SIEW CHEONG CLOCKS

THE REALITY OF OWNING A MECHANICAL CLOCK

It is a reality that most clock retailers refuse to tell a prospective clock buyer because they are afraid of losing the sale. Not only that you will have to pay the clock dealer a good deal of money when you purchase a nice clock, your obligations now continue, you must spend more money maintaining it!

That's right, it is now your responsibility to see to it that your new family member is properly taken care of and if you don't, you'll be sorry.

Within 3 years or so, the oil lubricating all the moving parts in your clock will start to dry up. The wheel arbor pivots will start grinding into the brass plates of your clock, knocking off alignment of the wheels that drive the various functions of your clock, resulting in loss of power, and ultimately...clock function ability!

Clocks don't have a red warning light when they run out of oil. And just like a car, or any mechanical components they can continue to operate, with serious damage as a result.

You must oil your clock every 3 years. In addition, you must have the clock professionally cleaned every 6 years to prevent unnecessary damage. Follow this advice, and you will save your clock from unnecessary damage and continue to enjoy the old faithful that you bought many, many years ago.

What should you do if your clock has not been oiled in over 4 years?

Stop it! Further running will just cause more clock damage in wear and tear of the parts. Call a qualified repairer and have the clock completely dismantled and cleaned. Contact us for more information.

How To Regulate Your Clock For Accurate Timekeeping

The faster the pendulum swings, the faster the minute hand will turn. A basic principle of physics is that the length of a pendulum determines how fast it swings. A short pendulum swings faster than a long pendulum. You can remember this principle with the phrase "A SHORT DOG’S TAIL WAGS FASTER” You can change the effective length of the pendulum by raising or lowering the pendulum bob on the pendulum stick. If you push the bob up, the clock will run faster. Lower it and the clock will run slower. If you turn the nut clockwise you will be raising the bob. If your clock runs too fast or slow, the best way to correct this problem is to set your clock to an accurate watch or clock. After 24 hours, record how many minutes your clock is running too fast or slow. Then adjust the bob up or down the pendulum stick to change the pendulums effective length. You’ll need to take an educated guess as to the distance. Reset the clock minute hand time to your watch or clock again. (Important: DO NOT turn the hands in the anti clockwise direction). Repeat this process every 24 hours, recording the results, and readjusting the bob until you are within 3 minutes of the correct time. Then, switch from recording every day to recording every week. Use the same process described, recording the time difference, adjusting the bob up or down every week, until the clock is accurate within approximately 3 minutes per week. Remember, mechanical clocks are not as accurate as quartz or electric clocks. A three-minute error per week is not bad. Maybe you can do better.

Wall Clock Repairing

1. The Pendulum Has Stopped

1.1. Have you wound up your wall clock and started the pendulum? Wall clocks have either a swinging pendulum or a balance wheel to regulate time keeping. If you don't see a pendulum attached to your clock movement, then your clock is regulated by a balance wheel. The pendulum/balance wheel is driven by a powerful spring. First, be sure that you have wound up the pendulum spring. Wind it up all the way. It is a myth that you can damage a clock by over winding, unless perhaps you choose to attach a pipe wrench to the end of your winding key! If your clock chimes and/or strikes, and you are not sure which arbor operates the pendulum, then wind them all up. Next, reach into the clock and gently swing the pendulum to one side with your hand. Your clock should now be up and running! If your clock has a balance wheel, all you need to do is wind up your clock, and the wheel should automatically start ticking. You should hear a ticking sound similar to that of a mechanical wristwatch.

1.2. Are the clock hands touching? Touching hands are guaranteed to stop your clock. Look at the hour and minute hands closely. If they are touching, the movement will jam and the pendulum/balance wheel won't swing. Try moving the hour hand slightly back and forth while pushing it towards the dial in order to clear the minute hand (but make sure it doesn't touch the dial!). If they still touch, you can bend the hour hand slightly back or the minute hand slightly towards you, allowing clearance.

