two other watchmakers working for me and they love your machine too, we really can not believe how well it works. We almost exclusively repair watches here, very few clocks are taken in due to their size and our lack of space so we were not sure how useful the MicroSet would actually be but now we are pretty much convinced that it is going to be one of the most useful tools we have purchased in a long time. I would be glad to recommend it to anyone and would be happy to share my experiences with anyone that is considering purchasing one.
Keep up the good work!
Denis Carignan, Carignan Watch Company, Inc.
I will tell everyone that I can think of about your GREAT little device!! I own a $4,000.00 Greiner Frequency counter/servicing tester that takes up half of my watchmaker's bench space and your tester gives me the *exact* same readings!! And it is "portable" on top of it!
George Fruge'
It arrived today and I've been playing with it for hours. What a great product! I've used various old-style timers and even used a Witschi, but the MicroSet beats them all for ease of use and features. In addition this is one of the best written manuals I've seen in some time. Very well done!
Richard Patterson
The new Microset 3 with the accessories I ordered last week has arrived safely and, if anything, exceeds all expectations. It is truly, and without exaggeration, a work of genius and I cannot compliment you enough on what you have achieved. The Balance Wheel Amplitude mode is an extraordinarily powerful tool but the other views and operations - such as the Instability Rate - are quite simply, invaluable. It makes the Tikoprint generation of machines, which I have used for years, instantly obsolete.
G.W.
Concerning the optional software package, I can't tell you what a "Wow" effect the graphics provide when reviewing watch performance with a client. The watch/clock timing graph is now a standard part of my client invoice package. The graphics certainly increase my credibility in the customer's eyes. So, Thank You...I am very pleased with the product and it's adaptability to meet my needs.
B.C.
By the way, you're a genius. The MicroSet 3 I just bought from you works like a charm. It's everything I would have ever designed into a watch timer but been unable to build, let alone so professionally. You do great work.
B.W.
I don't know if you hear it much, but from my perspective the MicroSet is truly a great product!!! I use it daily and find so many interesting uses for it. It is really a great advance in clock servicing. For customers, I always use it to first capture data, then repair the clock movement and use it again. The comparison of the operating time parameters really show that work was done on the movements, that improvements were made, and that the movement is now "documented" as better. Really great job you did with the overall package and the software!!
B.A.
Yesterday my new Strike Recorder update arrived. It was installed within minutes, and put to work immediately on a small French carriage striking clock we suspected of striking erratically.
It has earned its cost several times over in less than 24 hours!
First of all, the instructions are a textbook example of clear, unambiguous, jargon-free writing, as are those of the MicroSet handbook.
This device is brilliant, and enhances the already great MicroSet. I can't wait for the next installment. Send be the gate device whenever it is available, and CHARGE more so that I don't feel guilty!!
Ray Bates, "The British Clockmaker, Inc."
I have been using the Microset 3 almost daily. Makes short work of what used to take days and weeks.
B.C.
I received my Microset 3 on Tuesday and finally got a chance to test it yesterday. It's fantastic. Thanks for creating such a convenient accurate and versatile tool that doesn't cost a fortune.
D.P.
My wife purchased a MicroSet 3 for me about a year and 1/2 ago. By far it is the best purchase that was ever made for my shop. It truly is a delight to use.
J.C.
I think your timer is better than buttons on shirts.
J.W.
It is Superb! I couldn't be happier, thanks.
R.R.
I acquired your marvelous machine (and) it is lightyears ahead of the TimeTrax I had before and the predecessor of TimeTrax.
K.S.
Had a chance to try out my new MicroSet this weekend.
OUTSTANDING!!
Thank you.
A.P.
I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the MicroSet unit! I have been into the same kind of development with my 'state-of-the-art' tower clock, and I am impressed with how clean a design you have.
That timer is a breakthrough, a new era of horology is here!
D.C.
Had mine for over a year and I swear by it , not at it!
Ken
I have been using the Clamping Watch Sensor for about two weeks - it is a great improvment, and I use the MicroSet on all my new watches - it is a tereffic time saver and I can adjust my watches to within C.O.S.C. spec. in a few minutes and give my customer a certificate generated by the computer.
D.M.
I still have my old TimeTrax 180. Right now its acting as a paperweight because your instrument is SO MUCH BETTER.
S.C.
Just a note to tell you that I am extremely happy with the timer. I admit I was a bit dubious because of its low price but it exceeds my expectations in every respect. I'm an electronics tech by trade and I was very impressed with the construction of the device.
B.W.
It is your service, helpfulness and product innovation which separates you from the "other guys".
D.R.
My Microset is working again. Thanks again for a good product at a good price and the support to match it. I'm thrilled.
C.R.
I just had to drop you a note to tell you how pleased I am with the MicroSet Timer. It has opened up a whole new area for analytical evaluation of clocks and their adjustments. I dug around in my junk box and found a simple 8 day time movement and gave it a before and after rebuild evaluation. With the MicroSet, it opened my eyes as to how much more one can fine tune a clock's adjustments. I was amazed as to the ability to be able to set the recoil escapement depthing in real time and watch the results live. Also the results of minimizing the gap on a crutch to pendulum suspension shaft. I was able to adjust this and watch the optimum gap again in real time on the computer screen. I also was pleased in the graphic print out of the finished repair and it would impress any customer.
