Grandfather Clock Weights Stuck
Grandfather Clock Weights Stuck
The Grandfather clock weights can get stuck in the high position if over wound. Some larger clocks have over wind protection to prevent this.
The grandmother and grandfather chain drive units often do not have this feature. When winding the weights up make sure the top of the weight can be seen when done. Never go to the point where the top of the shiny weight cover can't be seen.
Chime weight stuck
The chime weight is on the right as you face the clock and has the heaviest weight. Using cloth gloves, or at least a cloth of some kind, pull down on the weight some.
This is the same as making the weight weigh more. At the same time, turn the minute hand past the quarter hour to see if it will engage the chime. When you advance the time and make it chime, the weight will slowly come down. This will hopefully be enough to activate and run the chime on its own.
Time weight stuck
The time weight is the center weight which can be light or heavy depending on bob size.
This is the hardest weight to deal with out of the three. Try pulling down some while swinging the pendulum.
See if it starts running on its own when letting go. If this does not work, take off the pendulum. All it will have is the pendulum leader hanging on the back of the movement.
This will make it tick tock faster than if the pendulum was on. The leader will tick tock faster as you pull down some on the weight. The weight will then come down enough to run the clock.
If all else fails, and it’s a chain driven clock, you would need to cut the chain in half, or break a link, to take the movement out of the clock. With the movement out of the clock you can fix it.
Strike weight stuck
The strike weight is on the left as you face the clock and has the lightest weight. Only after the chime weight is operating correctly can you work on the strike weight.
If the clock does not run through the chime sequence it will not get to where it strikes out the hours. With some cloth gloves on, or at least a cloth of some kind, pull down on the weight some.
Again, this is the same as making the weight weigh more. Doing this will make the clock strike. Advance the minute hand and let it chime each quarter until it plays the top of the hour song. Then pull a little on the weight when it is going to strike out the hours.
Keep advancing the time with the minute hand, as to make it chime and strike. Then slowly the weight will come down enough to be able to activate and run the strike on its own.
↑ Back to top
HELP! I am ready to cry….just paid a small fortune to have a entire new assembly put into my Barwick grandmother clock….and what do I do? Wound the weights to high I guess…time is working but other two are not..I tried using a cloth and pulling on the heaviest weight first but I am afraid to pull too hard…how hard can I pull….my husband is gonna have a fit!
What are the numbers off of the back plate of the clock movement itself? If it is hard to get to, usually you can stick a cell phone up behind the movement and get a picture of the numbers. Or through the side access panel if there is one.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
Thank you…I will have to get my husband to pull the clock away from the wall…too heavy for me so I will wait till he gets home from work. I am truly upset….this was my mom’s clock…will get the numbers. Appreciate the response sir.
Hello, I don’t see my previous message…
I just received a Howard Miller grandfather clock, model 610-199.
All three pulleys are wound too tight and am unable to put the weights on. I’ve tried the things mentioned in the forum…moving minute hand forward 24 and 48 hour cycles, stopping the minute hand at 15 minute increments while pulling down on the cable. I don’t hear a chime either.
I can pay someone $175 to come take a look but that’s a last resort. Anything else I can try?
What are the numbers off of the back plate of the clock movement itself? If it is hard to get to, usually you can stick a cell phone up behind the movement and get a picture of the numbers. Or through the side access panel if there is one.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
I pulled down on the wieght did not chime chime
1. Is the chime selector on chime? There is a switch on the 3 o’clock position on the clock movement. Usually this will have an arm coming out of the dial so you can select it up or down, but then some dials are not equipped with the slot for this arm to come through. If you have the type of dial with no selector slot, you will have to get to that side of the movement from the back and see if there is an arm sticking out of the side of the movement that you can raise or lower. Sometimes what people do if this is the situation is they get a brass rod and bend it to attach to this arm and let it run down the back of the dial so someone can turn the chimes on or off by the end of the rod.
2. Is the auto night selector on daytime? This question is for clocks equipped with ANSO (auto night shut off) where the clock is designed to not play any music between 10pm and 7am. So if the clock is set in this mode and the clock thinks its day time at night and vice versa, it will not play during the daytime hours. Solution to this is to either advance the hands 12 hours by turning the minute hand around and around, or turn off the auto night feature. In most cases the auto night selector switch would be on your left as you face the front of the clock dial, at 9 o’clock. Again, the dial may not have the slot in it to change this, it is possible the movement is equipped with the ANSO feature but does not have the arm that sticks out of the dial. Just as above, you would need to go from the back and see if there is an arm coming out of the side of the movement you can raise or lower. From looking at the back of the clock movement, the lever if it has one, will be on your right.
