How to Examine, Clean, Oil and Setup a Grandfather Clock - part 1 of 4

[@erics.3691]

This video helped me get my erratic or non chiming howard miller 93 (never serviced) working perfectly (2019) lube it ! Thanks Eric..

[@jimrobertson3098]

I watched your videos to fix my Barwick grandfather clock, it was the low end model, and with your instructions, the clock is working and has been working for the last 4 years. But just yesterday, the chain and weight that works the chimes, especially the hour chime, will not stop chiming, so I removed the left weight (when facing the clock) and stopped the pendulum. Don't know if there is an easy way to fix this problem or if you could direct me to which of the 4 videos that would help me. Thanks.

[@dougmccarville8623]

Todd, thank you for the great detailed tutorials. You provided so much information and options for cleaning/oiling that I decided to give it a try. Now my clock is working perfectly. Cheers

[@ToddFun]

Glad it was helpful!

[@harpomarx7777]

As a verb, "set up" is two words as in "set up your clock". As a noun, it's one word as in "this is the setup procedure for your clock".

[@ToddFun]

Great! thanks. I'm terrible at grammar. This does help. Thanks.

[@ronniekleinsasser1446]

I have a howardmiller grandfather clock and I wount wrong at the quarter hours jut the hour and some times the quarter hour

[@janhelferich1864]

great so helpful, I'm gonna take it apart and give it a good cleaning. I was just given a Seth Thomas mid 70's. It only worked a few years, They never clean it or oiled. Heavy duty smoke. Wish me luck. I'm following you.Thanks a bunch you gave me the confidence to do it.

[@ToddFun]

Great! Glad to help. Go lighter on the oil than I did in the video.

[@reubenramos4448]

Thank you..my Mom's clock chain fell off with your help I was able to to put back on .her clock was a retirement gift..

[@ToddFun]

Glad to help.

[@cat637d]

End shake and side shake are the terms for the play of the pivots in the plates. This movement has been bushed by a horologist at some time in the past. If the pivots are not cleaned and burnished in conjunction with a complete tear down and thorough cleaning the bushings will fail in a very short time. Grit embedded in the soft brass plates act like grinding compound on the harder steel pivots. Using a smooth broach breaks down the grit and work hardens the plate wear points, olives the holes to reduce bearing point friction and retain lubricant and a cleaning of them with pegwood removes the microscopic debris.

[@ToddFun]

+cat637d Thanks for the term updates. I have reviewed these service processes in some books and the books cover these same concerns and remedies just as you outlined. I worry that my DIY hobby level knowledge and skills are not yet up to such a teardown, cleaning and repair. I know I could do it if I get the correct tools like broaching tools and orange wood however the centering, boring and bushing tools are so expensive. Then I need experience to do it right and I don't have such experience. That means I would also need some blind bushings and preacher marks in cause I needed a bushing do-over :( . It is so much to purchase and get right that it seems better right now to clean the clock good (teardown, clean, burnish) and run her until she stops some year at which time I can order a new mechanism for the price of the bushing service tools anyway. I only have the one clock to concern myself with in the end game here. Maybe a cheap set of Hole Closing Punches to reform bushing holes would help prolong the two bad pivots? Not sure.

[@lestergrenz5002]

You do well doing your own clocks but you do a disservice by teaching your methods to others. Hole closing punches are for hacks.

[@ToddFun]

I didn't teach anybody about hole closing punches. I did ask the above gentlemen about hole closing punches as I have read about such tools and he seemed knowledgeable about clock service. Anyway, I didn't end up using such tools as you will see in my following videos (see links in show notes) I did fully clean all the pivots as recommend by the above gentlemen and my clock has been running within 30 seconds a week of correct time ever since. So I have to say what I learned from reading a few books on clock service and watching 10s of clock service videos worked out quite well for me for almost no money compared to a new movement or professional cleaning service. I will still have to rebuild this clock's pivots someday or buy a new movement but I believe that will be a few years from now.

