Ordering The Cuckoo Movement

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Ordering The Cuckoo Movement

Offering post WW2 German made cuckoo clock movements, prior to this would be an antique. Antique cuckoo clocks made during and before the second war have movements that are no longer made. The only thing to do is get an overhaul on the movement by a clock maker.

Email us for more specific information on these types of movements. As for the post 1950 clocks, the Regula company of Germany made way more cuckoo clock movements than anyone else in history. If the cuckoo clock is post 1950, the movement is most likely a Regula. Moreover, a replacement will be available for purchase.

So the movements for sale, and the information that is sent, is for Regula cuckoo clock movements. If working with an antique cuckoo movement, please email Clockworks to see if there is something we can do for it.

In addition, pictures of the movement are always helpful when emailing. It is always helpful to see what the movement looks like. That way we can be sure what the situation is and reply with the best solution. Clockworks email address is [email protected].

Cuckoo movement number stamp

On the back plate of the cuckoo clock movement there will be some numbers that are in a stamp that is in the brass. It will certainly not be on any paperwork that came with the clock.

It has to be off of the actual brass plate. Regula puts their mark above and slightly to the right of the wheel that lifts the bellow wires.

The bellows are the things that make the cuckoo sound. It will have a stamp of 25L, 34XL, 72 and so forth with the Regula 25 being the most common movement made. The Regula 25 accounts for about 75% of the post war cuckoo clock movements in the world.

It is the most popular two weight movement. It also runs for one day per wind up. Subsequently, the Regula 34 is the second most popular movement. That one runs for 8 days on a single wind.

How many weights

Regula 25 indicates a two weight movement. This two weight movement will last one day on a full wind. You can install a two weight movement on a clock with three weights on it. When looking in the back sometimes there are three weights on the clock.

However, if you notice only two weights will go to the movement itself. The other third weight drives the music or a dancer platform up on the top. But even if there are three weights on the clock, it would usually take only a two weight movement. So when purchasing a new movement, be sure to pay attention to how many weights are going to the movement.

Dancing People Platform

It may or may not have dancers on a spinning platform on top of the movement. We need to figure out if the dancer platform is separate or part of the clock movement. If the platform is already part of the movement, it will come out with the movement. It will be one whole unit.

The movement and the platform, once taken out, will be a complete unit. If this is the case, the replacement will also need to have the dancer platform already on it. If it does not come out as one unit, then it will be clear that the movement and platform are separate entities. So this is an important step in knowing which movement to get.

The dancers are only a friction fit onto the platform. The exception to this is if someone made the decision to glue them on over the years. This is a possibility, especially if they were prone to pop off from wear. If they do not have glue on them then removal is easy. Just twist and pull up to take them off. By twisting and pulling up, the dancers should come right out.

If they break, we do sell the common dancing people. However, if they have a special design on them that is not something we carry. These types of dancers would be more difficult to find. So be extra careful when removing these types of dancers. To get a new movement with the dancer platform, you will need to know the dancer height. This measurement is from the top of the movement to the top of the platform where the dancer feet are.

Measuring the pendulum drop

The measurement from the suspension post down to the center of the pendulum leaf is known as a drop. The pendulum drop is the measurement from the top of the clock movement to the center of the pendulum leaf. This measurement is very approximate and it does not have to be exact.

Please do not worry about get a precise measurement on this. An approximation is okay. The pendulum leaf can slide up or down but we want the measurement to the center where it keeps approximate time. So before you measure, make sure the leaf is set.

The leaf goes up and down to adjust the time. To speed up time slide the leaf up on the pendulum stick. Slide the leaf down to slow down the time. It is as easy as that.

Ordering The Cuckoo Movement

In review, the information you need to obtain a new cuckoo clock movement. First, you need the movement numbers off of the backplate of the movement itself. Second, determine how many weights are on the movement. Finally, determine if there is a dancer table and know what the height is.

After that, combine all of this information and match it up to the information on the web page. As a result, you will be able to find your correct cuckoo clock movement replacement.

If there is an issue getting any of these pieces of information please do not hesitate to email us. Of course, we will be happy to help you! It is better to ask questions beforehand than to have to purchase an item that will not work for the clock.

The point of no return

It does require a lot of patience and a bit of skill. It is not uncommon for a customer to order a cuckoo clock movement and insist the movement is not working. Often enough, this is not the case. The problem usually lies with the customer not understanding how to manipulate the movement or not ordering the correct movement.

This is why we try to explain the procedure as thoroughly as possible. We also highly encourage individuals to email us with questions before ordering. If need be, email pictures of the movement prior to purchasing a new one. That way, we will have a visual on what you are working with and can proceed accordingly.

Unfortunately, we cannot take cuckoo clock movement back because we customize them to fit the customer's clock. The movement cannot be resold once this customization is done. Thus, we cannot refund the cost of the movement and shipping costs.

This is the reason we no longer take returns on these movements. A cuckoo clock movement installation is done at your own risk. The factory will test these units and are brand new. They are in perfect working condition and will work well for you as long as the installation is done correctly. Please do not feel you are alone in this adventure.

We are here to help you along the way. Please feel free to email us if you encounter problems during the installation. We will do our best to help you along and make the installation as painless as possible.

The content of this website is copyright by Clockworks and written by James Stoudenmire in year 2022

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Hans Gehlhaar
Hans Gehlhaar
2 years ago

I have a 45+ year old cuckoo clock with (i believe) a Regula 25 movement, which is the clock’s original movement. It has two weights, and requires winding every day. Last night as the cuckoo started to call 10pm, something in the mechanism ‘slipped’ and the weight pulled the chain to full extension and bent the hook enough to drop the weight. Now the cuckoo’s weight won’t stay up when wound.

What should I look for? Could this be owner-repairable, or am I looking at a new mechanism?

BTW, the time train is already showing signs of wear. It was given a slightly heavier weight after being cleaned a couple years ago.

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