Regula cuckoo clock won't work with original weights

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 6:19 am     Post subject: Regula cuckoo clock won't work with original weights

Hi,
We have a nice Cuckoo clock with a musical box from my wife's parents. The clock didn't run for about 5 years (one little gear was broken, today I had it replaced at a clock repair shop). When I got home, I put the mechanism back in the box (at the repair shop I had just the mechanism) set everything up the way it was before... and tried to start it.
With the original 275g weights it runs for a few seconds and then it stops. If I put some heavier weight, it runs without problem.

It's possible that when the clock stopped working 5 years ago, my wife's dad tried to oil it. I don't know for sure if he did, and if he did, what kind of oil did he used.

My questions are, is there a problem if I continue running the clock with a heavier weight? Also, what's the best way to clean the mechanism without taking it apart?

Here are some pictures of the clock:

http://imgur.com/a/y01Tl

TIA

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 10:51 pm     Post subject:

Well, I repaired it. I called a repair shop and they said to wash the mechanism with "mineral spirits" (paint thinner) from the hardware store, then to blow it clean, and then to use clock oil to oil it. Done everything in the morning and now runs fine. It didn't stop for 2 hours with the original weights.

Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 4:03 am     Post subject:

This information is useful with me,thanks a lot!