[@dpratt2000]

Hey Todd. Really enjoyed your video. Looking forward to rehab'ing a grandfather clock my parents got when we lived in Germany in the mid-60s. It's a Dufa with two weights, one for the chimes and the other for the clock time. I just got it working again recently but have stopped the pendulum until I can clean and oil/grease it. Going to build a jig so I can work on it at my bench--should make it a lot easier. Thanks for the video--looking forward to watching the rest in the series.

[@ToddFun]

Best of luck!

[@lorrainebabbitt7893]

Todd I have a Grandfather, Ridgeway and the center barrel comes down but L & R stay at the top. Any ideas ? Thanks FB

[@ToddFun]

You have the clock set to silent. There is a little lever you should be able to move from the clock face from "silent" to "chime". FYI: the outer two weights only fall when the clock is set to chime. The left weight runs the hourly gong and the right runs the quarterly gong. The center weight only runs the time of day.

[@radiotv9509]

hi quick question my son at one point in time jerked the winding weights and jammed the clock is there any way I can fix this without disassembling the clock

[@ToddFun]

Really not possible to say. No telling what was damaged. My first guess would be to take the weights off and pull the changes out. Look for loops that got stretched and replace or reform them. Then see if you can ratchet the main drive gear backwards with a finger or wooden pencil like your're raising the weights. If that all works then put the chains and weights back in and see if it works again. I have a video on how to put the changes back in that might help. Good luck.

[@nery0313]

why does my pendulum clock stop

[@larrypalacios4533]

Sorry, on my grandfather clock😁🎯

[@auldteuchter9012]

Dunno if you ever consider rebushing with impregnated sintered bronze, last a lifetime. Suitable sizes not readily available but can be machined from stock or from large bushes -- must use sharp pcb carbide drills to obviate smearing.

[@alynnlegal4034]

I have a 1960 german quartz miniature 3 weight coukoo clock.

[@ericnorteman5341]

Im glad i found this im just stsrting out

[@ToddFun]

Good luck. there is a ton to learn.

[@SuperWoodyboy]

Are you a CERTIFIED clock maker/repairman??

[@ToddFun]

no

[@alynnlegal4034]

I also get a klunk sometimes in chime but otherwise runs good

[@larrypalacios4533]

Why the middle weight is stocked, somebody please.?????

[@jebos1]

Awesome informative video, Todd!!! Thank you!!! :-)

[@ToddFun]

Thanks jebos1!

[@Rdebeauvoir1]

great videos thank you Todd.

[@leonardmay4950]

Todd, I have a Howard Miller grandfather clock that is chiming wrong... Sometimes it will chime 3 times for 5 O'clock , 6 times for 7 o'clock...etc... not consistent any suggestions

[@ToddFun]

So many things to be at fault. If it is always off by the same number I would stay to just roll the hour hand backwards 12 hours to the correct time and it should then reset shortly afterwards. If not and it is consistently off the same then maybe just remove the hour hand and put it on in the correct place for the hour that as reported, it just pulls off and presses back on. maybe the hour hand is not pressed on firm and it is slipping on this caller. If it needs to be cleaned and oil then that could be causing lots of problems, you may even have bad pivots but that normally will cause the clock to just stop or lose time. Might also be just a hammer arm that needs to be bent a little closer to the chime bar so it gets a nice firm strike each time. If you watch the hammers you may simply see the hour hammer swinging the correct number of blows but just not hitting the chime bar do to a bent arm or needing new head leather insert.

[@alynnlegal4034]

Can I put oil in shaft from the top where hands go on because having trouble which shaft seizing up.

[@ToddFun]

Yes a drop or two of oil there letting it sock down is fine. However for such an old clock you should take it to a local Horologist for a complete cleaning and service if you can't do it yourself.

