Expert: Martin Meyer - 6/12/2008

Question
QUESTION: My parents received an Ingraham key wound pendulum clock as a wedding present in 1930. I have it now, but it is missing both the key and the pendulum. There is an instruction sheet mounted on the back of the rear access door which has 1949 at the top and refers several times to a "pendulum ball" which hangs from a heavy wire with a hook on the end. Can you recommend a place where I could purchase these items, or at least find out the size and weight of the pendulum so I can find a substitute?

ANSWER: Hi Charles,

Both keys and pendulum bobs are available from clock supply houses like Timesavers, Merritts Antiques or Empire Clock. The part you are referring to is usually called a "bob". "Ball" is a somewhat unusual description, unless this is a very unusual type of clock.

I don't know if you have a wall or mantle clock but, if it has a rear access door, it is most likely a mantle clock. Pendulum bobs are available both as simple iron or lead disks with a V-shaped hanger at the top, and as disks with an adjustable wire and regulating nut. The adjustable type provides an extra regulating range if the regulating unit on your clock does not have enough range to get the clock running fairly accurately. However, the adjustable type may be too long overall, and might scrape the base of the clock when attached. The simple type is more often used on mantle clocks.

The size and weight of the bob are not critical. You want a bob that is not so large that it strikes any part of the movement or case when it swings. Any bob designed for your type of clock will be an acceptable weight. If this is a mantle clock, I would avoid heavy weights in the 4 oz. range. There is a reproduction Ingraham bob in the Timesavers catalog, part no. 10218. This bob is 1-1/2" and 2.2 oz.  This is probably right in the correct weight and size range, unless you have a very large or wall clock.


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QUESTION: Dear Mr. Meyer,I followed your suggestion and checked the Timesavers website. They do not show the bob # 10218 in their catelog. They do have a # 10227 which seems to have the same size and weight. Will this work in my clock? Do I need a leader, or will the bob just hang from the hook on the heavy wire? There is 6 1/4" clearance from the bottom of the hook to the bottom of the clock floor. The overall clock case measures 15"H x 7" W x 4" deep.
Thank you so very much for your help.

ANSWER: Hi again Charles,

Bob #10218 is in the Timesavers online catalog at the top of page 10 under the heading "Mantel Clock Pendulum Bobs".

From the dimensions of the clock which you give above, I suspect it is a "kitchen clock" or "gingerbread" clock. I had been picturing a smaller mantle clock previously, so the #10218 is not the correct pendulum bob for your clock. Kitchen clocks have no regulating shaft on the dial; regulating is done entirely by the nut on the bottom of the pendulum, so you must have a pendulum with a regulating nut, like the #10227. However, for a clock as large as yours, I would recommend a slightly larger pendulum, such as the #10228.

On these clocks there is either a long suspension wire, with a hook on the bottom, which the bob connects to; or there is a very short suspension wire, which connects to a pendulum bob which has a long flat steel rod with a nut at the bottom for regulating. These bobs are illustrated on page 12, under the heading "Kitchen Clock Pendulums". The illustration does not not show the rod and nut, but the description indicates that a 6-1/4" rod is included.

If you have the long pendulum wire, bob #10228 should be correct. If you have the short pendulum wire, any of the kitchen clock pendulums should work. Selecting the correct pendulum is always a trial-and-error process, and the proof that the pendulum length is correct is if it can be adjusted to make the clock keep accurate time

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QUESTION: Dear Mr. Meyer,
I apoligize for my continuing questions, but the Ingraham clock I have has a Mahagony case with two spindles on each side, with a white dial and brass numbers. Below the dial is a cutout similar in form to a church window and a grill cloth.  There are two winding ports and an adjusting port at the top of the dial. The word "Ingraham" in script and the words "Eight day" in block letters appear on the dial.
I found the original key and it has a large shaft on one end and a small shaft opposite for regulating the time. I hope this information helps to describe my clock in a better fashion for you. Do you feel the # 10228 would be a place to start? Thank you for your help.

Answer
Hi Charles,

Your clock is not, as I previously thought, a kitchen (gingerbread) clock, but is rather a large mantle clock. The only difference this makes in relation to the pendulum problem, is that your clock has a regulating unit in the movement (the shaft that you use the small end of the key for). This means that, providing the suspension wire is the correct length, you can use a non-adjustable bob. However, you can use an adjustable bob as well. The adjustable bob will provide you with a larger range of regulation. You can do the primary regulation with the nut on the bob, then just use the adjusting shaft in the dial for fine adjustments. I think the #10228 is still the best place to start.