Repairing Guides

how to repair a wind up clock

by Durward Kshlerin Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Why has my wind up clock stopped working?

One of the most common problems with old wind-up clocks is that they get dirty and need lubrication. A good indication that this may be the problem is to look at the fast/slow adjustment lever on the back of a wind-up clock.

How do you fix an overwound clock?

Fixing An Overwound ClockClean The Clock. Sometimes cleaning your clock will get it working again. ... Lubricate The Mechanism. Like cars, all mechanical clocks need regular oiling. ... Replace The Springs. ... Find A Professional.

How do you disassemble a wind up clock?

0:197:47Chapter 12 - Disassembly - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis is a let down key it's smooth handle lets it freely rotate in your hand. Never use a regularMoreThis is a let down key it's smooth handle lets it freely rotate in your hand. Never use a regular winding key with finger wings as a let down key.

Why does the pendulum on my clock keep stopping?

Often a pendulum clock will stop when it has been moved, bumped or even a too aggressive push to restart a pendulum. It is not broken, only out of beat.

What are the 3 holes on a wind up clock?

In clocks with more than one keyhole, the left-most hole usually controls the hourly chime, and in clocks with three keyholes, the center keyhole is typically for the quarter-hour chime, although again this can vary from model to model.

How do you release a clock mainspring?

2:595:01005 Clock Mainspring - How to let down the power... Safely! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPlace the mainspring let down tool onto the square of the barrel Arbor. This is a good opportunityMorePlace the mainspring let down tool onto the square of the barrel Arbor. This is a good opportunity to see how strong the spring is. So give the clock a little bit of a wind.

How do you take apart a clock and put it back together?

0:108:48How to take a clock apart (and put it back together again) I ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAround. And a counterweight too. Now I can safely take the stand. And you can see on the back. Here.MoreAround. And a counterweight too. Now I can safely take the stand. And you can see on the back. Here. So first of all I'll take the side door off. And then I will take the hands off.

How do you assemble a wind up clock mechanism?

1:156:15Chapter 14 - Reassembly - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSlip the mainspring loop over it and seat the pivot of the winding Arbor in its bushing hole. NextMoreSlip the mainspring loop over it and seat the pivot of the winding Arbor in its bushing hole. Next install the second third fourth and escape wheels in their bushing holes.

How do you fix a clock that keeps stopping?

5:247:41"My Clock Keeps Stopping"- How to set the beat. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd just gently push and Bend very very very slightly and then release.MoreAnd just gently push and Bend very very very slightly and then release.

What causes a pendulum to slow down and stop swinging?

When the swing is raised and released, it will move freely back and forth due to the force of gravity on it. The swing continues moving back and forth without any extra outside help until friction (between the air and the swing and between the chains and the attachment points) slows it down and eventually stops it.

How do you solve a pendulum problem?

17:2826:25The Simple Pendulum - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo for this problem it's going to be 4 pi squared times the length of the pendulum which is 80MoreSo for this problem it's going to be 4 pi squared times the length of the pendulum which is 80 centimeters or if you divide that by 100 that's going to be 0.80 meters.

How do you keep a pendulum swinging?

0:000:59Pendulum Not Swinging - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere's a little magnet at the bottom make sure there's not a little piece of metal adhered to it.MoreThere's a little magnet at the bottom make sure there's not a little piece of metal adhered to it. Make sure that the the ribbon is not turned around on itself and keeping the arm from swinging.

How do you release an overwound grandfather clock?

A clock can be overwound, resulting in the weights being stuck in the highest position. When this happens, gently move the minute hand past the quarter hour and listen for the chime. This should release the weight.

Can you fix an overwound watch?

2:307:55HOW TO RELEASE A LOADED MAINSPRING INSIDE ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThere are two ways to rewind the mainspring the first method which is quite dangerous butMoreThere are two ways to rewind the mainspring the first method which is quite dangerous but recommended if you are learning to become a watchmaker.

What is overwound clock?

