Expert: William J Perkins - 9/11/2010

Question
We recently moved & mover disassembled our Seth Thomas clock to pack. The clock was owned by my grandfather who was a Jeweler in Minnesota from the late 1800's.  The clock has a 3 foot pendulum and a single weight. We rehooked the pendulum, inserted the wire in the slot near the top of the shaft and straightened out the wire on the spool that holds the weight and wound it.  No amount of swing of the pendulum will release the gear to advance to the next cog.  

Any thoughts would be appreciated.  

Answer
I suspect your clock is "out-of-beat"!  Not knowing which of the many Seth Thomas movements is installed in your clock, nor the level of your understanding of things mechanical I cannot provide a corrective procedure.  Identify the movement to me, and we go into business.  Usually the information I require is stamped upon the clocks brass backplate.  If there is no such information, very rare, send me digital pictures of the movement.  Send such pictures to my e-mail address.  <flashpowder@hotmail,com>  Regards WJP