3. Is the hammers hitting anything in its path when they move? If the hammers are rubbing the back of the clock case, or if there hitting or rubbing against each other, the clock will hang up and not chime. Solution is the bend the hammer wires to freedom. The hammer heads are on wires just for this reason. They are meant to be bent into position, 1/8 approximately from there chime rods. This is so they will not double hit the chime rod, or thud and rest against it, or miss it completely. So it is not uncommon to have to bend them up to 2 inches to the left / right / forward / backward directions. They just cannot have any resistance in their path when trying to raise up and drop on its chime rod when it’s supposed to chime.
4. Is the heaviest weight on your right as you face the clock? The chime weight is the heaviest weight out of the three and goes in this position.
5. Is the chain rubbing the seat board or pinched between the movement and seat board? Having the cable rubbing anything in its path, is just like not having enough weight on the clock. The clock is designed to run with the chain dropping right straight down to the weight without coming into contact with anything on its way down. If the chain rubs anything, or is pinched between the seat board and the movement, the clock will not chime.
6. Is the chime selector drum unit jammed? In some cases the movement may have been taken off of silence and put on a chime such as Westminster, but the roll pin does not move with the selector switch. It will happen usually upon installation of a new movement and setting up the clock. So to explain why this happens would be a hard thing to do, but I can tell you the simple fix for this. So what you do is pull back on the hammers that make the chime song. This will only be one row of hammers and it would be on your right hand side as you look at the front of the clock. Of course the hammers are on the back of the movement, but it will be on the right hand side for the chime portion. You move all the chime hammers back at once to release the roll pin drum to move where it should be and it will be fixed.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
Just tried to have the clock weights release and started with the chime weight first as suggested and while trying to pull down the weight and move the minute hand past the 1/4 hr I could not get the weight to budge. What are my options now to do? The Chime weight & the strike weight are both stuck at it’s highest elevation so impossible to remove any weights at all. The time weight will drop providing i let the pendulum continue drop but not the others at all.
What are the numbers off of the back plate of the clock movement itself? If it is hard to get to, usually you can stick a cell phone up behind the movement and get a picture of the numbers. Or through the side access panel if there is one.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
Hi. I have a Howard Miller grandfather clock purchased around 1998. I believe it got overwound at some point so it sat. Then during a move all the chains came off. After 7 years I finally decided to get the clock working again. When going in to put the chains around the sprockets i first checked the gears to see if I could manually move them with my finger. The left and right ones will turn and “click” in the correct direction. The middle gear/sprocket will not move at all. Do you think this sprocket will have to be replaced? Thank you! Sherri
Yes bad sprocket but the movement comes apart to correct this. It maybe best for the new one, lets get the numbers and we will know more.
What are the numbers off of the back plate of the clock movement itself? If it is hard to get to, usually you can stick a cell phone up behind the movement and get a picture of the numbers. Or through the side access panel if there is one.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
Hi. SKS 13, 116cm, 354 499. That look correct and what you need?
Model # 610-569
Thank you again.
Yes the ratchet wheels break on those after a long time. This unit is no longer available. If your willing to attach the dial to the wood trim instead of the movement itself with the four posts, we can swap it for the new one easy.
Snap the four posts off the back of the dial, drill small holes in the corners of the dial, attach it to the back of the wood trim with small wood screws.
You can use the SKS15 at this point.
Please order the SKS side hammers with 120mm plate size from this link
https://www.clockworks.com/product/new-sks-series-kieninger-clock-movement
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
My very old grandfather clock with 2 weights the right one is moving down the left is staying in the up position, the time is correct and it is chiming, it’s just the left weight is not moving?
It is saying the same thing as saying the clock is not striking out the hours.
On the left, at 9 oclock, is there a lever for auto night? If so, this maybe set not to strike the hours. Best to move this lever all the way up.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
I’m afraid if I pull down on the weight I will snap the cable. Do I have valid concern? Secondly, I don’t hear any clicking when I pass the quarter, half, three-quarter, and full hour. Thanks for your prompt response. I want to hear the music again.