[@dennisstuart3565]

I have a technical question about my Kuemel GF clock, specifically about the weights that drive the time, the Westminster chimes, and the hourly strike. The three weights are each different, approximately 10, 7.5, and 6.5 pounds. I'm assuming that the weights are different for a reason but I am not sure that they are hanging off the correct drive chains. Can you give me any guidance or suggest a source where I can be better assured that the weights are hung on the proper locations?

[@ToddFun]

I'm not sure about every clock but I do cover this starting at this point in my video about chain removal and install: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZewoqtudrmsedkm53s

[@neth1968]

hi I have a Seth Thomas grandfather clock and After i moving from my old address to my new one. The clock does not want to work. Could you tell me what to do. I can send you a video of how it looks if that helps. Thanks in advance.

[@ToddFun]

Might not be level. watch my video on how to get a clock in beat

[@happyhome41]

Did you ever show the bushing insertion for the two worn pivot points you pointed out in several of these videos ? I noticed the boring fixture in your parts list.

[@ToddFun]

I did and it is still working great. I shot all the video of the job about 3 years ago. I still haven't edited to upload. Its about 5 hours of footage and I'll have to carve it down to about 30 or 40 minutes. I really have to move that up on my to do list. Still haven't finish my pinball machine but now that about about done remodeling my new home in ND I might get time for KZbin again someday soon. Thanks for following and giving my the reminder.

[@donnac7060]

Hi Todd, just found you. I don't know what I did differently, but the right and left weights on my Ridgeway are hung up but the center weight still functions. I checked to see if it was in silent mode but it wasn't. I can gain access to the sides but don't know if removing the weights and pulling on the chains in reverse would help.

[@ToddFun]

No, that wouldn't help. Most likely its just time for a good deep cleaning and bushing service job by a horologist.

[@aramitzmendez1929]

Ansorry ser

[@ItAintMeBabe99]

Todd, can’t find that oil anywhere. The link to your store isn’t working. Can you help?

[@ToddFun]

Sorry, I have updated all my clock videos with working links. Here is what you're looking for as well: Clock oil I get on Amazon: amzn.to/2PeoZgz Clock grease I get on Amazon: amzn.to/2PcNVoI Clock cleaner amzn.to/2Sixuck

[@craiggoth2113]

Todd, My Howard Miller GF clock from the mid 80's chimes the hour at the 45 min slot. So at 3:45, 4 hourly gongs. Any way to reset? Many thanks

[@ToddFun]

Unscrew the hand nut, take off the minute hand and rotate it a 1/4 turn forward then put the nut back on.

[@vanni9283]

Hermle (pronounced Her-ma-lee).

[@ToddFun]

+John McDevitt I thought so to but after my first video a viewer, I think he was German, said in Germany it is pronounced hair-m-luh

[@kerrykrishna]

Todd, I am searching right now for a vid on repairing a simple Mora clock mechanism. It all came in a cardboard box, almost intact, but with a single gear and the hands and a few other parts in a ziplock. The clock body itself I am currently working on. I need to restore the copper face plate also, as. believe it or not, someone bent to fit into a cardboard box that was too small. Are there vids I can watch that would show this? Thanks so much.

[@ToddFun]

Not, nothing like that in my videos. Sorry.

[@kerrykrishna]

Todd, I think I said in a roundabout way, I need a chat site about these things to ask some questions. Any ideas?

[@ToddFun]

@@kerrykrishna No. Sorry don't know of such a site.

[@lavamite]

Was hoping you could answer the question for me.....I have a "Howard Miller" Grandfather Clock that worked great for years. Then all of a sudden after winding all 3 weights, the one on the left and the one on the right won't come down. Only the middle weight comes down. But the clock still keeps correct time as long as I keep the middle weight wound each time it goes down. What could be causing this?

[@ToddFun]

Your clock might have a silence mode level on the face plate that you bumped . Once bumped into silence mode the left and right weights will not fall nor will it make any noise.

