oiling the wood on a cuckoo clock

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 9:16 pm     Post subject: oiling the wood on a cuckoo clock

got a clock that needs cleaned up. has good finish on it just needs cleaned and oiled. Whats the best procedure and product to use. Is pledge a bad idea? my other clock that i had re done for me the guy oiled the case. just need to know how to clean up another Gem and bring it back to life. thanks for your help

Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:53 pm     Post subject:

According to Bob Flexner (“Understanding Wood Finishes”), normal cleaning will simply require a solvent based polish (Liquid Gold®, Lemon Oil, etc), while water-emulsified polish is best for water soluble dirt (like sticky fingerprints from little ones). Typically water-emulsified polish will be from the Pledge® family and can be characterized by the “milky-white” coloration of the product. Evaporation rate of polishes is another subject which Mr. Flexner covers. Typically, polishes that evaporate slowly will give maximum shine and wear protection for longer durations. Important Note: It is a good idea to test any furniture polish in an inconspicuous area of the assembly before application.

I think you would be just fine with a product like lemon oil or liquid gold. If you have some dirt sedimate to remove, then the pledge may work better. Mind you - this is only for the wood pieces (as mechanical cuckoo movement can be cleaned and oiled as well - just not with furniture polish/cleaners ).

Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:15 pm     Post subject:

not sure I would use pledge on a cuckoo clock, as the spray would go places you don't want. I would just brush the dust off, and a little lemon oil.

Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2011 9:16 pm     Post subject:

I would agree with Amrad - - Chances are the cuckoo case should not have any dirt or residue on it that would require a water-emulsified polishing product. In situations where it might be required, you can always spray directly on the cloth and then use the wet portion of the cloth to wipe any certain areas as needed.

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 3:19 am     Post subject:

i tried the pledge idea. and i did spray directly onto the rag away from the clock. it cleaned it up nice until pledge dried then it went back to the dull finish. now can i use another oil over top of the pledge?

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:26 pm     Post subject:

You can try Lemon Oil or Liquid Gold - but try them in an inconspicuous area initially to make certain there would be no problems interacting with the Pledge applied previously.

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 2011 9:31 pm     Post subject:

maybe if i wait a few weeks till the pledge wears off, cause i'll have this clock for a while. I need new bellows and possible movement rebuilt with brass bushings.

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:22 pm     Post subject:

sorry for that stupid question but where do I get that lemon oil?

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 12:47 am     Post subject:

Old English and Formby's lemon oil treatments are two that come to mind that can be bought at most hardware stores like Lowes or Home Depot. They all contain some kind of petroleum byproduct unless you get into the real lemon oil like Weiman's Lemon Oil which contains no wax or polish and no petroleum based ingredients.

In most cases, lemon oil will not harm wood finishes. It is a natural cleaner and some say that it can replace the lost "natural wood oils" in a piece of furniture. (I'd like someone to explain THAT one to me!)