Expert: Martin Meyer - 6/24/2007

Question
i recently boght this clock used .it worked but had run down.i had to take it apart to bring it home.it has 2 key hole winds but doesnt run by weights.after i got it home and put it back together it wont work at all.the woman wound it with the key before i left but it just sets there and does nothing.i cant get it to tell time ,chime or anything.nothing inside the clocks parts are moving at all .what is going on.

Answer
Hi Sandy,
    I'm assuming that your Ridgeway clock does have a pendulum, even though it doesn't have weights.
This rod must go THROUGH the hole or slot in the pendulum coming out of      First, make sure that both mainsprings are fully wound. Don't worry about "overwinding," you'd have to use all your strength to do any damage.
    Unless the movement is very dirty or worn out, your problem is almost surely the pendulum. It is either connected improperly or "out of beat." First, make sure the clock is level and solid on the floor.
    Now, look at the pendulum connection at the back of the movement. Access may be through a back panel that comes off, or through small side doors up at the level of the dial. I don't know about your specific clock, but in general this is the correct pendulum attachment:  the pendulum hooks onto a brass (sometimes steel) piece called the "leader." It is a flat strip about 6 inches long and has a hole or slot through it about halfway up. Make sure that the pendulum hook is connected properly through the leader end pin, not just hanging on it halfway. Next, the leader is connected to the suspension spring (a small flat metal piece, usually with two leaves, and brass or plastic square ends). Make sure the leader is properly connected to the suspension spring, as for the pendulum. The other end of the  suspension spring is held in a horizontal post at the very top of the movement, with a screw or pin. Make sure that neither leaf of the spring is broken. It is inclined to break near either end, and the break is not easily visible, so touch each leaf very gently with a pencil tip to make sure it is connected both top and bottom to the brass or plastic end pieces. If it is broken, it will have to be replaced.
    Next is the most common error in pendulum setup. You will see another brass flat strip-like piece (the "crutch") coming out of the movement just below the pendulum post, bending vertically, and going down a couple inches, where it ends in a horizontal round metal rod about an inch long. This rod must go through the hole in the leader. If it doesn't, you may be able to bend the crutch upward very gently enough to make it go through the hole. If you can't do it that way, you'll have to remove the screw or pin holding the suspension spring to the post, remove the spring from the post, put the rod through the leader, then reattach it all to the post. It's a little tricky, but not impossible. Now you should have a correctly assembled pendulum assembly.
    If the clock still doesn't run, you have to set the beat. Listen to the tick; it should sound like a metronome ("tick-tick-tick"). If it sounds uneven (tick-TOCK-tick-TOCK"), then the pendulum is out of beat. This clock will not have automatic beat setting, so you'll have to do it manually or have a clock repairer service the clock at your home.
    Beat setting can be difficult. Move the pendulum to the side until the disk is touching one side of the clock. Give the pendulum stick a TINY push about halfway up, toward the side that it's touching. Listen to the tick and hear if it has evened out. If not, do the same thing with the pendulum touching the other side of the clock. It will take several adjustments before you hear the ticking become even. As I said, this can be difficult, and you may wind up, after many unsuccessful tries, having a clock repairer do it instead.
    This is pretty much the entire setup procedure, so if the clock still won't run, and you're sure that it's in beat, you might have to consider having a repairer overhaul the movement.
    I hope this information solves your problem.  Thanks for your question.   Martin