Bellows Repair for Wade's Railroad House Cuckoo Clock

[@BradfordNeedham]

An index for this video: 0:00 Introduction to the repairs to do. 0:49 Removing the old whistle paper, bellows, and glue. Sanding the whistle parts. 4:14 Patching holes with wood filler. 5:18 Cutting out the new leather bellows. 5:58 Gluing the new bellows with diluted wood glue. 9:37 Testing the new bellows. 9:51 Gluing and sealing new paper on the whistles. 13:45 Gluing and sealing new paper on the top of the whistles. 19:03 Attaching the new loops and wire to the bellows tops.

[@dperry428]

Thank you

[@julieoliver4956]

I love watching you at work restoring the clocks to there former glory thank you for your hard work and making these videos you are a genius at this art 🇬🇧👏🏻💯💯👏🏻🇬🇧

[@kennethrank9489]

Amazing patience.

[@ПашаПитецкий]

Дякую вам за працю, хай щастить

[@Coolmarsh1]

The master at work, thank you for sharing your talents with us! 👍🇨🇦

[@suzziesturgill5219]

Such artistry! Amazing

[@edwinbrown5026]

Nice job! Man you sound just like John Hagee. Greetings from South Africa!

[@dperry428]

?

[@DrMardo]

@@dperry428 John Hagee is an American Pastor in Texas. By the way, Great Video! Enjoyed learning.

[@leonlc6608]

Thankyou for posting this ...so helpful.

[@dperry428]

Glad it was helpful!

[@EugenioVieira-s7x]

Nice thank you

[@escapematrixenterprisejacq7810]

Wonderful job!

[@dperry428]

Thank you!

[@suzziesturgill5219]

Such a master! Thank you!

[@loricastro3772]

Nice job, thanks a lot for share!

[@dperry428]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@lechj9351]

Thanks for a very solid lesson on bellows restoration. I wonder what kind of leather you have used. The one for car cleaning seems to be too thick to fold properly.

[@dperry428]

Yes, chamois is much too thick. I did a simple search on eBay for "paper thin leather" and found a site that said it was thin enough for clock bellows. It is, indeed. You can buy it from clock suppliers, but it is very expensive and they don't even guarantee thickness. timesavers.com/i-8946487-leather-bellow-material.html

[@dperry428]

Here's where I bought mine. www.ebay.com/itm/Reduced-Thin-1-5-oz-Cream-White-Sheepskin-Lining-Leather-Hide-Dollmaking-/400964204843

[@Ritopher]

I can see how you can determine the length of the leather by the distance around the bellows top. How do you arrive at the width at the front, top to bottom?

[@dperry428]

After putting a piece on the back for a hinge, open the bellow top to about a 45 degree angle. The distance from the bottom,front of the bottom piece to the middle front of the top piece is the width of the leather strip. The width is the distance to the widest expected opening of the bellows. It's about an inch. Don't want it too narrow, but too wide and it is difficult to make the folds needed to close the bellows.

[@Ritopher]

@@dperry428 Thanks 🙏

[@joetallon4968]

Great video. Just wish you had showed how to get the proper crease in the leather.

[@dperry428]

Push the sides and front of the material in between the top and bottom of the bellows, close the bellow top and clamp it shut for a few minutes. Creases will be there.

[@joetallon4968]

@@dperry428 thank you. I will try soon.

[@Cyberdemon1985]

What is the name of that wire used for the bellows? I’m using a paper clip but I think it’s too heavy. The wire makes the bellow volume too low.

[@dperry428]

Bellow lift wire. timesavers.com/search.html?q=BELLOWS+LIFT+WIRE&go=Search Is this what you're looking for?

[@richm9812]

Nice work. I’m looking for similar railroad whistles that I need to replace that are missing. I was wondering what is the length of those whistles not including the bellows? Thank you!

[@dperry428]

They vary. They are, without the bellows about 6" to 6 1/2". Some are a little smaller. Total length, including bellows, are 6 1/8" to 7".

[@richm9812]

@@dperry428 thank you!