When the condition of a clock is described as "overwound," there is always another underlying cause for why the clock will not run. The clock ends up fully wound because winding is the first thing we try when a clock has stopped. It is difficult to determine the cause without inspecting the movement.

How do you fix a clock that keeps stopping?

5:247:41"My Clock Keeps Stopping"- How to set the beat. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd just gently push and Bend very very very slightly and then release.MoreAnd just gently push and Bend very very very slightly and then release.

Why don't clock owners wind their clocks?

Instead, most clock owners don't wind the clock enough because they're worried they will wind it too tightly and ...

Why don't clocks wind?

Instead, most clock owners don't wind the clock enough because they're worried they will wind it too tightly and that will be the end of the long-running piece. Although this doesn't sound too terrible, a clock is meant to run at full throttle.

What happens if you don't take a vise grip?

If you're not taking a pair of vise grips and mangling the key to get it to move forward after the mainspring is obviously wound to its maximum level, then you're in no danger of overwinding your clock.

Do you need to wind a pendulum?

You want to stop just short of the fullest wind possible. If your timepiece has a tiny pendulum, you may need to wind it more often. The more you take the time to wind, the more wear you are putting your clock through.

Can a clock be wound past the point of no return?

A good clock can never be wound past the point of no return. Although it's not a truism, there are some things to know so that you don't wind a mainspring too tightly and damage your valued timepiece. Advertisement. How to Fix an Over Wound Clock. Image Credit: manop1984/iStock/GettyImages.

How to wind a clock with a chain?

For clocks with chains, use a long wire or string and put it through the chain links just below the chain sprocket. When done properly, the wire or string should go through six chain links.

How to adjust a clock when the strike is off?

If the strike is off, grasp the HOUR HAND ONLY and rotate it forward or backward to line up with the correct hour on the dial indicated by the number of times the hour strikes.

How often should you move the clock forward?

Advance the minute hand clockwise until the correct time is set. When moving the hand forward, it is important to allow the clocks to chime every quarter hour (1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1) before advancing the hands to the next quarter hour position. DO NOT MOVE THE HANDS WHILE THE CLOCKS ARE CHIMING OR STRIKING.

Why won't my pendulum swing?

Pendulum will not swing: To provide proper pendulum operation, it is also necessary to ensure that the clocks are level. Also check that the pendulum is properly located on the pendulum hanger and that the speaker wires are not interfering with the pendulum operation in quartz models.

How many winding holes are there in a clock?

Wall and Mantel Clocks: Insert the winding key into the holes located in the dial face. Depending upon the model of the clock, there can be 1, 2 or 3 winding holes.

How to straighten a pendulum?

To straighten the pendulum, first remove it from the clock. Use cotton gloves or a soft non-abrasive cloth when handling the pendulum. With one hand, hold the pendulum below the top strap. With the other hand, grasp the pendulum bob. Gently twist the pendulum in the direction necessary to eliminate the twist.

Where is the proper position of the weights on a clock?

The proper position of the weights as you are facing the clock is labeled on the bottom of each weight. If your clocks are cable-driven clocks and were previously run, it is possible that the cables were not wound up with the weights left on the pulley. When this happens, the cables overlap on the drum.

10 Ways on How to Fix an Overwound Clock

This one may seem like a no-brainer; however, it’s worth mentioning if batteries power your clock. Sometimes you cannot tell that this is the problem, and the clock will run again once the batteries are placed back in.

Some Tips and Suggestions

1. Never use a tool to unwind the clock. The force of the gears rubbing against each other will cause uneven wear and may prevent you from winding your clock properly in the future.

How Do You Release a Clock Mainspring?

If your clock’s mainspring is overwound, you’ll need to release it before you can wind it up again. To do this, remove the hands from the clock and locate the winding stem. You should see a small hole in the center of the stem.

Conclusion

Overwinding your clock can result in the hands flying off and damaging other components. To fix an overwound clock, you need to release the tension on the springs that are wound too tightly by turning them counterclockwise with a screwdriver or hex key until they stop moving back and forth.

