Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 8/31/2008

Question
last couple years, have carefully lifted the weights while winding all three. the pendulum has been carefully removed and calibrated several times to get it just right, however, tonight,after reattaching the pendulum, the momentum of movement was not sustained... few minutes then noticed the stand still...  the feel of the re-attachment at the top of the pendulum seems the same as before... foot note ,also before, when rewinding the counter weights with the pendulum off, the mechanism would be in rapid forward unless carefully stilled, while tonight, when wanting the rapid forward, would still itself without the pendulum, even after prompting the motion, would still itself again. model #4878  thank you for your help

Answer
you just threw the beat off - that's all -- run through this:

-The pendulum assembly begins at the top with a 1" two legged suspension spring pinned to a brass post sticking out of the back of the rear movement plate.
  Next a silver(probably) suspension leader about 5" long that hooks onto the bottom of the suspension spring and passes through the "foot" shaped forked brass piece (and must be in the center of the fork slot and not be rubbing front or back) that connects into the inside of the movement. Newer movements have a horizontal bar that fits in the brass suspension leader slot.
  Lastly the top of the pendulum hooks onto the bottom of this suspension leader. NOW if all is correctly assembled, swinging the pendulum will get it ticking. The sound of the ticking must sound even or balanced on either side. Not over-swinging one side or the other.
  If it is not sounding even, then push with your hand the top third of the pendulum over to the side that has the excessive overswing. You may feel some resistance but gently push a bit more then try the sound of the ticking after swinging the pendulum freely.
  If the sound is not improved in the balance then do more pushing -if it is now sounding like excessive swing in the opposite direction then push the pendulum to the other side till it sounds a pretty even tick. Clock should run then. .(There is a little slip clutch that you are adjusting when you push the "L" shaped foot to either side.)
  There are a hundred things that could be wrong- you have just taken a tour through the repair of what is wrong 98% of the time!