Cuckoo Clock Repair for Cindy
Вставка
- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- In this video Chris repairs a cuckoo with a music box for Cindy.
This clock was a request sent to me from Jerry in Thompsonville, Illinois.
Chris goes through the entire repair process including:
Disassembly
Polishing pivots
Bushing procedure
Putting the clock in time
Repair of music box
Enjoy the video!
Thanks Chris a true Master Craftsman what an amazing job you did and such an awesome friendly person 👍💯
Wow! What kind words. Thank you.
Outstanding video!
A friend asked me to see if I could repair his clock (Regula 34 movement). With your detailed video, I was able to diagnostic issue as a missing warning pin. Now the fun begins!
Hey Chris, that was a great video, and the camera work was tops! Thanks for the tip on timing the palet! Rex
Awesome thanks!
Thanks, your video was helpful for me to determine the proper bends and placements in wires (some missing) on a similar clock I'm working on -- only difference is mine has the additional moving waterwheel on the side. A suggestion (probably too late!) is to adjust the wire for the wood-chopper motion so the axe actually touches the "wood" which visually matches the thudding sound more accurately.
Have been getting two other cuckoo clocks ready for a client to give to his family for Christmas gifts this week, so the arduous cleaning process has been top of mind for me. Am sure it's not the first time you've heard this, but may I suggest investing in an ultrasonic cleaner -- you can often find good used ones for fairly cheap -- which makes the cleaning process MUCH easier and more thorough. I've never regretted buying the two I now own, although I did get them at very reasonable cost. No more than 5-6 minutes with ultrasonic, though, as it can start pitting brass and even punch holes in thin metal!
Also, for cleaning solution I use household Sudsy Ammonia (which I dilute 1:4 with warm distilled water) and an added drop or two of grease-dissolving dish washing liquid for especially grimy movements. This solution is way cheaper than the commercial clock-cleaning stuff, and seems to work just as well. Plus you can easily get it in a pinch at most any grocery store. It was recommended to me by my experienced clock repair tutor and mentor. Just resist buying very large quantities of it when it goes on sale or you may be suspected of using it for nefarious (explosive) purposes... don't ask me how I know!
Same solution can be used on all the plastic components of a cuckoo clock. Two to three minutes via ultrasonic, without any effort or tedious scrubbing with Q-tips, will magically lift the grime right off and get things looking brand new. I was curious to see the condition of your cuckoo bird before-and-after... and it still looked dirty to me! My birds were even dirtier than yours (with a greasy yellow coating) yet came out cleaner -- especially in areas a Q-tip can't reach like the pivot holes, internal cavities and small beak. One of them even turned out to be a light robin's egg blue colour which was an unexpected pleasant surprise!
Anyway, I enjoy your videos and appreciate your contributions of experience and knowledge to the clock maker's community, which unfortunately is dwindling by the year as the old guys continue to pass away or give up the skills for health reasons. I feel very fortunate to have met an old-timer watchmaker locally where I live, willing to pass along his knowledge to me!
Great informative video! I’ve watched what seems like dozens of these with the hope of being able to get my old cuckoo back up and running again and your video is the best. Loved being able to see the process of new bushings getting installed. I had mine apart to re-oil but didn’t have to courage to completely disassemble the movement to clean properly like you did. I think if I video the process I’d be able to at least go back and review if I get confused on something. I got mine to the point where it’ll continue to run only if I add another 10oz weight to the time chain weight ….lol….I’m sure that will ultimately create additional wear and tear. I suspect it’s just dirty yet though it was professionally cleaned and oiled 30 years ago….it ran just fine for many years afterwards. Thanks again for the informative video.
Hi Chris,
Thank you for creating such clear and easy-to-follow content. I've read several instructional texts on Black Forest cuckoo clocks that lacked sufficient pictures and diagrams, making them hard to follow. Your video clarified most of the modules in all the cuckoo clock maintenance and repair books I've read. Thanks again!
I learned some new tips from your repair video Chris! Well done.
I love to hear that.
Awesome job! You guys are very Professional!! ❤ Much appreciated 👍
Thanks Cindy! I’m glad you liked the video.
I did learn a few things I could do different when working on cuckoo clocks. For a newbie that might be watching, you made it look easy, yet you didn't tell why you were doing something or what that something was. Maybe in your other videos you explain those somethings and I will have to take a look to see. Great Video by the way.
Thanks Mike. That’s exactly right. I have other videos that explain more of the details and theory.
Very professional approach! excellent job!
Great video. Setting the timing the way you do is much better than the way I wad taught. 2 questions, do you use the awesome product to clean the exterior of the case? 2'- I would love to see a video on you replacing the paper fins on the tines.
Thank you. Yes, I used the awesome product on the case (very diluted and used Qtips to apply very small amounts).
