Old Pendulum Clock

[teddysmith1952]

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

[regularjoe2]

Welcome to the forum , teddysmith1952 .

You should be able to make very slight adjustments to the pendulum weight position , in order to get the time 'tuned in' better - shorter swing = faster , longer travel = slower .
In the event your pendulum is non-adjustable , the procedure is individual to each clockworks manufacture & I won't go into that on this posting - I don't want to give you harmful suggestions here !

I'm assuming that your clock used to chime ( two weights - one for clock , one for chime ) .

Blowing off dust in a clock mechanism sometimes (often) causes particles of said dust to lodge in places where they shouldn't be , and can jamb mechanisms that were once 'free' .
Usually it's not a good idea to do to internal clockworks , unless a person is experienced at it .
A cleaning usually includes lubrication after the works has been 'cleaned' , with lubricants designed for the purpose (no WD-40 , etc.) .

Perhaps you've disturbed/repositioned a trip lever/mechanism , or over-wound the chain cog (or assembled it backwards) when you removed and replaced the chains .

It's a good idea to test both the chime & time functions , prior to reassembly .

[railman44]

Pendulum clocks have to be absolutely level.  If they're not, they won't run for long.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I keep a little mini bubble level inside my clock and check that its level each time it is wound.

[Tim]

I keep a little mini bubble level inside my clock

What an excellent idea...........neve r thought of that.....

Over the years, I have come to realize that there are some things that I don't do good at. Plumbing is one of them, fixing clocks is another. I always take mine to someone who specializes as they can clean, oil, etc. Money well spent for me anyway............. ..

[railman44]

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...

[cogar]

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.

Teddy, me thinks that probably the "left weight" chain jumped off the "sprocket" or gear is the reason the weight won't move and it won't chime. Take it off wall, look through back portal or door and you should be able to see what the problem is. The left chain should be positioned on its gear the same as the right chain is on its gear.

And at the bottom of the pendulum should be a "knurled" round nut. Turn it to the "right" about 3 turns (the pendulum should move up), set to correct time, then check it in a couple hours. If clock still running slow, give nut another 1/2 turn and wait.

 If clock is running too fast after 1st "nut turning" then untwist it a 1/4 or 1/2 turn.

You kinda hafta judge how much to "twist" the nut up/down depending on how fast/slow it is running. 

And the closer it gets to being "right on time" ... the less you twist the nut.

[talesofthesevenseas]

The level works pretty good and its just a little plastic cheapy from the hardware store

[teddysmith1952]

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...

*********************************************************
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.

[teddysmith1952]

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

[regularjoe2]

Glad to hear you got the little fellow ringin' again !

[cogar]

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.

[teddysmith1952]

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.

**************************************
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.