J.S
I am "Whelmed" if not "Overwhelmed" at what your timer has opened up to me in being better able to understand some of the things that go on in a clocks innards. I have been messing with these animals for over 25 years and have had a lot of conjecture as to what was happening but never had any reference prior to your timer.
Today, I overhauled a clock and made "before" and "after "traces" on the computer and it was amazing to me what I was able to determine with watching things trace on the screen. The value of being able to adjust an escapement depth and have the results graphically illustrate the adjustment takes the guess work out of this adjustment. I think this is a great new breakthrough for us Horologist's as before this method, we did it "By God and By Gosh" and we were able to luck out most of the time. One thing I learned long ago was you can never trust that the last Guy who worked n the clock knew what he was doing. This particular escapement needed depth adjustment and with this tool, I was able to depth it at it's optimum.
J.S
THE KING KONG KUDO: This surely goes to Bryan Mumford and the MicroSet. I can't remember if MicroSet made it to the kudos list a year ago, but surely this has been the year of its great impact, and it seems clear to me that it is the best thing to come along for horological science since the beat plate.
A.H.
There is no question that the Micro-Set by list member Bryan Mumford is by far the best clock timer on the market. It comes with all the functions you would ever want and a good instruction book. If you can afford it get the computer interface with it, then you can do really serious data logging.
F.M.
I received the upgrade today, installed it, and am giving it the acid test as I do all those new items. I wanted to tell you that I don't talk much about anyone's equipment very freely. But I must tell you that yours has been and still is superb. If you ever want to use me as a reference for those in doubt about your timer, please feel free. I could say nothing but honest truth about an outstanding device. Until yours fell into my hands (about a year ago now) I never figured this shop would ever depend on such a item.
THE TIME LINE
Robert A. Ruby
Microset is great! I don't know how I lived so long without it. Definitely get the software....
J.K.
I received the clock timer today. I put my new clock I have built in beat in a few minutes after opening the box.
I make my living designing and building electronic devices, I am pleased to see your timer is of the highest quality construction, It also looks good and the instructions are easy to follow.
M.M.
YABBADABBADOO!!
It's arrived! And from my first frenetic scrabblings with it, it's everything y'all have been saying. 10 seconds with the manual, 2 minutes plugging it all together, and I was busy trying it out on the first thing to hand.
The software installed like a dream on my Windoze 95 computer, and I was quickly able to see why all the other timers I've fooled with in the past (including Greiner, Vibromatic, Cantho, Tick-Tech, etc) gave less than useful results. It really is quite startling to see just how the instantaneous rate changes so dramatically.
E.I.
I don't know if you followed the thread on quality these days but your product should be the icon of the discussion and what people still can accomplish. You have an excellent product in quality, simplicity, and effectiveness. Your dedication, workmanship and pride show through on this product.
H.H.
After using the Microset for several days and observing defects that heretofore were undetectable, I am fully aware of the importance this ubiquitous tool and the accompanying software provide.
L.L.
Your timer saved the day for me today. I have in the shop a horrible posted movement 30 hour rope drive clock, belonging to an equally offensive client, that had a world of things wrong with it, most of which had to be rectified on my nickel, to the accompaniment of a crescendo of howls from the aforementioned client. The thing came with a crude homemade seconds pendulum, and when I finally set it up to run with same, It lost hours per hour. Now I know how to count a train and get the approximate pendulum length, but your minute hand watching feature brought the clock to it's right pendulum length in a couple of hours instead of a couple of weeks.
D.M.
I have both the TimeTrax 180 and Bryan's Microset Timer. Both are very good units. I use the TimeTrax on service calls and use the Microset in the shop. I really like the Microset. It gives you a nice picture of what is going on and you can save the graph to check against another clock of the same model. I love the optical detector for checking the hour hand for a complete revolution of the hands. Also the optical detector really is nice when timing clocks because there is no noise factor involved. The software will work on anything from a 286 up with Windows. I can time grandfather movements down to 1 second per day off and it only takes about 15 min. to do it in. I know that is probably splitting hairs but it is kinda fun if you have the time to do it. I set my computer up and just leave it near the shelves and stands for the grandfathers. With the cables to connect to the computer and the optical cable I can reach most of the clocks I time.
B.W.
As a user of Bryan Mumford's MicroSet, I can testify that the computer interface is very nicely executed. The display can be configured to show, in graphical form, beat intervals over a few seconds or several hours. Although not necessary to most ordinary service operations, this display can be invaluable in psyching out a troublesome mech. And just damned interesting, as the little short-term variations to which every clock is subject are revealed in their naked glory.
P.T.