Good job . I like how you used the clothes pin to hold the fly as you put the gather wheel with gathering pin on. I will say that when you tested it and said it was on the hour for the 2 O'clock position that it only was in the first notch on the rack which will only cuckoo one time. It is best to go from 1 all the way back to 1 doing a function test with the great wheel. Because if the snail isnt correct and if the tab on the rack is bent wrong it will cuckoo 13 times on the 12 or more.
Nice attention to detail. I did of course make sure it was in the right position as can be heard when i run the cuckoo at 12; however, sometimes i miss these details while trying to film. Oops.
this was so cool. thanks
Thanks.
Hi Chris, I need some help. I just bought a clock in Germany and it wasn't playing music. Found the little spring was off. Put it on, plays music but it seems to play over and over at about 20 past the hour. How do I fix that?
What was the bushing flush cutter you used to decrease the size of the bushings you installed and where can I get one or two.?
It is called a "bushing cutter" and timesavers.com sells them.
Extraordinario. Me gustaría escucharlo en español. Muchísimas gracias
Awesome video Chris , would you be able to make up a ‘ Shopping List ‘ of tools and bushings for someone like me starting out bushing Regula movements ?
Conover’s book clock repair basics describes the basic tools you need
Is there a reason you rebuilt the movement rather than replace with a brand new movement since the same movement is still being made?
Because I’m a clock repairman. Not a clock replacer. These clocks have deep sentimental value to my customers.
@@Chrisclockrepair It's okay. I'm rebuilding a Hermle made Westminster movement even though new movements are still made just because I want to keep the "Hamilton" name on the movement to match the case. A lot of clock repairmen replace if an equivalent movement is still available. I'm on the fence and some customers would certainly rather have a brand new movement.
GREAT answer!!@@Chrisclockrepair
LOL! Thank you.
Hi Chris your Clock Repair video was certainly a big help with my movent repair. I don't know what vintage the movent is, but it has the "Very" small e-clips that are next impossible to remove. I couldn't find a tool for that size. Any suggestions? Thanks for your great video!
I use a very sharp flat screwdriver or needle nose pliers
do you repair via mail if I send my clock movements?
Hello Chris, have a clock and the cuckoo goes on forever, what is causing this thanks
One thing to try is adjusting/slightly bend the spring on the rack hook so that it pushes it down a little more. The spring might have lost some of its tension over time.
It may also just be that the gathering pallet is not adjusted properly so that it never "catches".
Chris ,you did a great job as usual. I always learn from you. Are you back in the clock business? I know you took some time off.
Thank you. I am working on some other projects right now, but I am still around. I have big plans for the future. Just you wait!
Can't wait!@@Chrisclockrepair
Hi Chris, where do you get all the tools for these jobs?
Timesavers.com or merrits
Hi very explanatory video thank you
Chris.
My story is a bit longer than the usual 1 line comments.
First of all, i am dutch, so forgive me if i make any spelling or grammar mistake.
I have inherited 2 Friese Staartklokken. You can look em up on google to see what they are.
They are not the same. One carries 2 weights, the other 3.
The 2 weight variant is the small one.
But it is antique. It has the original 3 figures ontop of it for decoration. The middle one holding a globe in his neck.
The other one is the bigger one, 3 weights. Does unfortunately not have the 3 figures on top.
Obviously (since it has 3 weights) it has a nicer chime build in.
The westminster chime.
The 2 weight clock only chimes at half an hour and an hour, with a simple bell sound.
Both have active moonphase dials.
They both run perfectly. As in: Tik, tok, tik, tok.
They both keep time, but not perfectly.
The smaller one with the shorter pendulum runs a bit slow, and the bigger one with the Westminster chime and longer pendulum runs fast.
Obviously the smaller one has the short pendulum, and the bigger one the long pendulum.
For me, listening to the ticks, the long pendulum seems to be swinging from left to right in about half a second.
So from right back to left also takes half a second. (it sounds like it does not take a second to go from full left to full right.)
The smaller one obviously moves faster.
To me it sounds like the pendulum goes from left to right in about 1/3rd of a second.
To be honest, i have no clue for the exact amount of time it takes.
I have no clue what these pendulums should do. How fast they should swing. Once a second, once half a second. No clue.
I understand that this depends on the length. I could measure how long they are, the pendulums of both clocks.
BUT since these clocks are not that rare, i imagine that there is a rule for how long it should take for the pendulum to go from full left to full right.
A frequency.
Recently i downloaded an app on my phone which i can record with. And it records the frequency of the ticks.
And so, now i only need to know the exact frequency of the pendulum to adjust it to almost spot on, so it will be on time better than it ever has been.
Unfortunately the problem is: i have no clue what the frequency should be for both of these clocks.
For clarification: my guess for the length of the short pendulum is around 30 centimeters.
The long pendulum around 50 centimeters.
These are rough eye balled estimates..
