Expert: Martin Meyer - 10/9/2008

Question
QUESTION: it has a bell strike wind and a clock wind up
which is which, as you are looking at the clock
does the left key turn wind the bell striker or the clock
time?

ANSWER: Hi Gary,

As you look at the clock, the left winding shaft winds the strike train, and the right shaft winds the time train. Also, note that it is not recommended to leave the strike side unwound as a means of silencing the strike.  http://www.clockmasteronline.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thank you for your knowledgeable and  fast reply;
i will send the clock to you for repair if ever needed.  I am trying to get the Franz Hermes 132-07 movement to keep correct time by adjusting the Slow/Fast adjustment lever, i have not had much luck, the movement S/F adjustment appears to be extremely sensitive. Are there any tips you can offer to a novice regarding regulating Slow/Fast time adjustment
regards, Gary

Answer
Hi again Gary,

The regulating adjustment on this movement is indeed very sensitive, and can be frustrating to adjust.

I would recommend making very tiny adjustments with a tweezer or very small screwdriver. If the clock is only a few minutes a day off, your adjustments should probably be in amounts that you can barely see.

Note that mainspring-driven clocks run slightly faster when fully wound, and slightly slower at the end of the winding period (one week). Wind both keys all the way, as far as they will go. Underwinding is the cause of many regulating problems. Then run the clock for a full week. At the end of the week, make a note of how many minutes the clock is off by, and if it is fast or slow. Then make a regulating adjustment, and make a note of how much you moved the regulating lever. Then wind the clock fully again, and run it for another week. Don't forget to reset the clock to the correct time, or you will compound the error the next time you make an adjustment. Always use the same, accurate clock as your reference when setting. Plug-in electric clocks or quartz watches are the most accurate. Any wind-up clock, and many inexpensive quartz clocks  are not accurate enough to use as a regulating reference.

Accurate regulating takes time and considerable patience, but keeping notes of errors and adjustments will help a great deal. Mainspring-driven clocks can rarely be regulated to be nearly perfect, but you should be able to eventually get the clock accurate to a minute or two a week.  http://www.clockmasteronline.com