[@lavamite]

Yes thanks for the reply. My clock does indeed have a silent mode and a strike mode. I checked and it was set on STRIKE mode. So what I'm trying is setting it in the middle of both modes and see what happens but I doubt that will make a difference. Guess I'll have to end up having to bring it to a clock repair shop somewhere - if I can find one.

[@jameswest8280]

Dumb question, why do you need an o'scope to repair clocks?

[@ToddFun]

My channel is mostly about hobby electronics. The clock videos are just a tangent I got on because I found myself needed to repair an old grandfather clock mechanism.

[@jameswest8280]

@@ToddFun cool, I'll have to check out your channel. I love all things electronic and mechanical.

[@howarddehart8226]

Just found you. Thanks

[@ToddFun]

Glad you're here! ;)

[@thomasmarchant8218]

Howard DeHart non;

[@Caballingus]

Great video series- thanks for sharing. I've got a problem with a similar German made mechanism. It is spring operated, has no weights. There is only minimal wear on the pivots but it will jam sporadically. Sometimes it works for a couple of days then it will stop after just a few hours. Have you ever experienced somthing similar?..

[@ToddFun]

If it is old it might need a good cleaning. However getting those springs to letdown safely is a job that requires special tools and skills. If your not up to paying for such a job by a pro then take out the mechanism, do NOT disassemble the mechanism, spray it down good with break cleaner from and auto parts store including the springs if they are exposed. Do the spraying out doors. Then oil the pivots and grease the contact parts as noted in part 3 of 4 video. Then get some of this heave main spring grease "ProductID=82215, see links below" and see if you can get it injected into the main spring leafs. This is NOT the correct way to clean, oil and grease a spring powered clock but you will not harm anything trying. The challenge is getting the grease injected into the main spring without disassembly. Maybe try the injection and a little hot air from a hair dryer to get it to flow around the main spring leafs. Best to do this after the clock runs down about 3/4 of the way so the main spring isn't too wound up tight. Once again the best option is to take it to a clock repair shop for a tear-down and cleaning but that could be spendy. If it still stops then the wear is too much or the clock is simply not setup in beat and leveled correctly. Good luck. part 3 of 4 video: www.toddfun.com/2016/08/07/how-to-assemble-oil-and-grease-a-grandfather-clock-part-3-of-4/ oil: astore.amazon.com/tod0f5-20/detail/B00CVZS7NY grease general: astore.amazon.com/tod0f5-20/detail/B0047BFLVG grease main spring: www.merritts.com/merritts/public/product.aspx?ProductID=82215

[@Caballingus]

Many thanks for your quick and elaborate reply. I forgot to mention that it is a wall clock from the seventies which is perfectly aligned and the escapement/pendulum mechanism looks brandnew. Even though It produces an even tick-tock sound it will alternately get louder and quieter as the spring unwinds. So you could be right assuming that there might be a problem with the main spring. I will follow your suggested brake-cleaner-washdown/oiling-without-disassembling procedure and will try to get grease into the main spring. Even though the springs are encased in brass housings there is some sort of small opening where I could probably get grease in using a syringe. There are virtually no clockmaker professionals left here in Austria and I couldn't afford a professional overhaul anyhow so I will have to get it fixed myself. Thanks again for your very helpful advice.

[@markmossinghoff8185]

Caballingus Have you checked out the KZbin channel called "Clickspring"? He's a clock maker in Australia and he may be able and willing to help you.

[@Caballingus]

Thanks for your advice.

[@albertocosentino9115]

Hi you know how repair electronic marine chronometers ?

[@ToddFun]

Sorry, no. Look up horologist in the yellow pages or internet.

[@zanderbrooks3862]

Stop touching the movement with your bare hands 🤦‍♂️

[@TURNKEYiNK]

amazing. thanks for these videos. Is there instruction on how to disassemble a grandfather clock?

[@ToddFun]

Not really but I do talk about some removal and install throughout many of my clock videos in my play list. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2XKmX6si5lmadk