We are back from our wonderful 50th wedding anniversary trip with our family and friends! We are a little behind in updating our website and we hope to catch up in the next weeks. However our newest “Ramblings” is here.

I am not at all sure if there are many trade schools presently offering such training, however, I do know that the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, NAWCC, has a school of horology. NAWCC is located at 514 Poplar St. Columbia, Pennsylvania (website: www.nawcc.org).

My own training was a result of reading clock repair manuals, taking apart old movements, and sitting side by side with “old time” master craftsmen, an apprenticeship, if you will. This is certainly an alternative to formal classes should the opportunity exist for teaming up with a competent repairman. I have found most clock people generous and enthusiastic in sharing their knowledge. Acquiring appropriate tools and equipment is essential for a desirable level of repair and/or restoration skills.

The purpose of this “Ramblings” is to pass along some basic instructions for setting up a wall or shelf pendulum operated clock. I regularly provide written instructions with clocks I sell, particularly when the buyer has no prior experience or has had difficulty in the past with caring for a clock. I also encourage them to call if they have any concerns.

Remember, each clock has its own personality! There are many stories about peoples’ clock problems that were really people problems.

A Funny Thing Happened ...

A customer once called and insisted that a clock was fully wound, but would not run. On close inspection, the clock wasn’t wound at all because the owner was attempting to wind the clock clockwise and the key wouldn’t rotate. He mistakenly assumed that the clock was fully wound because his other clocks “wound clockwise.”

Two of my funniest stories have to do with the placement of a clock. One problem was diagnosed successfully over the phone but the other was an example of “you had to be there”.

The first involved a very fine French crystal regulator. The owner said it ran and stopped at irregular intervals, so we ran through the instruction sheet. Basically, any shelf or mantel clock needs to be on a solid, level surface. The owner had placed the clock on a large flat surface on a book shelf next to a stereo speaker. The clock ran fine when the stereo was off, but stopped occasionally , when the owner listened to his “symphonies”. The acoustic vibrations of the system could have interfered with the “rhythmic” swing of the pendulum. It was more likely, however, the speaker magnets were the culprits. Once the owner relocated the clock, the problem was solved.

The second story involves a tall clock I installed in the foyer of a beautifully restored historic Greek Revival house. I responded to two calls from the concerned owner. Each time I visited, the clock was stopped for no apparent reason, started up immediately, and continued to run while I observed it through several cycles and each time concluded everything was in order. After the third call, I decided to invite a clock repairman friend to join me in the event I had missed something. We went through the same routine and both of us were satisfied that nothing was amiss. Since the owner was out, we decided to wait until he returned. At about 3pm, the owners two grade school boys burst through the front door laughing and full of energy. They stopped in front of the clock and jumped up and down on the old wooden floors causing the clock to sway. Great amusement for them, but not for the clock whose pendulum and weights began to slap against each other and the case, stopping it immediately. Mystery solved!

...on the Way to Good Clock Care

Enough stories. Here are some general instructions for operating an antique mantel or shelf clock.

1. Place the pendulum bob on the pendulum rod or where the bob and the rod are one on the suspension spring, and gently start the pendulum swinging from side to side. The clock must be on a solid surface, level, and “in beat” to run properly. If the tick and the tock are not equal, it may be necessary to place a wedge under one side to get the movement level. A penny sometimes makes a good wedge.

2. When setting the time, or if it is necessary to make a time revision:

a. Set the minute hand at 12:00 and count the hour strikes. If the strike number does not match the hour, set the hour hand to the correct time, moving in either direction, it is usually a friction fit. Be advised, however, that there are some clocks where the hour hand will only rotate with the movement of the minute hand. Do not force the hand. In this instance, the strike has to be advanced from the movement mechanism.

b. Turn the minute hand ONLY in a clockwise direction, until the next hour strikes. Stop turning until the striking ends, and repeat until the correct time is reached.

c. Do NOT turn the minute hand counter clockwise. On striking clocks, the gears are not set up to rotate backwards. I often suggest that a person wait and start the clock when the real time is shown on the clock face rather than go through a long rotation process. In any event, it is best to stop the swing of the pendulum prior to making any of the above adjustments.

With non-striking clocks, you can simply rotate the minute hand carefully by passing the hour hand, when the clock is stopped. The minute hand on these clocks, can be rotated in either direction. If you encounter resistance when rotating the minute hand, stop immediately, as there is possibly a mechanical problem that needs professional attention.

3. To wind the clock time mechanism, put the key in the right hole and wind until tight. To wind the strike, repeat on the left side. Both must be wound on a regular schedule. Determine and make note of the winding direction of each. Thirty hour clocks have to be wound daily.

4. If the clock is running fast, turn the time adjusting nut at the base of the pendulum bob to the left, lowering the bob. If the clock is running slow, turn the nut to the right, raising the bob. Either way, turn in small increments over several days while monitoring the accuracy of the time.

6. A clock should be serviced periodically, say every 3 to 5 years, depending on the degree of use and it’s environment.

The same principles apply to a wall clock, however, it must be hung securely at the top and sometimes at the bottom, to eliminate movement during winding. If the tick and tock are not equal, it may be necessary to move the clock slightly to the left or right. Do not anchor the bottom to the wall until you have made this determination. Sometimes clocks already have a hole in the case back to secure the clock.

Remember patience is a virtue, and do your homework selecting a repair person.

Next time a new subject!