Hi,
What are the numbers off of the back plate of the clock movement itself? If it is hard to get to, usually you can stick a cell phone up behind the movement and get a picture of the numbers. Or through the side access panel if there is one.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
The right weight is stuck and clock does not chime. The grandfather clock timing is working.
What are the movement numbers from the back plate?
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
My Howard Miller clock , the pingulim weight in the middle won’t drop any idea how to get it going again?
If out of three weights and the middle does not drop, that is saying the clock pendulum will not keep swinging.
So your clock wont run, is this what you are meaning? Or is the weight stuck way up in the air its jammed up there?
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
My grandfather clock(1980, Colonial of Zeeland) hadn’t run in a while. I took out the mechanism and soaked it in an ultrasonic cleaner for 30 minutes, and oiled it. I reassembled and THE CENTER WEIGHT doesn’t move. The pendulum doesn’t seem to be ticking or tocking. As long as I swing the pendulum all but the center weight move properly. I have been forcing a chime for a while to work in the oil. Any suggestions on how to get the pendulum and center weight to start moving on their own?
Remove the hands, and the dial to get them out of the picture, this will eliminate some things. Put it in BEAT and see if it will run
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
I did all of that to no avail. It hadn’t run for about a year, so I know from previous servicing that it took several attempts to get it running again, but not this time. The pendulum swings for about 5 minutes before stopping. Again, I took out the clock mechanism and put in ultrasonic cleaner… oiled and reassembled it.
One thing that I am experiencing that I haven’t seen previously… the chimes are not playing like they used to… WESTM, ST MICH., and WHITT all sound the same and don’t sound very good. 🙁
To get the mechanisms working through the oil, I have continually moved the hands and pendulum, and it just doesn’t want to get moving again.
I can hear ticking, and I can see the main pendulum gear moving, but it won’t continue.
Hi,
What are the numbers off of the back plate of the clock movement itself? If it is hard to get to, usually you can stick a cell phone up behind the movement and get a picture of the numbers. Or through the side access panel if there is one.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
61-500/Ke/F
There is more info on that one. Need from the back plate, not the paperwork that came with the clock.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
Those are the numbers engraved on the back of the mechanism. see attached photo.
Please order our Jauch 78 conversion kit at this link
https://www.clockworks.com/product/jauch-pl78-clock-movement-kit
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
If I buy the Westminster only chime… does that mean that the three options on the clock face just won’t change?
or should I buy the three-chime movement?
Correct, the words will be wrong, the clock will only either play Westminster or be silent
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
The left weight in my Howard miller GF clock has suddenly started dropping faster than other two. Almost to the bottom every couple of days.
Also the hour chimes gets stuck keeps chiming everyone once in a while. 🤷♀️
See this article on the issue please
https://www.clockworks.com/posts/grandfather-clock-chimes-forever-correction
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
Thank you!
I am installing new works. Right chime chain is stuck and will not pull up weight and in manually reset weight drops to bottom of cabinet. Suggestion?
Hi,
Please clarify this sentence.
Right chime chain is stuck and will not pull up weight and in manually reset weight drops to bottom of cabinet.
I am not understanding if the weight will not wind up, or if the weight drops non stop without running the clock
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
I have a Ridgeway grandfather clock. I just noticed that the weights are not falling. The clock is chiming and keeping the correct time. The weights have not been overwound as none of them are as high as they can go by several inches. No adjustments have been made to cause any change. We’ve had the clock for 20 years and have never had this problem before. Any ideas for a quick fix? Otherwise, I will probably be calling a repairman out next week.
Do not need a repair man. Some one is winding the clock when your not looking. To have the clock run perfect with the no power source would defy all the laws of the universe, ya know? Check with the family, someone is winding it.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
The second hand sticks at 60 even though the pendulum is moving. What can I do?
If the second hand is touching the dial indicator at the 60, this will stop the clock. It is only a friction fit, pull the entire hand out some or bend the hand extension out.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
A miracle cure! Thank you!
Your Welcome.
my pendulum gear is stuck in the full down position the cable, cord, wire has come unspooled How dop I unstick it?
The cable end has two ends, one end is in the barrel and on the movement frame. Both have a larger hole and a smaller hole, the end goes in the large hole and gets moved to the smaller hole to be locked in. You can unlock the cable from one side or the other and unravel or untangle it in this way.
Or find the click that makes the cable spins one way and not the other. Release the click from its ratchet with a small screwdriver and lift it up some. As lifting the click with the screw driver, pull the cable down to unravel. This is not easy on the time train barrel, the movement must be removed.
