Cuckoo Clock Repair

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Barring the presence of master clockmaker and with watch making and watch repair becoming a thing of the past, it may become necessary to repair your own cuckoo clock.

The best form of repair to do on your cuckoo clock is to maintain it and prevent the need for repair.  Dust and other small particles can clog the mechanisms just like on a more modern device. So, keeping your clock clean is the first and most important repair you can offer. Using a soft cloth or a can compressed air to blow dust of the clocks inner workings once or twice a year should be all that is necessary.

Then, buy a quality oil designed for constantly moving parts from a local hobby shop or an on-line clock repair shop. Experts say a clock must be properly oiled at least once every three years and professionally cleaned every six years.

Like any engine in constant motion, the clock workings needs to be well lubricated. If they are not, they can cause wear on one another and eventually lead to big problems with your clock. Worn gear teeth caused by repeatedly sinking into another unoiled gear can lead to a clock that can’t keep time accurate. Using the wrong clock oil or failing to clean the clock can cause the gears to gum up and freeze, not allowing your clock to keep time at all.

In addition, it is a system of pulleys that “winds” your clock when the
weights are pulled. Pulling these at the wrong speed or with too much force can damage the pulleys.

The chain that connects these weights to the pulleys within your clock can also slide off, making it impossible to wind your cuckoo clock and keeping it from running.   If this has happened, image the chain is like a bicycle chain that has slipped off its sprocket. Replaces the chain on the sprockets, reset the time on the clock and wind her up. If that’s all that was wrong, the clock should run again fine.

Another problem could be that the pendulum and weight chains are not being allowed to move freely. This happens because of the natural tendency of wood to change shape over the years. If the hole allowing the pendulum and chains into the main clock restricts the movement of the chain, enlarge the hole by either drilling it out or sanding around the edges if it is a small restriction.

After making these repairs to your cuckoo clock, be sure the clean up any sawdust or other debris that might work its way into the clock and cause you future problems.

 

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