Expert: John Newman - 8/21/2009

Question
QUESTION: John, you recently gave advise on how to get the hr hand on the clock and the number of strikes to match, by moving the hr hand. my clock strikes on both the hr and half hr .. on the hr it strikes correctly, on the half hr it strikes several more strikes than correct... how do I correct this crazy problem? I don't see anything on the box in the back of the clock that contains the battery to adjust anything.  HELP.  Bobbie

ANSWER: Bobbie, on most clocks if the hour hand is mismatched with the strike consistently with each hour such as, strikes two at three o'clock, three and four o'clock, etc, the hour hand can be slipped to the correct hour that it struck.  You are saying that the hours are striking correctly, and the half hour, which should be striking only once, strike more that once.  I have seen clocks that strike once on the hour and from one to twelve strikes on the half hour, which means that the minute hand had probably come off and was put back on one-half hour off.  But in this case, the strikes on the half hour would increase like, one, two, three, etc.  Most electronic battery powered quartz clock movements are not repairable because of the labor involved and the lack of documentation to support any repair.  It is just more economical to replace the movement.  If you can send a photo of the front of the clock and one of the back of the movement to my shop email address (below), I can probably suggest a replacement movement.  I will eventually need the dial thickness and mounting hole size.

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.)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: follow up question to John.  Do you think I might remove the minute hand and adjust to correct this problem?  Again, the hr hand strikes correctly.  the 1/2 hr rather than striking just once, strikes at least 6 hrs ahead [or behind, I don't know which].  Bobbie

Answer
Bobbie, I think I know but am not quite sure what you mean by your explanation.  So let's look at it this way.  Normally if the minute hand is pointing to the top of the hour and the clock is striking consistently the hour to which the hour hand is pointing, both hands are in the proper position and the clock is striking correctly.  If, when the minute hand is at the half-hour position and it is striking more than once, there seems to be something wrong with the movement.  One more test.  Let the clock run.  WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE HANDS, listen for the strike every half hour.  Does it strike once on a half hour and then a certain hour like three times, then once, then four times, then once, then five times, etc?  If it does, the clock is working correctly and the hands need to be positioned correctly.  Let me know and we'll go from there.  If you will, would you answer to my shop email address ?  As I have a limited nuber of questions per day, it will help free up the question queue.  Thanks.

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.)