Now with all that said, if the movement is 25 years old or older, and it will be out anyway, it would be time to swap the clock movement with the new one. To quote for a new movement we would need the numbers off of the back plate of the movement itself, right off the brass. We have support and instructions and the movement comes with its cables and already oiled.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
I was told I needed 3 x 7.7 pound weights for my clock is that total or each?
It would be each, and can be ordered at this link
https://www.clockworks.com/product/polished-clock-weight
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
Pulling on the right weight while advancing worked fine but no matter how hard I pull on the left weight at the top of the hour it will not chime. Is there something we lose I can do? It keeps time and chimes now but will not strike out the hour.
You may need to remove the dial to get that one if its that stuck. The strike is the easiest out of the three to correct. This page is related and talks about the simple component involved with the strike side
https://www.clockworks.com/posts/grandfather-clock-strike-quantity-correction
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
None of my weights are moving
Please swing the pendulum to start the clock and then turn the chimes on.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
i have a howard miller 611 042 and the weight in the middle works fine however the left one and the right one do not move down how can i fix that
Hi,
Turn the chimes on
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
I have a Howard Miller presidential tall clock. The center chain has gotten off track and I cannot get the weight to move down. Any solution to get it back in track.
That is a tricky thing to do. The best way is the remove the movement completely and restring it around its wheel. Maybe while it is out of the clock case, you can provide the movement numbers to us and we will consider a replacement at the same time. They are generally 25 year units before needed to be swapped or restored. To restore it is usually twice the cost of the new one and takes months to get done.
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
Thank you
My pleasure.
James
Glad to have read these solutions. Very nice to see that things can be explained so easily. Not like stereo instructions lol. Thank you for your help 💯 legit and helped me get my grandmothers clock working correctly!
Our pleasure
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
James, thanks. When we had work done in our house the workers took the weights off and pulled all the chains as far as they would go. your instructions got me back in business. thanks stan
Glad to hear it is ticking away
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
I believe I over wound the strike and chime weights. Help!
What are the movement numbers stamped on the back plate of the brass clock movement itself?
https://www.clockworks.com/clock-movement.html
James
I just bought a long case clock at an estate sale, and at first I noticed that while the time was working and the middle weight was dropping, the left and right were stable near the top and there were no chimes or hour strikes. I manually caused the chimes and hour strike to work several times over a period of days, and then suddenly, everything was working, good chimes, proper hour strikes. But the right weight, while dropping, seems to be dropping slower than the center, and the left weight is barely dropping. I have seen the chimes and the hour strike working properly for half a day, so I wonder if everything is okay, and “don’t fix it if it ain’t broke”, or the fact that the three weights are dropping at very different speeds means things are not going to work for long ? Appreciate any comments, advice.
I was mistaken in my post yesterday. I see now that all the weights are dropping together at same speed. Was an optical illusion.
The clock may have an ANSO = autonight shut off feature. If it does not chime 10-6am or something like this, it will cause what it is doing.
James
Hello my parents live in HAMPTONVILLE NCis there some that works on Grandfather Clocks in his area ??? My email is [email protected] and my number is 828-429-6728 could some one please help me any info would be greatly appreciated
Do not know anyone out that way, however we can help from here it is what we do. A new movement is less money than even a simple cleaning on the grandfather clock movement. Get it in days instead of months, comes with instructions and support, already oiled. Even the finest clock movement restoration is not as good as the same one brand new.
Less than half the price, lasts 3 times as long, get the clock done in days instead of months. The choice is clear.
What are the movement numbers off of the brass clock movement itself?
James
i HAVE A TWO WEIGHT SYSTEM ONLY THE RIGHT WEIGHT IS STUCK AT THE TOP, THE CHIMES WORK FINE I TRIED ADDING EXTRA WEIGHT TO PULL IT DOWN BUT DOESN’T MOVE ANY IDEAS ALSO IT WORKS FOR LIKE 3 MINS THEN STOP BUT I THINK IT MIGHT NOT BE LEVEL
Please see this link on how to put a clock in beat
https://www.clockworks.com/posts/mechanical-clock-movement-beat-setting
James
I can get the strike weight to drop, but within a few hour it will stop. Help?
Strike –
Be sure the chain is not rubbing anything on its way down like the seat board. Should be straight from ratchet wheel and down
Be sure nothings blocking the hammers from going back and forth, not rubbing anything
Be sure the rack is not behind the snail by removing the minute hand and letting it strike the hours out.