How to correct a spring driven clock?

To correct a Spring Driven Clocks mantle or wall clock that is bonging the hour when the minute hand gets to 6 o'clock instead of 12 o'clock, just count the bongs, take off the minute hand and reinstall it on the clock pointing to 12 o'clock, then turn the hour hand to the hour you heard the clock bong and its done.

How to correct a quarter chime clock?

On many quarter chime clocks, they have a self correcting feature and you should wait until a couple of hours go by after setting up the clock, to see if it will correct itself. There is a short cut to this, simply go around once or twice with the minute hand, letting it bong as you go. If a hour or two has gone by and the clock is still singing the wrong song at the wrong time, then remove the hands as stated earlier and put them to what ever time the clock is bonging, then reset the time with the minute hand.

What does it mean when a clock goes out of beat?

Out of beat is a term used in clock repair that basically means the clock is going to ck-tick, tock-tick, or ticktock, ticktock instead of tick tock tick tock. It is sometimes corrected by putting a matchbook or Small piece ...

What happens if you put a wrong pendulum bob on a clock?

It is commonly found in mantle clocks that the wrong pendulum bob has been put on the clock. Bobs are lost frequently like clock keys. If someone decides to replace the bob but hooks on a fatter one then the original, it may bump into the movement during its swing, even though the clock is level.

Why is the pendulum free?

The point is, to keep the pendulum totally free from obstructions because it uses its own weight and momentum to help keep the clock running.

What are the mechanics of spring driven clocks?

2. The Spring Driven Clocks chiming mechanics are out of synchronization and they are doing something to stop the movement. If the chime mechanics seems to be your clocks situation, it is recommended to read up on these parts with our E-Book.

How do spring driven clocks work?

There are only two general methods that a Spring Driven Clocks synchronizes the chime with what hour it is, these two methods are called Rack and Snail or Count Wheel. Both of these involve many interactions between the arms inside the movement (The arms are in the front of the movement in a rack and snail style movement).

Why don't you unwind the clock?

The reason for this is that you need to hold on to the key while you release the ratchet that holds it against its spring pressure.

How to feel the pressure of the spring on a carriage clock?

Once you have released the rat chet you will feel the pressure of the spring through the key you are holding. Unwind the carriage clock in half turns and release / apply the ratchet between the turns so that the spring pressure is always managed by either your fingers with a firm hold on the key, or by the ratchet being allowed to stop ...

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10 Ways on How to Fix An Overwound Clock

  • 1. Remove All the Batteries:
    This one may seem like a no-brainer; however, it’s worth mentioning if batteries power your clock. Sometimes you cannot tell that this is the problem, and the clock will run again once the batteries are placed back in.
  • 2. Turn it Upside Down:
    Believe it or not, this has worked for me on more than one occasion. Changing the position of the clock hands seems to reset whatever mechanism is causing it to be overwound.
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Some Tips and Suggestions

  • 1. Never use a tool to unwind the clock. The force of the gears rubbing against each other will cause uneven wear and may prevent you from winding your clock properly in the future. 2. Stop winding when there is still some room on the crown/knob left, even if it is only a few turns. This ensures that you won’t overwind your clock. 3. If you have not used your clock in a while, don’t tr…
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How Do You Release A Clock Mainspring?

  • If your clock’s mainspring is overwound, you’ll need to release it before you can wind it up again. To do this, remove the hands from the clock and locate the winding stem. You should see a small hole in the center of the stem. Use a paper clipor a small screwdriver to insert it into that hole while also applying pressure to the opposite end of the clock. This should release some tension …
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Conclusion

  • Overwinding your clock can result in the hands flying off and damaging other components. To fix an overwound clock, you need to release the tension on the springs that are wound too tightly by turning them counterclockwise with a screwdriver or hex key until they stop moving back and forth. If you have an overwound clock, the best way to fix it is by rewinding in reverse. You will ne…
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