My opinion is the Microset is the easiest and most functional for the price. It uses a 9v battery, can be used on 110v and with the right transformer can be used for 220 as well. It helps set the rate and beat, you can study the behavior and performance of any clock, including 400 day, atmos, and the more conventional. It has both an acoustic sensor and an optical sensor (which I like better) this one eliminates all outside noise. It shows both BPH and microseconds and it has a computer interface which I like the best. I can graph my clocks and keep a history. If they come back for any reason I can compare the charts. I had one that came back for repair and I found that someone had dropped the clock bending the center arbor at the hand and when I pointed this out to the customer on the screen she admitted it. I use the graph to show my customers, although they don't understand it they are impressed. Good selling point. Lately I've hit a point in my clock repair that I'm starting to spend more time studying the mechanisms than I used to, and this has become a valuable tool for my purpose.
I've used the TimeTrax as well, and personally prefer the MicroSet.
B.R.
The 'Clock Clinic' (a very well established and busy dealer) in London asks me to complement you on MicroSet which now routinely saves them two or three hours work a week on clock set-up !
A.G.
Just wanted to let you know that I am very pleased with my timer. I haven't used the interface yet, but the timer has performed admirably, saving me time in addition to being accurate. I wanted to test it for a while to get used to it. If you have anyone that wants to get a recommendation, feel free to give them my name and number, address, etc.
Robert Chaney
I own a TimeTrak, CanTho and a MicroSet meter and have used several other. I can tell you from experience I feel that the Bryan's meter is the best on the market. With the new feature added which keeps track of the strike count and its ability to quickly and accurately time out clocks like Atmos and Anniversary clocks this meter can not be beat.
J.H.
Exactly a year ago this weekend I purchased a MicroSet Timer from Bryan Mumford. I had previously used the #400 TimeTrax and had two others and assorted computer programs. These timers did a great job of beat counting, and of course setting the beat as well. But, I have never had a timer that would be impervious to outside and inside noise, (and in my shop that's worth a million), seeing when your rate is stable (from a graph on the computer), detecting flaws in escape wheels, logging rates over minutes to days, (I have a folder with over 100 graphs of assorted clocks that I now use to compare to present jobs). As Les Lesovsky said "It's limitations are a factor of the user's ability to manage its functions". Why you can detect how temperature and pressure effects the movement. I am now studying pressure effects on movements. Take different readings with the door to the clock open, and then close it and take another reading, what other timers on the market will give you results like these. I now give my customers a printout of their clock movement and show them what it means, many of them don't really understand but they love it, but what I've learned in addition to just "repair" has been astonishing. I believe Mr. Mumford stated "I designed my timer with an eye towards high precision and technical study", I believe he has taken the normal repair and raised it to another level for all repairmen that use these tools. Not only as a tool but as a learning device.
The usual disclaimers with my opinions, I have no financial interest or gain in the MicroSet, but I do feel it's one of the best achievements and advancements for horology that has come along in years. Great job Mr. Mumford.
R.R.
I have both. I use the Microset most of the time for many reasons. First I connect directly to an electric clock that I have. I use the optical pickups often, I time chronometers and getting either the TimeTrax or the Microset to handle the loud tick in one direction and the faint tick of the passing spring tripping in the other direction is a problem. The Microset feature of reading once an hour is also useful.
The ability of the Microset to log data is a must. Sometimes it takes hours of logging to see train problems.
Bryan now has a laser pair sensor that will solve many more problems.
If I had to chose between the two, it would be the Microset without question, but the Timetrax works well in a much more limited environment.
J.W.
I got a Microset in January, and it was a little difficult to put the idea of seconds per beat as opposed to BPH. However, once I got my mind twisted to that, I found that it is GREAT for achieving a closer timing. I still use BPH, but only for roughing in a new pendulum or things like that.
B.C.
The UPS package containing the laser sensor I ordered for my MicroSet just arrived. I've been fiddling with little lasers for horo experiments for some years, and the focusable ones are not cheap. Bryan has put together a superbly crafted well-designed package of emitter, separate detector, cables, and "black box" for less money than you pay for a focusable laser alone from Edmund, and for less money than you can get a good integrated (pulsed) sensor module alone for from Banner.
This thing will let me MicroSet my Cooke regulator through its glass door. Now if I just didn't have to open that door to wind it.
Great job again, Bryan! Thanks.
A.H.
A very handy gadget, the PC interface already allowing me to separate what I thought was one very curly fault in a very simple clock into two much simpler faults! This particular clock has been on and off my bench for 6 months without being able to pinpoint the problem(s)!
And regulating a 400-day clock with the optical sensor is pure bliss compared to the audio sensor method!!
A.B
Finally, I will add, with no interest in the product beyond how good I think it is, that a Microset timer will reveal all kinds of things in the performance of a clock that many of us would never have anticipated. It really has turned analysis of pendulums from a guessing game to a science.
J.L.
The Microset is made by a member of our Clocksmiths group, Bryan Mumford. I have one of the timers and think it is an excellent product. One advantage is that Bryan can't leave well enough alone and is constantly coming up with new features that far out do the competition. He also has a website with more information.
B.L.
Mr. Mumford is in Santa Barbara, California and advertises in the Mart magazine among others. He is quite helpful, answers his own phone most of the time, and has an excellent product. I have been using it for over a year and am quite happy with it.
A.L.
