Expert: Martin Meyer - 7/4/2009

Question
I accidentally wound the clock the same time the chimes were going off.  Now they chime very slow and sometimes do not finish or chime at the house.  What can I do?  What did I do wrong?  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Steve,

It is true that winding the clock while it is chiming can occasionally cause problems. However, it is unlikely that it would cause the problem that you describe. If it caused a problem at all it would be more likely that the clock might not chime at all or that it would stop running altogether. At any rate, if winding was the cause of the problem, it would be some internal problem which would really have to be dealt with by a professional clock repairer.

The common causes of slow chiming are need for lubrication with clock oil ONLY at the bearings points of the movement, wear in the bearings, not having the heaviest weight on the right (as you look at the clock) or, rarely, a jammed or tangled weight cable. Chime problems can be very difficult to diagnose, and I would recommend having a professional clock repairer do a service call. I doubt that the problem is a minor adjustment which you could take care of by yourself.  http://www.clockmasteronline.com