Klockit "Bim-Bam" Mechanical Strike movement

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 8:45 pm     Post subject: Klockit "Bim-Bam" Mechanical Strike movement

I've talked with a person @ Klockit but she did not know the answer to this question -- Can I make the hammers on this movement BOTH strike the chime rods at the same time instead of one after the other?

I've got an old (~10 years) movement similar to this one that has gone bonkers. After "Fall Back" Sunday, it now strikes several times on the 1/2 hour although it counts the hour correctly (most of the time). That movement has a recessed switch to let it either "Bim-Bam" or chime together. I would MUCH prefer the chime together action over the bim-bam.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge with this current movement?

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:43 pm     Post subject:

I am not certain that this could be done with this movement. Making a modification of this nature would require you to take apart the clock motor housing (note that this would render the warranty null and void). From that point, modifications would have to be made to the mechanical device which activates the chimes. As this device activates, it pulls the hammers back and allows them to fall forward to strike the chime rods. This device (sorry - but I am not certain what the correct terminology would be) is designed so that it will activate the hammers to strike one after another. The device would have to be modified or replaced so that it would pull the hammers back simultaneously. Being that I have not ever attempted a modification of this nature, I do not know how complicated this would be (or if it would even be feasible at all).

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 2:36 am     Post subject:

I wonder if you could epoxy the two strike hammers together with a piece of metal between the two so they strike together.

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 4:20 am     Post subject:

That's kind of what I was thinking.

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 3:48 pm     Post subject:

I am not certain. It could always be looked into. I also wonder, however, if you would get a double strike (two dings at the same time instead of one ding after another) with every chime. This might be true if my speculations are correct that the activator has different timing for activation of each hammer. It may pull back both epoxied hammers for both the "Bim" and the "Bam".

Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2010 10:39 pm     Post subject:

COULDN'T BE DONE!! inside the case there is two lifting tabs, one for each hammer. these lift at different times so gluing together would mean the hammers would strike the gongs together but twice for each.