[@dperry428]

timesavers.com/i-8946475-7-old-style-leather-bellows.html

[@gorp27]

What do you use for hinges? How did you come up with a pattern for the bellows paper/leather, but most important is how did you get the creases into the bellows?

[@dperry428]

The hinge is simply a strip of leather glued to the ends of the bellow halves. On this page you'll see the general shape of commercially available bellows material. timesavers.com/search.html?q=bellows+material&go=Search Make the bellows in this shape with dimensions to fit your specific size. Creases are made by tucking the material in with a pair of tweezers and squeezing the bellow halves together. Gently push in the front and then the sides. Then close the top until it closes neatly.

[@motoresesistemasautomatos.]

Muito bom teus trabalhos. Parabéns.

[@dperry428]

Obrigado

[@bobsblues9944]

What is the correct height between the top and the bottem , of the opening ?

[@dperry428]

If, by "the opening", you mean the distance between top and bottom of the bellows when it is open, it is roughly an inch or 2 1/2 cm. It should be be wide enough to accommodate the distance the lift wire moves but not so wide that the leather material bunches up when closed.

[@bobsblues9944]

@@dperry428 Yes, thank you !

[@richm9812]

Nice work! What is the name of that ball end drill?

[@dperry428]

Ball end mill. Available where tools are sold. Amazon, ebay, accessories for Dremel-style tools.

[@paddypup1836]

Hello. Hope you are well. Bellow wire and lifters question here. I replaced the bellow paper on an 8 day Regula. They were very delicate but working beforehand. I assume the lifting wires were original as it worked when I got it. But now the bellow with bird wire is not lifting easily. Put everything back to as close to original position as possible, but just can’t find problem. Even put in smaller wire on stiff side, put small bend In lifter on problem side. Could bird position on wire cause issue? It runs ok when I physically pull chain and observe from back. But weights can’t do it. As I mentioned they were perfect before for weight. Any insight ? Thanks

[@dperry428]

It's very difficult to say what's the problem without observing it myself, but some of the things I'd do would be to make sure the wire that lifts the bird's tail is not hanging up on anything and is below the bird's tail, take out the problem bellow and work it manually until it moves very freely. When I replace the paper on a bellows, I clamp it shut for several hours to make sure the creases are pressed in well. Also, the bellow lift wires should be shortest on top lift lever and longest on bottom lift lever. Bellow lifts should be adjusted to keep the bellows from opening completely. They only need to be lifted half-an-inch or so. Otherwise, they may bind if lifted to full extension. That's about all I can say without examining them.

[@paddypup1836]

dperry428 Thant’s for reply. Yes I’ve clamped new bellows together with rubber bands for a while. I know about the placement of longer and shorter wires. It’s hard to diagnose problem remotely on this one alright. I’ll just keep fine tuning. Worked before so should again. Take care.

[@paddypup1836]

dperry428 Hello and good morning. Two questions today😜. I picked up a very large cuckoo clock approximately 24 high with frame. Movement is Hubert Herr but it’s not like the more modern ones with snail and rack on the front, it has a slotted disc at the back to run the bird. The bird itself is wooden and flaps its wings. Hands are plastic not ivory. Carving is pretty detailed. Any idea of age ? I’m thinking 1900-30s. Only issue with if so far is the minute hand tends to fall back counter clockwise on its own weight occasionally. It does run. Thanks

[@dperry428]

@@paddypup1836 I'm no expert on dating these clocks, but your guess is probably right. The hands were originally carved bone. You can purchase new ones made of bone, but they are expensive. Example: timesavers.com/i-8947278-bone-cuckoo-hands-2-5-16-minute-hand.html As far as the hands falling backwards, look at the motion works, the set of gears that run the minute and hour hands. There is a clutch mechanism that allows the hands to be moved to set the time. The clutch is usually done in one of two ways -- by the minute hand tube having two notches cut out of the shaft that allows the remaining piece of the tube to be squeezed inward to create friction with a solid center shaft, tight enough to hold the hand in place, yet allow it to be moved to set the time; OR there is a tension washer under the intermediate wheel that can be missing or not tight enough. Lastly, there could be a problem with the nut that holds the minute hand on the center shaft, allowing the minute hand tube to slide on the shaft too much and intermittently allowing the gear on the minute tube to disengage from the intermediate gear. If that happens, the minute hand can flop all over the place.