Best to run with no hands or dial on the clock, if the clock will not strike please email a pic of the front of the movement by replying to this email and I will see what is up with that one
Thanks
James
I tried gently pulling the chime weight when I turn the hour hand and it does chime but it is still stuck and will not chime on the hour
Hi,
If the clock does not chime, it will never strike on its own anyway.
1. Is the chime selector on chime? There is a switch on the 3 o’clock position on the clock movement. Usually this will have an arm coming out of the dial so you can select it up or down, but then some dials are not equipped with the slot for this arm to come through. If you have the type of dial with no selector slot, you will have to get to that side of the movement from the back and see if there is an arm sticking out of the side of the movement that you can raise or lower. Sometimes what people do if this is the situation is they get a brass rod and bend it to attach to this arm and let it run down the back of the dial so someone can turn the chimes on or off by the end of the rod.
2. Is the auto night selector on daytime? This question is for clocks equipped with ANSO (auto night shut off) where the clock is designed to not play any music between 10pm and 7am. So if the clock is set in this mode and the clock thinks its day time at night and vice versa, it will not play during the daytime hours. Solution to this is to either advance the hands 12 hours by turning the minute hand around and around, or turn off the auto night feature. In most cases the auto night selector switch would be on your left as you face the front of the clock dial, at 9 o’clock. Again, the dial may not have the slot in it to change this, it is possible the movement is equipped with the ANSO feature but does not have the arm that sticks out of the dial. Just as above, you would need to go from the back and see if there is an arm coming out of the side of the movement you can raise or lower. From looking at the back of the clock movement, the lever if it has one, will be on your right.
3. Is the hammers hitting anything in its path when they move? If the hammers are rubbing the back of the clock case, or if there hitting or rubbing against each other, the clock will hang up and not chime. Solution is the bend the hammer wires to freedom. The hammer heads are on wires just for this reason. They are meant to be bent into position, 1/8 approximately from there chime rods. This is so they will not double hit the chime rod, or thud and rest against it, or miss it completely. So it is not uncommon to have to bend them up to 2 inches to the left / right / forward / backward directions. They just cannot have any resistance in their path when trying to raise up and drop on its chime rod when it’s supposed to chime.
4. Is the heaviest weight on your right as you face the clock? The chime weight is the heaviest weight out of the three and goes in this position.
5. Is the chain rubbing the seat board or pinched between the movement and seat board? Having the cable rubbing anything in its path, is just like not having enough weight on the clock. The clock is designed to run with the chain dropping right straight down to the weight without coming into contact with anything on its way down. If the chain rubs anything, or is pinched between the seat board and the movement, the clock will not chime.
6. Is the chime selector drum unit jammed? In some cases the movement may have been taken off of silence and put on a chime such as Westminster, but the roll pin does not move with the selector switch. It will happen usually upon installation of a new movement and setting up the clock. So to explain why this happens would be a hard thing to do, but I can tell you the simple fix for this. So what you do is pull back on the hammers that make the chime song. This will only be one row of hammers and it would be on your right hand side as you look at the front of the clock. Of course the hammers are on the back of the movement, but it will be on the right hand side for the chime portion. You move all the chime hammers back at once to release the roll pin drum to move where it should be and it will be fixed.
What about CABLED weights? How does one get them to come down when stuck?
In the same manner as described. Check to be sure the cable is not crossing itself.
James
I have A howard x miller grandfather clock I just bought and the lady i got it from put the left &right weights on the wrong side than she wound the clock it seems to keep the correct time but the rgt and left weights are not coming down they are to high to unhook and switch them what can i do
Hi,
It just means the clock is not chiming. The clock needs to chime or it will never strike with the left weight and neither will drop.
1. Is the chime selector on chime? There is a switch on the 3 o’clock position on the clock movement. Usually this will have an arm coming out of the dial so you can select it up or down, but then some dials are not equipped with the slot for this arm to come through. If you have the type of dial with no selector slot, you will have to get to that side of the movement from the back and see if there is an arm sticking out of the side of the movement that you can raise or lower. Sometimes what people do if this is the situation is they get a brass rod and bend it to attach to this arm and let it run down the back of the dial so someone can turn the chimes on or off by the end of the rod.
