my old clock

Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:36 pm     Post subject: my old clock

i have a clock i inherited about twenty years ago. when it was moved it qould not run, we had a repair man come and set it up. it worked perfectly til this winter. our house temperatue is set at 55 F at nite. the hour chime got slower and slower and finally quit during the day we keep it at 64 and the clock was fine. now however it will not keep running. before i discovered this forum i used wd-40 and the chime worked perfectly . but now at nite it quits about 4 am each morning, the entire clock. this is a grand father clock my mother bought in germany in 1967. the seller told her it came out fo a castle near the rhine river. there is a big sideboard a small sideboard, a couch with a huge mirror and the clock. all carved oak in grape leaves. i have no idea if the seller was telling the truth. she said it was approximately 75 years old at the time. the only marks are as follows. there is a circle with wings on it embossed into the metal under the circle with wings it has the number 125605 below that number is the number18133. also it has the number 96 as an numerator and 66 3/4 as in the demoninator. it is written as a fraction. the clock face has 9563 on it. that is all of the info. it is a two weight clock. it also says 'radium gong' on the actual chime or whatever its called. anybody got any ideas how to get it going again. i live in the mountains of Pennsylvania where clock repair is a lost science. i cannot find anyone who will either take it and repair it or come and look.
any advice would be greatly appreciated

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:04 pm     Post subject:

You may have to send it out for repair and/or oiling. It sounds as though it needs a good cleaning and oiling. You can check over the internet for possible repair/cleaing/oiling options. Do not use WD40 - - you should be using synthetic clock oil (search #99125 on the Klockit website for an example).

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:25 pm     Post subject: my old clock

i know after reading about clocks, wd40 is a huge no no. i put it back together last nite and it has run fine since who knows there is nobody close nearest person is either buffalo ny 90 miles or pittsburgh 160 miles. do you have any idea what age this clock is?:

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:26 pm     Post subject:

I do not - but other forum patrons might have an idea. You can also brouse anitique books (or contact a local antique dealer). Check online as well (as you may be able to find similar clocks through various other sites to establish age, value, etc.

For the movement repair, you may have to drive the distance (or work out shipping arrangements). Older movements are definately worth repairing (if they can be repaired)... if nothing else but for the antiquity value of the clock itself.

Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 5:33 am     Post subject:

If it has been 20 years since the clock repapirman set it up, it is guaranteed it needs cleaning, most likely several bushings replaced. I would not recommend running the clock, even if it is oiled. The old oil has probably become like modeling clay, very hard and dirty and any running will give severe wear. Oiling will just activate the dirt and become a very effective grinding compound. It could also be that some of the bushings/pivots have worn to the point they no alonger allow the clock to run. Only a qualified clock repairman should undertake rebushing the clock and if pivots are worn, they may have to be replaced. If the clock is run too long, the pivots can break, causing extreme damage to the movement gears. Also, you did not mention if it was spring wound or weights. If spring wound, the mainsprings may also be so sticky they are not releasing power to the clock.