[@paddypup1836]

dperry428 thanks for that. Have your video of the 8 day musical cuckoo on the tv here. You put lots of time into that one. My new son is staring at it.

[@UT.USSRMB]

friend what kind of skin is on the furs? how thick? where can I buy?

[@dperry428]

Timesavers ships internationally: timesavers.com/i-8946487-leather-bellow-material.html You can also get it on ebay. Search for 1 oz. leather. The thickness is measure in ounces (oz). I have no idea why. Kind of leather will vary from cowhide to sheepskin to other kinds of animal skin.

[@rehorneman]

Again thanks for the excellent video. I always learn a lot. What type and weight did you use for the bellow tops? Did you say you use piano wire for the loops? Will you be putting the movement in a case? If so I hope you do a video of the completed project. Bob

[@dperry428]

Of the two bellows, one had a complete lead weight, which I replaced. I don't know the weight. The second one had just bits and pieces so I just cut a piece of brass rod the diameter and thickness of the hole in the top. I don't know the weight but it was about 3/4 inch rod and about 5 mm thick. Yes, I used piano (music) wire. I also use it for smaller trundles and pivots. No, I won't be putting it in the case. The owner is doing a restoration but didn't know how to do the movement repairs or bellows, so I'll just be sending them back to Minnesota.

[@rehorneman]

Thanks for your early reply. Bob@@dperry428

[@ethangilcrease4198]

Hi where do you get your piano wire from? Thanks

[@dperry428]

ebay, Amazon, music stores. Do a search for music wire, piano wire, steel spring wire. Also, pinion and pivot wire for larger diameters. timesavers.com/search.html?q=pinion+wire&go=Search

[@Josias647]

What is peaper bellows?

[@dperry428]

Paper instead of leather. Sometimes Tyvek is used. Some people suggest using a paper dollar bill as it contains some cloth fibers and is more durable.

[@Bitz-vv2rf]

Hello Mr. Perry. Terrific job as always! Your videos have helped me greatly in my work with clocks. I wanted to ask, when you glued the leather down, was the finished side of the leather being glued to the wood or the unfinished side?

[@dperry428]

Unfinished side inward. The glue holds it better and the finished side out has a nicer appearance.

[@Bitz-vv2rf]

Thank you.

[@michaelriordan9834]

What did you use to hinge the top

[@dperry428]

A strip of leather.

[@chicknchili]

Can I send my clock to you to be repaired seems to be running slow and sometimes stops where would I send it thank you

[@dperry428]

I repair clocks only during the winter season when I can't be outside working on my pond and concrete projects. Contact in October by putting an email in a comment. I hold comments for review, so your email won't be seen by anyone but me.

[@rodrigohernandez2689]

What paper can be used to make the bellows?

[@dperry428]

Thin Tyvek timesavers.com/i-8946442-12-x-12-bellows-material.html timesavers.com/search.html?q=bellow+precut or leather timesavers.com/i-8946487-leather-bellow-material.html

[@ΤζουλιεταΜιχιλη]

Hello.I am from Greece.Can you tell me what kind of paper is it;

[@dperry428]

It is leather. δέρμα timesavers.com/search.html?q=bellow+material

[@ΤζουλιεταΜιχιλη]

Thank you very much.Your video are special.

[@joannegosse9836]

Where do you buy your book binder paper?

[@dperry428]

I don't. I do a search for marbled paper, find an image I like or want, save it, print it and use it. The image I found was of the paper used on antique books.

[@aldimmett]

I couldn't see what you were doing for a lot of the video.

[@dperry428]

Gee, maybe you should get glasses. OR, maybe you should volunteer to come be the videographer. I do these videos not for you but for the people who are getting their clock repaired. Sorry I can't please you. Maybe you should just go somewhere else to watch clock videos. I'm really tired of people like you who have nothing to say but criticism.

[@dperry428]

I also note, that typical for your type, your channel has been around since 2009 and you've managed to post 2 videos in 14 years. Way to show us how to do videos, troll!