I understand some of what makes a clock tick. I have tried building a clock with my father, from wood. Designs i borrowed from Clayton Boyer, a guy with a youtube channel making all kinds of beautiful wooden clocks.
I understand the length of the pendulum determines how fast it swings etc.
I have yet to understand if the weight of the pendulum makes any difference, and if so, where? what difference? Does it require more weight to keep a heavy pendulum swinging, or less weight. I have no clue about all of that.
Anyway, this post is just for to ask the question: How can i use the app in my phone, which records the ticks and determines the frequency, to adjust the pendulum in such a way that it has the correct frequency (or close to it).
That requires for me to know the original frequency of the pendulum, and it is not printed on the clock. And i can not find it online.
And so i was hoping you can help with that.
I know how to adjust it, by turning the nut on the end of the pendulum.
And, if you need more info about the clocks, i can try and post a link or 2 for pictures.
But youtube does not allow much of that.
Anyways, i am sure if you google Friese staartklok met maanfase.
And google: Warming staartklok Westminster chime maanfase.
You will find pictures of similar clocks.
Sorry for the book i wrote.
Many clocks will have the beats per minute stamped on the back of the movement. However, the simplest way to put your clocks on the correct time is to make minor adjustments to the pendulum length until you have it just right.
Set your clock on time at a quarter hour and synchronize it with your cell phone. then check the time against your phone the following day at exactly 24 hours. If your clock is fast or slow by let us say three minutes then adjust your pendulum length and re synchronize your clock at a quarter hour again. The next day it will be closer. Keep doing this until it is time. Then you may find after a few days it is off. Make a minor adjustment and try again. After some time you can get it pretty perfect.
Chris, thanks very much for the reply.
Believe it or not, i already knew what you are talking about. And i am now in the process of doing so, mostly because i have no idea how those apps works.
I got 2 of em, and they are for to check a watch if it is running on time.
If interested, one is called Tickoprint and the other is called Watch accuracy Meter.
I know how to use it to record a sample of the ticking, i know how to set certain things, but the result plus other stuff in the app do not make any sense to me.
beaterror/ms, rate/s, just to name a few.
And, it paints a pattern of dots while recording, and you have some kinda scale in which you need to line up the pattern. The heck, i have no clue how to line it up, and even if i got it lined up i have no clue what to look for or what to do with the result it gives me.
So yeah, indeed, the simple way of just adjusting the nut works faster i guess.
Anyways, keep up the good work on those nice clocks, i love it.
@@Chrisclockrepair
I know one thing, you have one heck of a memory. Did you take classes for this or is it something you picked up on little by little? Are there repair books for clocks that you learned what all the parts are and what they do? I’d love to do this for my own clocks. I can do some things but not all. I’m mechanical and a tinkerer/ fixer from way back
I worked as an apprentice under another repairman and i also read up on the subject. It comes with experience.
Where are you located ?
Southfield, michigan
looks like that music role needed to be nudged to the right about 1/16th of an inch. The first row of music knobs didn't touch anything...plus, in case you didn't notice, that was no song. It was random notes that didn't make sense
Hello, how old is this clock please? Thx!
Snap ring pliers will remove those clips without pounding with wood
Music comb is in the wrong position. Great video tho
My cuckoo clock cuckoo an hour behind how do i fix that
Do you mean that it is losing an hour each day or it is simply always one hour behind. If it is losing time then you need to raise the leaf on your pendulum so that it goes faster. If it is simply an hour off, move the minute hand forward one full hour.
@@Chrisclockrepair I'm sure you meant move the "hour" hand forward one full hour!
🏴
Can you repair a Coukoo Clock for me? I bought one that was like i bought my Mother in 1983. This one is more Complicated & I don’t know how to get it up & Running again. It was made by the Schender Company made between 2001 & 2007. It is an 8-Day Coukoo Clock it has a music Box with Dancers on top. So here is the Troubles with it. On Top of the Music Box is a Plastic Battery Compartment for (1) D-Cell Battery & there is an Electric Motor that runs the Bird Whistle?
Out of the Battery Compartment are 2 Electric Wires a Blue wire & a Red Wire on the other end that runs the Electric Motor. I see white plastic Gears also in the Motor drive Assembly!! This is one big Clock I’d say at least 2 foot tall!! This is the Hunters Model. The Cookoo Bird is Wooden not plastic. I’d say this clock went new for $3,000.00 or more. The 3 weights are Wooden looking also not Pine cone metal ones. Could you repair this clock for me? I spent a lot of cash on it over $800.00 which included shipping cost.
Ronald
Hi Ronald. I no longer offer a mail order service.
I would love to send you my cuckoo clock. One of the chains popped off its gear. I did try and put it back on but its as you know very tight in there lol 😂 would you be able to do this for me ? Please?
Sorry for the late reply, but I don't do mail order clocks.
P R O M O S M
Thank you.