Expert: Martin Meyer - 8/22/2008

Question
About a year ago we purchased a grandfather clock from Amish & I have never applied oil. It now stops running & I think the weights need to be lubricated. The instruction with clock states the instructions are for Canterbury or Whittinton clock (can't find which type list on my clock) with Hermle #1161-853 movement.  We were given oil for the clock but no where in the instruction does it say how often to oil & where to apply the oil. Can you assist in where I should apply a drop or two of oil.  When the clock stops its appears the weights are not moving but that only a guess on my part. With the clock being only a year old & assume it needs to lubricated. Thanks for your help!! Greg

Answer
Hi Greg,

First, when a one year old clock stops, need for lubrication should not be the cause. Views on how often oiling is needed vary widely among clockmakers, but your clock shouldn't need its first lubrication until it is at least 3 years old. It is far more likely that the cause of stopping is that the pendulum is out of beat, although there are other possible causes. Please browse my previous answers for information on setting the beat.

When your clock does need oiling, you must use CLOCK OIL only, and put a tiny drop of oil at each point where a gear shaft enters a hole in the front and back main plates of the movement. You will usually need to remove the movement from the clock to do this. Each bearing hole has an "oil sink", a small chamfer around the hole which holds the drop of oil in place. You should be careful that oil goes in the oil sink only, and does not drip down the plate; dripping will draw the oil out of the oil sink and leave that bearing poorly lubricated. The weights themselves are never lubricated; the shafts of the large drums on which the weight cables wind should receive a drop of oil where they enter the front and back plates, and where the drum rotates on the shaft.

The weights are the power source for the clock, so when the clock is stopped, they will not descend.

The 1161-853 movement is a "triple chime" movement. It can be set to play Westminster, Whittington or St. Michael chime melodies. This movement does not play the Canterbury or Winchester melodies. http://www.clockmasteronline.com