2. Is the auto night selector on daytime? This question is for clocks equipped with ANSO (auto night shut off) where the clock is designed to not play any music between 10pm and 7am. So if the clock is set in this mode and the clock thinks its day time at night and vice versa, it will not play during the daytime hours. Solution to this is to either advance the hands 12 hours by turning the minute hand around and around, or turn off the auto night feature. In most cases the auto night selector switch would be on your left as you face the front of the clock dial, at 9 o’clock. Again, the dial may not have the slot in it to change this, it is possible the movement is equipped with the ANSO feature but does not have the arm that sticks out of the dial. Just as above, you would need to go from the back and see if there is an arm coming out of the side of the movement you can raise or lower. From looking at the back of the clock movement, the lever if it has one, will be on your right.
3. Is the hammers hitting anything in its path when they move? If the hammers are rubbing the back of the clock case, or if there hitting or rubbing against each other, the clock will hang up and not chime. Solution is the bend the hammer wires to freedom. The hammer heads are on wires just for this reason. They are meant to be bent into position, 1/8 approximately from there chime rods. This is so they will not double hit the chime rod, or thud and rest against it, or miss it completely. So it is not uncommon to have to bend them up to 2 inches to the left / right / forward / backward directions. They just cannot have any resistance in their path when trying to raise up and drop on its chime rod when it’s supposed to chime.
4. Is the heaviest weight on your right as you face the clock? The chime weight is the heaviest weight out of the three and goes in this position.
5. Is the chain rubbing the seat board or pinched between the movement and seat board? Having the cable rubbing anything in its path, is just like not having enough weight on the clock. The clock is designed to run with the chain dropping right straight down to the weight without coming into contact with anything on its way down. If the chain rubs anything, or is pinched between the seat board and the movement, the clock will not chime.
6. Is the chime selector drum unit jammed? In some cases the movement may have been taken off of silence and put on a chime such as Westminster, but the roll pin does not move with the selector switch. It will happen usually upon installation of a new movement and setting up the clock. So to explain why this happens would be a hard thing to do, but I can tell you the simple fix for this. So what you do is pull back on the hammers that make the chime song. This will only be one row of hammers and it would be on your right hand side as you look at the front of the clock. Of course the hammers are on the back of the movement, but it will be on the right hand side for the chime portion. You move all the chime hammers back at once to release the roll pin drum to move where it should be and it will be fixed.
Hello! I have a Vienna Regulator wall clock that was just serviced by a horologist. When we hung it at home, I wound it and it worked for 30 minutes, then stopped. The two weights are stuck at the top (my fault in winding too much, I’m sure). I can get the left weight to come down ever so slowly, per your instructions in the article, but the right weight will not budge.
Any suggestions you can offer would be great. Our horologist is on vacation until September.
Thank you!
The right weight is usually the time keeping weight. It maybe another issue such as the clock is not in beat most likely.
See details at this link
https://www.clockworks.com/posts/mechanical-clock-movement-beat-setting
James
Clock runs good but won’t chime
Serial number 85001238
Hi
We would need the movement numbers off of the movement itself please
James
The strike weight on my clock drops down to only about 18″ then stops in that position. However,the hour still strikes but only goes up to six rings then starts at 1 to 6 again.
If the clock strikes, the weight is coming down. No strike is weight does not come down. One equals the other.
As for the strike issues, maybe this post will help =
https://www.clockworks.com/posts/grandfather-clock-strike-quantity-correction
James
I have recently purchased a Seth Thomas Grand mother clock and set it up as best as i could. I installed the weights, in the places that there were marked for. It will keep accurate time but will not chime. The switch on the face is set to chime but doesn.t go to the bottom of the path.
Please run it without the hands and the clock dial for testing the chime. It will narrow things down. Next, put the minute hand on just slightly to turn it to the next chime, and the next, let it strike out the hours fully. If it chimed and striked ok, your all set, put the dial and hands back on. What happened is the rack fell behind the snail (the hour hand tube) and brought it forward some. It brought the hour hand forward to the point that when the minute hand is installed it squashed the hour hand upon tightening the minute hand nut. With the strike squashed between the front plate and the snail, all sorts of weird issues occur. If this was a fail and the clock did not chime through this, continue with the below check points.
Be sure the clock’s silent lever is in the down position. This lever is at 3oclock on the movement. This is chime ON.
The chain cant be rubbing anything in its path like the seat board. Should be ratchet wheel straight to the weight, not rubbing anything.