1.3. Have you moved your clock? The reason a wall clock with a pendulum stops swinging after being moved is because the clock case now leans at a slightly different angle on the wall then at its former location. Or, while winding, you may have moved the clock by accident. So, be sure that your clock is not cockeyed on the wall! Wall clock movements are adjusted so that their pendulums swing properly when the clock case is level. However, over time clock cases warp, or the pendulum adjustment may be knocked out of kilter. So you may have to put away your level. Simply start your pendulum swinging, and then listen carefully to the tick-toc sound. Push the left side of the clock slightly. Does the tick-toc sound seem more balanced? If not, push the right side. When you hear an even, balanced ticking, you're done! Your wall clock should now be in perfect "beat". If your clock has a balance wheel instead of a pendulum, you're in luck! You don't have to worry whether the clock is level at all.

2. Inaccurate Timekeeping

2.1. Have you adjusted the pendulum bob? The round brass or lead weight on the bottom of your pendulum rod is called the pendulum bob. The nut located on the bottom of the bob is used to adjust the time keeping ability of your wall clock. If the bob is pushed up, your wall clock will run faster, if let down, your clock will run slower. You can remember this principle, with the phrase A SHORT DOGS TAIL WAGS FASTER! Expect an accuracy of at least 1 minute, fast or slow per week. Start by setting your wall clock's time to an accurate electric or quartz clock or watch. Check the time 24 hours later. If the clock runs fast, turn the nut to the left, and the bob will be lowered, slowing the clock. If the clock runs slow, turn the nut to the right, which will push the bob up, speeding up the clock. Then reset your wall clock to the correct time again. If your clock has a balance wheel, you regulate the time by rotating a three prong disc which is attached on top of the balance wheel, either to the right or left. Moving one notch equals 10 seconds per day (usually). Keep a written record of the distance you turn the nut (or move the disc) each day and the resulting minutes off. Do this every day until you have zeroed in within 1 minute of the correct time. Then, switch to checking your clock every 7 days, using the same process until your clock keeps time within l minute per week. It may be a time consuming chore, but you only have to do this once. Remember, mechanical clocks are not as accurate as modern day electric or quartz clocks. When you regulate the pendulum of your wall clock, you are attempting to achieve the best timekeeping possible from a mechanical clock between weekly windings. You will still need to push the minute hand forward or backward to the correct time once or twice a month.

Repairing Grandfather Clocks – Some Basic Steps You Can DIY - (and save money)

1. The pendulum has stopped swinging

1.1. Have the clock weights been pulled up? This may seem like a dumb question, but many clock owners has suffered an expensive house call, when all that was necessary was to pull up the weights.

1.2. Are the clock hands touching? Touching hands are guaranteed to stop your clock! Look at the hour and minute hands closely. If they are touching, the movement is jammed and the pendulum would not swing. Try moving the hour hand slightly back and forth while pushing it towards the dial in order to clear the minute hand (but make sure it doesn't touch the dial. If they still touch, you can bend the minute hand slightly towards you, allowing clearance.

1.3. Have you recently moved your grandfather? Grandfather clocks don't like to be moved. They get very temperamental when moved and show their displeasure by refusing to tick! The reason a clock pendulum stops swinging after being moved is because the clock case now leans at a slightly different angle then at its former location. Don't pay any attention to whether your clock is absolutely perpendicular to the floor. And don't use a level. Simply start your pendulum swinging, and then listen carefully to the “tick-tock” sound. Play by your ears. Push the top of the clock slightly to the right. Does the tick-tock sound seem more balanced? If not, push the top slightly to the left. When you hear an even, balanced ticking, secure the clock at that angle to your wall with a bracket, or shim your grandfather's feet. Your grandfather is now in perfect "beat".

