Expert: William J Perkins - 10/26/2007

Question
QUESTION: I have an E Ingraham & Co. mantel clock with date stamp 11/26.  It appears to be an 8-day movement. The pendulum is adjusted all the way down and the clock still gains 5-10 minutes/day.  The beat is definitely not tick-tick-tick, but tick-tock,tick-tock.  I've tried shimming it, but it doesn't get much better.  Any ideas?

ANSWER: This is my second response.  My cat started tap dancing on the keyboard and the whole thing was lost.  My finger is tired form the previous hunting and pecking so this will be an abbreviated version.
These old Ingraham's are a hardy bunch and keep on ticking under very difficult circumstances.  I believe your old fellow is trying to tell you he wants a bath, in other words a good cleaning with attendant adjustments.
You mention you tried shimming the clock in your effort to get it into beat.  Did that result in any improvement?  Also is the pendulum one that was in the clock at a time it was performing properly?  It could be that, a simple exchange of the bob with one that hangs lower could be of help.  The reason I suggest this is because most Ingrahams used a non-adjustable bob.  The adjustment was made by raising and lowering a device through which the pendulum spring passes.  Regardless of a possible pendulum problem the old guy still wants his bath.  Regards WJP  



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

QUESTION: How often should the movement be cleaned?  It was adjusted a little over five years ago.  The bob is the same as when it worked.  What would be a ballpark price to have it cleaned and adjusted appropriately, assuming no parts need replacement?

Answer
As a general rule a clock such as yours should be cleaned every eight years.  Much depends upon the environment in which the clock lives.  I have always urged clients with portable clocks to bring them in every 5 years for inspection and tune up.  The inspection is a good will service at no charge.  When this suggestion was followed my customers were rarely faced with a major problem and at the same time made my life easier.  We both benefited.  As to probable cost for cleaning, I cannot venture a guess.  Prices vary greatly.  As a general rule it's what the traffic will bare.  In my own instance my prices were considered high by many of my peers.  But I was better than most and provided better service, which ended up saving the client money and me time.  I never charged for what I called courtesy services, inspections, minor adjustments, instructions for do it yourself folks.
I know none of this helps you.  Perhaps if you could give me a little more detail I could provide you some meaningful suggestions.  Is the pendulum for your clock mounted on the front or back plate?  Is your clock key a double ender, i.e.. one end winds the clock and the other is used to regulate the time?  Is there a hole in the dial at 12 for inserting the adjusting end of the winding key into for speed adjustment?  Is there any change in time keeping when you raise or lower the pendulum bob?  Never use less than a 12 hour period to make such an assessment.  If there is a change, how much is it during 12 hours?  Use high low and middle adjustments for test purposes?
Let me hear from you, Regards WJP