Messages

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Old Pendulum Clock

« on: December 30, 2009, 10:27:40 am »

The chime tone is now somewhat funky.

That implies to me that you "tweaked" the chime hammer toward the "chime" instead of to the side away from the "butterfly thingy".

The chime hammer must be "tweaked" so that it actually doesn't touch the chime at its farthest "point of travel" (in slow motion that is), but positioned so that when it reaches its furthest point and the hammer "rod/handle" stops .... the momentum of the hammer head will cause it to strike the chime and immediately "recoil" back away from it. Thus, the "funky" tone is caused by the hammer head remaining in contact with the chime and deadening the "tone" of its ring.

the small thin butterfly piece that twirls like crazy

That "thingy" is the governor which regulates "the speed" of the chiming mechanism.

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You are exactley right!  When the hammer hits the chime and does not recoil and stays in contact, it gives off more of a ring "thud" sound as opposed to a clear and long lasting ring.  I really battled with this one hammer.  A very small margin of error between hanging on the chime and catching on the butterfly.  One of those things where after a couple of hours you settle for "what it is".  I think I'll go another round with this today!
Thanks all.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Old Pendulum Clock

« on: December 29, 2009, 06:08:14 pm »

Got it!  Thanks all.  I discovered that one of the 3 chime hammers (the one closest to the back of the clock) was somehow sweaked.  As it went back to it's furthest position from the chime, it caught onto the small thin butterfly piece that twirls like crazy during the chime process.  Just a slight adjustment and it cleared this piece and is working great.  The chime tone is now somewhat funky.  I played with the hammer arms for quite awhile and it's better but now quite the same.  Good enough though!

Thanks again,
Jim

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Old Pendulum Clock

« on: December 29, 2009, 02:08:53 pm »

What I usually do is on the bottom of the pedulum clock, once it's level and running well, is mark the wall with a small line with an outer part of the clock case.  If I ever have to remove the clock, I just line up the case and line drawn on the wall when I put it back.  Works for me...

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Wow, thanks everyone for al of the helpful responses!  I need to do a better job of checking back for responses.  I thought I would get an email alert when there was a response. 

First, after all these years I had no idea that the left weight controls the chimes.  Make sense since it hasn't chimmed after the left weight locked up.  The marking of an indiscret line on the wall at the side of the base is something I have done for years and is a great idea.  I'm leaning towards the "tripped lever" theory when I was cleaning ithe clock.  I feel pretty comfortable that the chain is on the sprocket correctly as it will wind upwards smoothly like the right chain does.

The pendulum does indeed have a nut at the bottom for swing adjustment so I will adjust accordingly.  I thought the non moving left weight was the culprit but now I understand. 

Thanks again all and I'll pull her off the wall and give it a whirl.  Will keep you posted.

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Antique Questions Forum / Old Pendulum Clock

« on: December 28, 2009, 12:55:50 pm »

Hi all,

First time poster.  I have an old pendulum clock that has been in the family since around the early 1960's.  The name on the face in small letter just above the center is "DECO R" .  This clock has been sensitive for years and needs to sit in a very precise spot or the pendulum will not swing very long.  For years it had to be slightly tilted off center to work properly.  Winding the weights up had to be done carefully or the clock base would move ever so slightly causing the pendulum to stop.  It could then take hours of frustrating re-positioning to get it to go again.
Last week I finally got inspired and took the clock down, and removed the mechanism.  Not sure what I was looking at but I blew a lot of the dust and grime that had accumulated and removed the weight chains.  I reassembled the clock and it was like a miracle occured!  It now is not sensitive at all to being perfectly centered on the wall and the pendulum swings on a much wider range.
The new problem however (always one!) is that the left weight does not move and the right goes down fine.  The clock is running slow, losing about 2 minutes a day.
Any advise would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Jim