How to install Cuckoo Clock Hands
Installing cuckoo clock hands
Installing the cuckoo clock hands bought from clockworks.com starts with removing the old hands.
Removing the old cuckoo hands
To remove the cuckoo hands you will only need a pair of needle nose pliers.
While holding the minute hand still (longer of the two hands) loosen the minute hand nut with the pliers. Turn the hand nut in a counter clockwise direction while holding the hand still will loosen it up. Now you can turn it with your fingers and it will come right off.
The cuckoo minute hand bushing
With the minute hand off it will expose a round bushing that has a square hole in it. This bushing may or may not come off with the minute hand. In fact it maybe stuck in the hand itself.
If the bushing is stuck in the hand just remove it by prying up and off with a flat screwdriver. The hour hand is next and is only a friction fit. Twist it and pull at the same time and it will come off.
Install the hour hand
The hour hand is first. Simply twist and push at the same time as it is only a friction fit. The tube it goes on tapers although it may not be noticeable. So the more you twist the hour hand and push down at the same time, the tighter it will be on the clock. Do not worry about having it point to the right time yet, we will do that later.
Now put the minute hand on (the longer of the two hands). Put this on the bushing and the ridges will somewhat lock it into place in the hole of the hand. Next is the hand nut which goes onto the hand shaft where the threads are on the tip.
This will sandwich the minute hand between the bushing and its nut. Now it’s time to set the hands to point to the correct time when the clock cuckoo’s.
Install the minute hand
Next put the brass bushing with the square hole in it, on the clocks hand shaft arbor’s square portion. The flat side of the hand bushing will go toward the clock dial. The side with the ridge on it will point outward.
Setting the cuckoo strike
After the install of the cuckoo clock minute hand we need them to point to the right place. Putting the hands in a position to point to the right place when it cuckoos the hour. Put the clock up on the wall and turn the minute hand to make the clock cuckoo out the top of the hour.
Count the number of cuckoo’s the clock sounds out and point the hour hand to that number. For example, if there were 6 cuckoos point the hour hand to the six. Loosen the minute hand some so you can turn it to the 12 to represent the top of the hour.
Tighten the minute hand nut while holding it still at the 12. Now just check the next hour and see if it will point to the correct spot when it cuckoos again.
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i have a one day cuckoo clock working perfectly except after a while the minutes hand is getting tighter and tighter and stop keeping the right time
What can i do
Does it run with no hands on the clock ok?
James Stoudenmire
30yr Clockmaker
Author of Clockworks.com
The hands on my cuckoo clock fell off. It is a new clock 2015. I do not have the square hole “bushing” nor a hand shaft arbor’s square portion to fit onto.
I do have a dommed peice that I do not see in the diagram I found.
Thank You,
Sarah
Cuckoo hand bushing
https://www.clockworks.com/product/cuckoo-minute-hand-bushing
Cuckoo hand nuts
https://www.clockworks.com/product/cuckoo-clock-hand-nuts
Cuckoo hands
https://www.clockworks.com/product/cuckoo-clock-hands
James
Is this a quartz cuckoo clock or a mechanical cuckoo clock that this is happening on ?
James
Having trouble removing cuckoo clock face.
The hour hand just rotates freely on the tapered tube as I turn the minute hand. The hour hand is pressed firmly on the tapered tube. The minute is sandwiched between the threaded bushing and nut. So, as I rotate the minute hand slowly, the hour hand doesn’t move.
could you send a photo of how you have the bushing/hand nut orientated?
–Bob
My cuckoo clock will not actually cuckoo. I hear the clang and the cuckoo comes out of his little house, but I do not hear the actual cuc-koo. What can I do to fix that?
remove the weights and take the clock off of the wall. on the back there is a removable cover. remove that cover and inspect the bellows ontop of the long square tubes. if they are torn or deteriorated, they will need to be replaced in order to bring back the sound of the cuckoo.–Bob