2. Inaccurate Timekeeping

2.1. How to Adjust the Pendulum Bob: The round brass disc on the bottom of your pendulum rod is called the pendulum bob. The nut located on the bottom of the bob is used to adjust your grandfather’s time keeping ability. If the bob is pushed up, your grandfather will run faster, if let down, your grandfather will run slower. You can remember this principle; with the phrase A SHORT DOG’S TAIL WAGS FASTER expect an accuracy of at least 1 minute, fast or slow per week. Start by setting your grandfather’s time to an accurate electric or quartz clock or watch. Check the time 24 hours later. If the clock runs fast, turn the nut to the left (as you face the clock) and the bob will be lowered, slowing the clock. If the clock runs slow, turn the nut to the right, which will push the bob up, speeding up the clock. Then reset your grandfather to the correct time again. Keep a written record of the distance you turn the nut each day and the resulting minutes off. Do this every day until you have zeroed in within 1 minute of the correct time. Then, switch to checking your grandfather every 7 days, using the same process until your grandfather keeps time within l minute per week. Many grandfather clocks are designed so that one full turn of the pendulum nut equals l minute per day. So, for example, if your grandfather is 2 minutes fast in a 24-hour period, turn the pendulum nut 2 full turns to the left. Keep in mind that this rule of thumb is not true with all grandfathers. And remember, mechanical clocks are not as accurate as modern day electric or quartz clocks! When you regulate the pendulum of your grandfather, you are attempting to achieve the best timekeeping possible from a mechanical clock between weekly windings. You will need to push the minute hand of your grandfather forward or backward to the correct time once or twice a month.

2.2. Does your grandfather have two nuts attached to the pendulum rod? Some grandfather clocks have not one but two nuts on the bottom of the pendulum rod. If your grandfather has two nuts, then you probably have a real accurate grandfather clock! Many owners believe that the bottom nut is used as a "lock" nut against the top nut. Not so! If you have two nuts, you probably have a real accurate grandfather clock! Make sure the bottom nut doesn't touch the top nut. Let the top nut raise or lower the pendulum bob until the most accurate timekeeping has been obtained. Then, by turning left or right, use the weight of this nut as the final delicate time adjustment to your grandfather clock.

3. Weights Not Falling Evenly

3.1. How the weights power your grandfather. The weight on the right powers the chimes, the weight on the left powers the hour strike and the center weight powers the pendulum (which regulates the time shown by the hour and minute hands.) On each swing of the pendulum, the pendulum weight drops. When the minute hand reaches the quarter hour, the clock chimes, and the right weight drops. And finally, on the top of the hour, the chimes trip a lever, the clock strikes the correct hour and left weight drops.

3.2. No weights drop. As stated above, the center pendulum weight causes the left chime weight to fall, and the chime weight causes the right strike weight to fall. So, if the pendulum weight does not drop, then the chime and strike weights won't drop either. The first thing you need to do is get the pendulum swinging again. For help read the section 1 above titled "The Pendulum has stopped."

3.3. The right and left weights refuse to drop. Here, the pendulum is swinging and the clock hands are moving, but the chime is not operating. And as shown above, if the chime is not operating, the strike will not operate either! First thing to check is whether the chime lever on the grandfather dial is properly centered over a chime and not in the "off" position. If your clock is a "grandmother," take off the side panel of the clock and check to make certain that the steel chime retard bar has not been lowered onto the chime hammers, causing the chimes not to operate.

3.4. The left weight will not drop. Here, both the time and quarter hour chimes are operating, but the hour strike is not. On the grandmother clock, open the side panel and check to make certain that the steel retard bar has not been lowered onto the strike hammers causing them not to operate. On the grandfather clocks, the problem is that the trip lever from the chimes is not causing the strike train to be released or the strike train "bushings" are worn from a lack of oiling, that the wheels in the strike train are out of alignment. Unless you are professional enough, we suggest you call a repairer to do this so as not to damage the mechanism. Contact us for more information