Clock not chiming

I mistakenly bought the wrong mantle clock last night at auction.

I've ordered keys already.

Start swaying the pendulum and all the gears turn, then turn the hand on the hour and everything starts spinning and the chime arm bounces but not hard enough to hit the chime. Is this because the clock is not wound?

 

Hi,
Wait for AF but it seems like the arm that hits the chime needs a slight bend to make it hit the chime. My aunt bent all the arms so they would not chime. She hated clocks that struck or chimed.
greg

 

Looks like Greg has got this one already. It is not uncommon for people to bodge a strike/silent in that way. Bend the arm so when it is at rest it is just clear of the gong. (Proper name for the rod or coil that makes the strike noise.)

 

OK, I'll bite. Why did Auntie have clocks that chimed or struck?

 

Perhaps because the overall clock was what she liked, but not the noise?

 

Possibly because uncle bought the clocks. Once he died she could have it her way.

 

Sounds cuckoo to me!

 

Ive diddled with it some more now that I have more morning light.
It seems the striking arm doesnt have the power it needs to move. You only feel a very slight flick when slight pressure is applied. Maybe its not sitting on whatever causes it to flick?

This is why Im wondering if needs to be wound to properly check it out

 

I'd say that is the answer, unwound the strike train lacks the power to lift the arm.

Although you do say things are spinning. But there is no natural way I can think of that would cause the pin that lifts the arm to malfunction. Post a picture of the back-plate.

 

Hi,
Wow that clock looks really dirty. I have a 125 yr old one that has never been cleaned but still looks like new as compared to yours. It looks like yours have been sprayed many times with DW-40 or some other oil certainly not with clock oil more like 3 in 1 oil or such. I usually do not recommend cleaning but I think it might help yours.
greg

 

It does look very oily/greasy.
The consigner at the auction is known for his "fresh barn pickings" so I wouldnt be surprised if this came out of someones barn, onto a trailer, and straight to the auction.

Its covered in mildew. I feel bad for it.
I swung the pendulum and its been going for almost an hour straight, keeping the correct time.

 

Hi,
My aunt loved to hear the clocks tick but did not like the way they sounded when striking especially during the night. When I was living in Manhattan I had a friend who stayed with us occasionally. Every time he left I had to start the clocks again (He hated and I mean hated the noise the clocks made at night, even the ticking.
greg

 

Hi,
I did not mean to be so nasty in saying it needed cleaning, I was just shocked, having never seen one that dirty before. Coming out of a barn was only part of the problem. I bought one that was pretty grimy. I sprayed it every day with a can of SILICONE spray, Not DW-40, until it dripped on to the paper towels I had on the bottom a couple of days later it was clean again. It was running while I was spraying it to make sure I hit all the spots and gears.
greg

 

Oh, I never thought you were being nasty! I thought the same thing when I opened it up! lol

So you suggest silicone to clean?

 

Hi,
I only suggested a way to save money for you. If it is to be done "correctly" you need to take it to a good clock man and have him clean it (he will most likely take it apart. Soak it in kerosene for an hour or so) and charge an arm and a leg.
greg

 

". . . the chime arm bounces but not hard enough to hit the chime."

Just think -- if the "good clock man" makes it work again then both you and he will be able to say that he rang your chimes.

 

What a mess. There is a nasty looking bodge near the center of the back plate that I cannot immediately figure out the reason for. I don't think cleaning is all that urgent since it is a type of movement that works with a lot of slack anyway. The dirt in the pivot holes is probably helping it.

Spraying at random is largely irrelevant, only the pivot holes matter as far as oil goes. No one would soak a movement in kerosene, although a mixture of strong ammonia, liquid soap and boiling water will do the job. After it dries dab each pivot hole with a needle tip holding a minute drop of clock oil.

A proper overhaul would be stripping it down, bushing any worn pivot holes, cleaning and reassembling.

 

I got my keys in the mail today and it works!
Yay!

The chime falls a tad flat but with some proper tinkering of the hammer I think it can be adjusted.

The time runs 1 minute fast per hour, so after 10 hrs its 10 minutes fast

 

If you can't adjust the minute at the balance wheel, you may need to adjust the pendulum.