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Question
I have a Kuempel grandfather clock purchased in 1997, over the past few months it has not been chiming the full number of hours and now only chimes 4 as a maximum. Is this something simple, like oiling, that I can do myself or is it a more complex repair?
Ken, I will attempt to send you a labeled photo of the mechanism referred to above. If you do not receive it or it is not clear, contact me at my shop address below and I'll send it to you. The reason for the incomplete strike counts is the rack is not dropping down to the proper count position. There are a couple of main causes for this. One is that the pivot point of the rack has gummy lubricant and needs cleaning and lubricating. The other is that the rack hook is not being lifted enough and catches some rack teeth to inhibit the rack drop. This can be a worn or bent cam or one of the lift levers. To observe and correct this, the dial has to be separated from the movement. Some clock owners can do this, but it might be best to take it to an experienced clockmaker. This failure can indicate that the complete movement needs to be serviced, particularly if it has not been serviced in the last 7 to 10 years. It might be best to take it to an experienced clockmaker to diagnose.
)
John Newman
THE VILLAGE CLOCKSMITH
Old Prattvillage
Prattville, Alabama
klokdok@juno.com
(Due to the number of Allexperts questions and
the workload I have at my clock shop, I regret
that I cannot answer emails on a timely basis
other than Allexperts follow ups.)
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Very prompt and helpfull response. Thank you | ||
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Answers by Expert:
John Newman
Expertise
As much as I would like to offer values of clocks, I am not a certified appraiser and will not venture into giving an unresearched guess. There is very little published information on what I consider to be the value of "modern production clocks". Considerations are what the clock originally sold for, the condition of the case and movement, and particularly the area in which you live, the demand and the economy. ALSO, WATCHES ARE NOT MY FIELD. However, I can advise the clock owner on proper maintenance of a clock to keep it running, small corrections and adjustments and how to move a clock without damaging it. I can also advise on obtaining parts for clocks. It helps if you can send any information on the clock movement which is usually found on the back plate of the movement. I have been a clockmaker for about 35 years and was plant engineer in the mid 90's and later operations and engineering consultant at Emperor Clock Company in Fairhope, Alabama. I now have my own clock shop.
Experience
One of my greatest accomplishments was traveling to China to assist a clock factory in building clocks to the standards which we required. With the proper specifications and quality control, some beautiful clock cases were built. The factory people from the wood carvers to the plant manager were very congenial, friendly and I left a lot of wonderful friends when I returned from my trips.
Organizations
Chamber of Commerce
Small Business Committee
Publications
Horological Times, a publication of the American Watch and Clockmakers Instute. Collaberated column author, with Photos and ideas for clock movement conversion article.
Education/Credentials
Associate of Science Mechanical Engineering Technology
Emperor Introductory Clock Repair (Eventually taught a portion of the class after becoming employee)
Awards and Honors
Small Business of the Quarter (Prattville, Alabama)
Leadership Class of 2009 (Autauga County, Alabama)
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