Expert: Kenneth Saunders - 1/30/2009

Question
I recently acquired a Tempus Fugit grandfather clock at an estate sale.  Without the pendulum installed, the clock ticks although fast as expected.  With the pendulum, it stops working after 10 or 15 secs.  When the pendulum moves left to right, it does not follow a path that's parallel to the back of the cabinet.  Its path is at an angle so resistance increases and it stops moving altogether very soon.  What part/s need replacement?
The movement is URGOS UW 32/1 A  s/n 198153
thanks, joe

Answer
all metal or wood stick pendulum?check the little suspension spring at the top of the entire assembly off the back of the mechanism rear post to make sure one of the two thin strips is not broken- depending on your answer to the question we can tell you how to straiten it.

probably out of beat - 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!