Is the hammers hitting anything in its path when they move? If the hammers are rubbing the back of the clock case, or if there hitting or rubbing against each other, the clock will hang up and not chime
The heaviest weight on your right as you face the clock? The chime weight is the heaviest weight out of the three and goes in this position.
Is there a way to release the weights to come down some to see if the cable got crossed to lock up the chimes on both sides. Is there any pictures of the works of a Howard Miller clock where I can check to see what needs to be adjusted? It was sold in 1990.
Hi,
It is somewhat tricky to do, need to remove the movement and release the click within the cable drum. This way the spool can be unreeled and the cable can be pulled down to full length.
James
My middle weight is all the way to the bottom of the clock and the outer weights are up top. How do I fix?
Turn the chimes on to have them all come down over a weeks time.
James
The center weight chain has no tension. When I try to pull the weight up, it just goes back down. It doesn’t catch. The clock is an Emperor with a Hermle movement.
Center Ratchet wheel is broken, what is the movement numbers off of the back plate?
James
I have oiled and cleaned my grandfather clock mechanism and it running much better. I found the chains holding the weights to be sticky and presume this is old grease. Should these chains be cleaned and or oiled ?
Many thanks for your advice
Yes sounds like a good idea. Most likely not required however.
James
Left side weight does not drop left side retard bar stuck out will not drop down to hit the chimes what do I do
Not understanding this one, can you clarify more please
James
Why won’t my grandmother clock keep running. It is run by weights and a pendulum.
Please provide the movement numbers off the back plate.
See this link for help locating the movement numbers:
Identifying a mechanical clock movement — https://clockworks.crisp.help/en/article/identifying-a-mechanical-clock-movement-88buzj/
Is the pendulum touching anything at all or the sides of the clock case
Is the pendulum rubbing the chime rods at all
Are the clock hands touching each other or rubbing the dial
Is the moon gear meshing ok with the gears on the back of the dial
Is the chain dropping directly down through the seat board, not rubbing the seat board or the mounting screw
Is the crutch, the part that wackes the pendulum hanger back and forth, able to wack it ok? In other words the leader
(pendulum hanger) is going directly through the crutch, not riding the back of the crutch or front of the crutch but in the middle so the crutch can wack the pendulum hanger just a bit during its tick / tock
I was trying to relieve the stuck chime weight chain and the chain broke at three quarters around the gear. NOW WHAT??
You can order new chain here:
https://www.clockworks.com/product/grandfather-grandmother-clock-chain
Thank you !
Clockworks Team
Should I pull down on them at any time for a few seconds?
That may do it, sure
Thank you !
Clockworks Team
Center weight on grandmother clock
Please see this link for help:
https://www.clockworks.com/posts/grandfather-clock-weights-stuck
Thank you !
Clockworks Team
My clock only strikes once no matter the time. All weights are working except the strike weight only strikes once no matter what time it is. I have tried setting the clock to one o’clock which corresponds to the hour it strikes no matter what. I have advanced the clock twelve hours with hope that when I move the time to two o’clock no such luck. What is my next step?
Please see this link for help:
https://www.clockworks.com/posts/grandfather-clock-strike-quantity-correction
Thank you !
Clockworks Team
Hi, our strike weight is at the bottom and won’t pull back up, the other weights seem to be fine, any ideas?
When winding the clock, the right weight will not stay at the top but falls freely to bottom of case
Ratchet wheel broke it sounds like.
New movement is best
What is the numbers off of it?
James
Thank you !
I just acquired an ethan allen grandmother clock that appears to have all three weights very stuck at the top. I tried your comments above to free said middle weight but nothing. What is the next step? Model #3800 Movement -E Dial- AE Serial #91076
Please provide the movement numbers off the back plate of the movement.
See this link for help finding your movement numbers: Identifying a mechanical clock movement — https://clockworks.crisp.help/en/article/identifying-a-mechanical-clock-movement-88buzj/
Thank you !
I forgot to wind my grandfather clock and the chime is now an hour behind the hands. How can I put it right?
That is an easy one, just point the hour hand to whatever time it struck out. The hour hand is only a friction fit. Then set to time with the minute hand
James
Thank you !
How do
I correctly set the time? Counter clockwise?or clockwise??
For a post 1950 clock movement of German origin, it can be set by going backward or forward.
James
Thank you !
The middle weight on my grandfather clock comes down only it does not chime anymore
Please turn on the chimes with the lever on the right at 3 o’clock
Thank you !