Expert: John Newman - 7/24/2010

Question
QUESTION: I have recently built a GF cabinet & fitted a Uros w/minster chime movement. The movement is several years old but has never been used until now, it has been correctly stored. Everything is spot on except the chimes appear to be A) very slow in operation & B) very soft in sound. The strike on the hour is at least 3 times as loud as the chimes and is what is acceptable in spacing ie: tolls the hours as per normal whilst the chime is slow. Looking forward to your reply, Regards Alf

ANSWER: Hi, Alf.  Evidently, as is with most stored movements, the lubricants have become gummy and are slowing the function of the chime train.  You have two concerns here, the first being the speed of the chimes.  I would clean the old lubricants from the movement and relubricate.  On the problem with the volume, I don't know if the strike is too loud or the chimes are too soft.  You can adjust the volume by moving the hammers closer or further from the chime rods at rest.  This is an adjustment in which you don't want the hammers so close at rest that they double strike or "thud", and so far away that the volume is too low.  I'm rather sure the strike hammers on the Urgos movement don't have an overall adjustment, as some of the older movements, but the can be adjusted individually by forming the hammer wires back a little until the sound is of less volume.  There is a further adjustment for the position of the hammers at rest which varies the amount of lift, but that is a more lengthy procedure, usually preformed by an experienced clockmaker.  The the above suggestions and let me know how it works out.

John Newman
THE VILLAGE CLOCKSMITH
Old Prattvillage
Prattville, Alabama


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

QUESTION: Thanks for your reply John and I can fully understand that the lubricant may need cleaning, however I have never done this being an old woodworker. How do you suggest I go about this? What do I use to clean and what lubricant do I use? Somewhere in the recesses of my brain I feel I have heard that one should not lubricate the actual teeth of the gears only the shaft/axle, is this correct? I will readjust the hammers after cleaning, Thanks again Regards Alf

Answer
Alf, in the clock business we use tested clock cleaning solutions and completely disassemble the clock to remove all the gunk and inspect the parts.  It is difficult to tell you how to do this if the clock has been stored for a while.  Since the clock is working, I would try cleaning the bushings with a Q-tip and alcohol.  This will soften the lubricant in the movement.  Then apply sparingly a little clock oil to each bushing and moving part.  This would apply to grease also.  The general rule is that you apply oil to the rotating parts and grease to the the sliding parts.  Never apply lubricant to any of the gear teeth, with the exception that you apply a little oil to the teeth of the escape wheel teeth with a small artist's brush.  If you will email me at my shop address below, I will be to reply with a labeled photo and instructions for lubricating.

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 personal email questions on a timely basis
other than Allexperts follow ups.)