Expert: Michael Radi - 12/1/2008

Question
Have a Waltham 31 day chime wall clock that was made in Korea. About 5 yrs old. Clock runs about 3-4 minutes and then stops as pendulum slows down. Clock wound tight which may be the problem. Trying to figure out source of problem  and can't get the hour hand off to view the works. Had no problem removing minute hand. Don't want to force it and we don't have a repairman in the area. What is trick to removing hour hand. Thanksx2p55
Bruce Newman
Huntsville AL

Answer
These hands can be very hard to remove. They are pressed onto the shaft. There are a pair of slots on the hour hand bushing that line up with notches on the hour shaft so you can't wiggle the hand to loosen it up like you can on other clocks.
I've had success removing the hour hand is by pressing down on the shaft that the hand is on and pulling up on the hand bushing. I think I have also used pliers squeezing on the top of the hour tube and up on the hand collett. It may help to put a bit of oil inside the hour hand bushing and leave the clock on its back overnight.
It can be a difficult job but it is possible.