pendulum doesn't swing

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 1:20 am     Post subject: pendulum doesn't swing

Even after days of trying to level the clock the pendulum still won't "keep" swinging. It's swung as little as 5 minutes and as long as 6 hours. I have heightened and lowered each of the four legs on the clock over 20 times, 20 different ways. What else should I do?

Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:27 pm     Post subject:

The pendulum might require a beat adjustment. If you know that the movement and clock case (the movement most importantly) are level, then the next step is to make certain the pendulum is in beat. The pendulum typically attaches to a metal piece called the pendulum leader. The pendulum leader, in turn, is typically fed through the crutch arm, which is an arm that extends out the back plate of the movement. Remove the pendulum and slide the pendulum leader out of the crutch arm slot. This crutch arm must swing an equal distance from center to left as it does from center to right. If it is uneven, then you can push through slight resistance so that you can gain an even swing. Replace the pendulum leader and pendulum. This would be typical for many brands of mechanical movements.