Expert: Martin Meyer - 4/13/2009

Question
We have been given this by a friend, the two gold brass pear-shaped weights have come off and doesn't appear to be working? any advice pls, have looked at internet at how to re-attach weights and see if i can get it working. thanks unsure if is a cuckoo clock or not, no prior knowledge.

Answer
Hi Joanne,

To get your clock working, the first step must be attaching the weights. The weights simply attach to the hooks on the chains. If the chains have come out of the clock, they must be reinstalled. The best way to do this is to remove the movement from the clock first. Attempting to thread the chains into the movement without removing it from the clock is possible with experience, but will probably prove to be a very frustrating and unsuccessful job. If the chains are in fact  out of the clock, and you need instructions on removing the movement and reattaching them, let me know with a followup, and I will try to provide instructions.

Once you have the chains and weights reattached properly to the clock, you can hang the clock on the wall, attach the pendulum, and see if it runs. If it does not, there are many possible causes, and I can't go into all of them in this forum, but please browse my previous answers on the topics of setting the beat, lubrication and bearing wear.

Feintechnik made, or marketed, cuckoo clocks and Zaandam clocks. From your description of the weights as pear-shaped, I suspect that your clock is a Zaandam.  martin@ClockmasterOnline.com