HOW TO: Replace the battery in the Whitney Museum stainless steel MY PRETTY PONY.

[carlosdetweiller]

The battery in the clock wears down and stops after a few years. You may elect to leave it that way but it is possible to replace the battery and have it keep excellent time for several more years. It's pretty easy.

The books came well-packed from the Whitney Museum. This is one of King's personal "author" copies which were numbered with Roman numerals. The rest of the series were unnumbered.

In the box.

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Mailing label.

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Foam pieces cover the four corners and top and bottom edges.

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Carefully slide the book and packing materials out.

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Now there is a plastic bag that is removed and it is a pain because it keeps catching on the sharp corners and wanting to tear.

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Here is our target. The clock housing.

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But first let's take a look at this monstrosity of a book. All of the pages with images or colored printing have a protective removable page of some material I assume is to keep the ink from bleeding onto the next page. I think you are supposed to remove it but I doubt if any collector ever did.

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With the protective page removed you can see King's inscription to Shirley and Pete Sonderegger.

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Maybe they made the book so big so that older people like myself could read it without reading glasses? Could this be the first King S/L done in Large Print?

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Here is the limitation page. This copy is one of the 30 with Roman numerals. The others have no numbering.

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OK. Enough looking around. Let's get to that damn battery. Using a very small Phillips screwdriver remove the two screws holding the battery and housing to the book.

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Gently lift the assembly from the book. I suppose it is possible to scratch the stainless steel at this point but if you are reasonably careful that shouldn't happen. Don't lose those screws! They are pretty tiny!

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Turn the assembly over to reveal the Big Time timepiece in all its glory. It is a remarkably cheap timepiece. There is a handle that you can unfold to grasp it and pull it out but it comes out easily on its own.

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Use a regular screwdriver to open the battery compartment.

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You can then carefully pry out the battery and replace it with a "Button Cell" battery number AG 12.

Once the battery is in place the clock will run and you set it to the correct time using the buttons on the side of the clock.

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Then just put it back together and you have years of happy accurate timekeeping ahead of you.

Then when you get tired of looking at it (and you inevitably will) put it back in the box with its packing materials. Some years later you can take it out to look at it and find that the clock has stopped again. Repeat the above steps.

[Merlin1958]

OR, Fuck it and get a Jeweler to do it!!!!! I just LOVE that, Bob!!!! You're my hero!!!!!

[Patrick]

That was informative and entertaining. Not that I have a copy with the timepiece, but still I appreciate what you've done here.

[The Library Policeman]

Enjoyed this very much Bob. First time I've really got a close up look at the book. Thank you!

I have the big horrible red trade edition!!

[Mr. Rabbit Trick]

Then when you get tired of looking at it (and you inevitably will) put it back in the box with its packing materials. Some years later you can take it out to look at it and find that the clock has stopped again. Repeat the above steps.

Thanks for the demonstration Bob. That's the longest time your book has been out the box.

I looked at mine for 5 minutes when I bought it, and like you said, it's now packed away in a cupboard, never again to see the light of day. I also think it is one of the worse King S/L books.

[carlosdetweiller]

The quality of the materials is first class as is the craftmanship, printing quality, etc. The paper stock is incredible with each page feeling like an expensive lithograph. The fonts used and the printing quality are all worthy of fine artwork. These were expensive books to make and you can tell that when you see, feel and even smell it first hand. The problem is the overall design and how it doesn't lend itself to display or shelving. It is really heavy and I perceive it to be somewhat fragile with the stainless steel cover prone to picking up fingerprints and possibly even scratches. For those reasons it is a book that most owners likely have stored away out of sight rather than proudly displayed.