Expert: John Newman - 2/21/2011

Question
Hello,

  We have a montgomery ward grandfather clock, picked up at auction, with a 451-050 movement and it came with the wrong pendulum (no slit in center bend) I cut a slit and it runs for a few minutes...I was wondering if you could point me to an oil chart, although the manual says it never needs lubrication? I would really love to get it running if possible. Also it came with 3 5.6lb weights, when the manual says 2 5lb and 1 6.5lb weight on the right....Any chance of getting it to work? If I run it without the pendulum (running very fast of course) it goes through fine, strikes westminster on the quarters and the correct hour so I believe the movement has it in it to run, we just have some incorrect parts. It did come with 2 new suspension springs and a new suspension arm. I just don't know for sure what pendulum to get (length/weight/bob diameter) as I know that is incorrect. Funny, even after it stops ticking, it will swing once or twice, and then actually tick a couple more times before stopping....

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and thank you very much.

-Joseph

Answer
Joseph, the factory recommended specs for the Hermle 451-050 are 4.4# or 4.7# for both the strike (left) and time (center) weights and 6.6# for the chime (right)weight.  This is with a wood stick pendulum.  If a  heavier lyre pendulum is used, the center weight can be increased to 6.6#.  It very well could be that the weights have been substituted at some time.  First, some manufacturers of the clocks themselves (not Hermle, the movement manufacturer) decided that with the new synthetic oils, it would be a good sales point to make a statement that it never needed lubricating.  This is not true.  Shame on them.  A clock movement is a mechanical device with moving parts and needs periodic maintenance like any other mechanism.  One argument is that if you don't service it, it will possibly run for 25 or 30 years without service or lubricant, but when it does fail, it might as well be replaced.  Depending on the service period ( I recommend every 7 to 10 years), the amount paid for these service calls vs. the cost of an installed replacement movement might be close to the same.  The type of movement and the service rate in your area will dictate the final answer.  If I can see the pendulum I can better tell if it would work on your clock.  If the pendulum top hook was different, it is probable that the timing would be incorrect and you would have to have the pendulum modified or replaced.  But this would be trying a few things that are not individually going to get it running.  the best thing would be to let an experienced clockmaker look at it and give you an evaluation.  However I will be glad to keep on and possibly determine what we need to do.  If you have the capability to send digital photos by email, send a photo of the pendulum, the back of the clock movement and the front of the clock to my shop email address below.  I will be leaving for a clock convention Wednesday for a few days and there will be some periods that I will not be on line.  But we'll keep going.

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.)