Antique clock...

[Sachs]

I have a chiming clock. It's losing a few minutes when it chimes, about 4 mins out. We have wound it up in both keyholes, what else can we do?

[Doc.Spock.1]

Chuck it in the bin.

[coco pops]

Get it repaired!!

[darren1504]

If it is an antique I would recommend going to a reputable dealer who may be able to do a repair. Usually resetting times is done at the six o clock position. Try doing that first it may just work?

Good luck

[logic]

If it is an antique, take darren's advice,
If it is not of any real vallue have a goe as he said, and if that doesen't work, assuming it is a clockwork mechanism, try a quick squirt with some thing like WD40
or even parraffin.

[Sachs]

Hi!
I've tried WD40 on the centre of the face hands as they were a bit stiff. Not sprayed any in to the back workings of it yet. It seems to keep time for a bit then gradually lose. You are probably right, I should take it to a specialist!

[stewey]

If it is a genuine antique, do NOT use any kind of lubricant on the mechanism : take the clock to an expert.

[Sachs]

Well I bought it from an antiques place, not particularly expensive ( 65.00 ) Seller thought it may be 1930s? Works beautifully but for this!

[stewey]

If it has a pendulum on it there will be a mechanism for adjusting the weight higher or lower on the rod. This is usually a screw-type kind of adjustment: moving the weight higher makes the mechanism run faster, and vice-versa. Only adjust it for about 1 turn, and leave the clock alone for a day in order to see what happens. It's pretty much trial and error.

[Sachs]

Hi stewey, thanks a lot for your info! Strangely enough after scouring the internet, I found the information exactly like you said so have printed it off. Apparently it's normal for these old timepieces to be adjusted weekly! Thanks for all your help stewey! xxx

[stewey]

You're welcome, Sachs. These type of clocks are quite sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. As I suggested, just make a minor adjustment and wait for a day to see how 'times have changed' so to speak. then, if needed make further adjustments. Two thinks to keep in mind about these clocks: never lubricate them with common house-hold lubricants, and never move the hour or minute hand backwards.

[theonlyone]

Don't spray it with oil ...it probably needs
balancing ..try a 2p under the front of clock ..
a process of elimination ..old clocks are
very tempermental ..if all else fails use an
expert ..we have some really old clocks
and watches and always use an expert ...

[Sachs]

Hi the! We had put sticky felt under two feet from the start as the surface it's on wasn't quite even. Thanks anyway! xxx