Page 53 - Clarion February 2018

In Business Neville Weaver at No 19 Denture Repairs

Cobb retired, with a little freelance work to fill in
the hours, and by the mid 90s he was operating as
a freelance, still in the laboratory above the old
Cobb premises.
Life changed dramatically when he married Jane
and daughter Tilly was born in 2007. He was
working for several practices and seeing little of
his family, so Jane suggested they build on the
back of No 19. He’s still operating from there
today, in about 15 feet x 12 feet of busy-ness with
stainless steel storage cabinets and a mixture of
mature machinery (“The polishing lathe is the one
from Tenbury Wells. Must be 70 years old and still
does the job well”) He’s spent on a range of new
equipment as technology has moved on, but does
it wisely with no waste.
Today he’s working for seven dentists spread
across four practices plus private repair work. “I
reckon I can repair about 95 percent of the
breakages people bring in here.” he says. If it’s a
clean break he’ll make a mould to hold the two
halves, trim the two faces and apply an adhesive
Neville Weaver at work in the laboratory at No 19 before cleaning and polishing to produce exactly
“I didn’t want to do A Levels at Ludlow, I wanted the same shape. And how long would that take if
to do O Levels and learn a craft. Eventually I got I walked in with a broken denture? “About an
an interview with a cabinet maker in Leominster hour.” I was amazed.
and the day I was on the way the place burned Dental technology is moving on as new
down!” It was destiny working for young Neville materials come into use. Like the traditional
Weaver; he got a job as a trainee dental technician ceramic used to make a crown bridge, more and
with John Cobb’s practice in Tenbury Wells and 35 more being made of Zirconia metal. And 3D
years later works from his own laboratory behind printing is advancing, the dental surgeon now
No 19 Lower Street. measuring the patient’s mouth with a hand-held
“I was on a five year day release course and by wand and sending the built up picture directly to
the third year I was doing jobs and the resident the laboratory for a mould to be made.
technician, who was in his 70s, worked part time.” “In about 15 years kids will leave school to do
After five years he’d earned the B Tech National jobs that don’t exist today,” he tells me. So would
Diploma in Dental Technology that is still hung he recommend that young people consider
on the wall. He worked there happily until Mr learning a craft? “If they enjoy it.” He does.

Denture Repairs

SPEEDY, QUALITY DENTURE REPAIRS
Cracked/broken dentures repaired the same day. “When I started this metal mould would be hand
A 1 HOUR service is available for when time is of the essence, just beaten from a sheet of stainless steel,” Neville
call to make an appointment .
remembers. “Today you’d build it up with a 3D
19 Lower Street, Cleobury Mortimer, DY14 8AL printer in whatever material you chose.”
Email: nevilleweaver@googlemail.com Phone: 07973856733 Neville Weaver.
All work undertaken by a GDC registered technician

Cleobury Clarion - Page !53 - February 2018