About Bill's Clockworks of Flora, Indiana

Bill’s Clockworks of Flora, Indiana repairs and sells clocks. We are a BBB Accredited Business with an A+ rating, and have been in business since 1991 and in Flora, Indiana since 1995.

Below are pictures inside and outside of our shop at 8 W. Columbia Street in downtown Flora, Indiana.

East side of the storefront of Bill's Clockworks. (October 15, 2021)

In the background is my assembly/disassembly workbench. I'm holding a Westclox "Dolphin" cast front clock I restored. (January 28, 2021)

Schatz London Coach 400 day clock repaired and polished (July 2023)

Four 400 day clocks after repair, polishing and lacquering. (September 16, 2014)

Polished 400 day clock case parts awaiting assembly. (December 2, 2010)

Telechron electric clocks for sale. At top left is a Big Ben Style 1a alarm clock sold by G. V. Brown, Flora, Indiana. (June 8, 2023)

Electric clocks for sale. (June 8, 2023)

Repair workbench with lathe and bushing machine — Repair bench for lathe work, bushing and general clock repair work. (August 28, 2008)

400 day clocks that have been repaired — 400 day clocks that I repaired. (August 28, 2008)

Workshop area, with some of my Westclox clocks at top — Part of my Westclox Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clock display, and clock testing bench. The clock on the pillar is the Hermle Greenwich. (August 28, 2008)

Bill Stoddard at 20 months old, looking a a Seth Thomas electric clock — Bill Stoddard at 20 months old

William S. (Bill) Stoddard

has had a lifelong interest in clocks and watches. When he was a boy, his grandfather, who had some antique clocks, showed Bill how to wind and regulate them. At age eight, Bill and his mother were in their attic one day and Bill found a Waterbury octagon lever wall clock, ca. 1880. Several years later, he saved up money mowing lawns and had a clockmaker repair the clock. The clock would not run reliably even after being returned several times. Two years later, a mainspring broke, so Bill installed a new one and and found out why the clock was unreliable and corrected the problem.

At age 14, Bill became interested in Westclox Baby Ben alarm clocks and began to collect and gather data about them. He later added Big Bens to the collection. In 1980, Bill met Richard Tjarks, an expert clock repairer and restorer, who also had an interest in Westclox clocks. This began a close friendship, and the two cooperated on many ventures, including Westclox articles and programs.

In high school, Bill bought a 1940s floor-standing radio. He learned how vacuum tube electronic circuits work and started repairing radios and televisions. He studied electronics for two years in high school and enjoyed it so much that he enrolled in the electrical engineering program at Michigan Technological University.

After receiving the BSEE degree in 1977 and the MSEE degree in 1978, Bill went to work for Bell Laboratories in Indianapolis, where he did digital circuit and IC design. In 1986, Bill joined Truevision, Inc., where he designed semi-custom integrated circuits for video display boards.

In April 1991, he formed Bill's Clockworks, a sole proprietorship, based in his Indianapolis house. In December 1991, he married Kimberly Wheeler and moved to Lomax, Illinois, where Kimberly was pastor of a church. Bill and Kimberly bought an old grocery store in Lomax built ca. 1900, renovated it, and put the clock shop there. In August 1993, Nathan, their first son, was born. In January 1995, the Stoddards moved to Kimberly's hometown of Flora, and their daughter Bethany was born in March 1995. The former Rainbow Cafe of Flora was renovated and became the site of Bill's Clockworks, officially opening in November 1995. Bill and Kimberly's third child, Luke, was born in July 1996.

Bill is a member of the NAWCC (National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors), the American Clock and Watch Museum, and the BBB (Better Business Bureau).

Bill enjoys working with vacuum tube high-fidelity amplifiers and tuners. Below is a picture of the pair of Eico HF-60 amplifiers he rebuilt in 2022. He also rebuilt a Dynaco PAS-2 preamp and hopes to have time for more in the future. Below is a picture of a Bogen DB130 he hopes to repair someday!

Pair of Eico HF-60 amplifiers with external meters to monitor the output tube bias.

Bogen DB130 monophonic integrated amplifier ca. 1955. Bill has two of these to repair, plus a spare.

Barry Wheeler

is a Flora native. He is best known in the greater Lafayette area for managing Richman Brothers clothing for 26 years, with a three year stint at selling cars at Kendrick Buick-Cadillac after Richman Brothers was liquidated nationally.

Barry does clock case restoration and helps with movement cleaning. He is past national president of the 6500 member Cadillac - LaSalle Club and owns four vintage Cadillacs. Through this association, and now his NAWCC (National Association of Clock and Watch Collectors) membership, Barry can provide worldwide references as to character and fair dealing. Delighted customers, both service and purchasers of clocks, are his goal. He is an elder and has served as a deacon of his church. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army (SP-5/E-5 Perm).

About Bill’s Clockworks

William S. (Bill) Stoddard

Barry Wheeler

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