Expert: Martin Meyer - 11/13/2007

Question
QUESTION: i have inherited my grandads Westminster wall clock the model {unghans j] is on the back of the face.
well i cannot get it to work it chimes if i move the hands myself but i think i have overwind it when i put the key in it will not turn ,the pendulum will not go please can you advice i think i may have a very unhappy clock.

ANSWER: Hi Allison,
    There are many posible causes for a clock not to run. Actually, there is no such thing as overwinding. The clock is wound fully but doesn't run, so the mainspring never winds down.
    First, make sure that all three keyholes are wound fully, as far as they will go. Then make sure the clock is in beat:
    When a clock runs only a few minutes and stops, the cause is most often that the pendulum is out of beat. With the clock hanging on the wall, start the pendulum with just enough swing to keep ticking. Now listen to the tick: if your clock is in beat, the tick sound should be "tick-tick-tick", steady like a metronome. If it is out of beat, the sound will be uneven, "tick-TOCK-tick-TOCK".    If your clock is out of beat, move it side-to-side on the wall in VERY small amounts, trying one way and then the other, until the beat evens out. The amount you move it will probably be less than you can notice when you're looking at the clock. If you have to move it so much that it looks crooked on the wall, then you'll need to have a clock repairer set the beat for you.
    If the clock is fully wound and in beat and still doesn't run, you will have to have a professional clock repairer take a look at it. Your clock is a Junghans, and Junghans has been out of business for quite some time, so the movement may be worn out and need an overhaul or a new movement. Over time, the bearings in the clock wear until it will no longer run. It is also possible that the problem is more minor: needing lubrication or other adjustments. A clock repairer will be able to determine what the problem is.

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

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your reply i tried everything that you said and the clock still would not work.i left it for a while and decided to try again this weekend i moved the clock about 2" to the left and i could not believe it started to work so thank you i am so pleased.
I do have a couple of problems now the first being the clock is crooked what can i do and the other is it chimes 1 hour too much at 6.0clock it chimes 7.
I am so scared to touch it now i have it working.
many thanks
Allison Morris

Answer
Hi Allison,
    For correcting the hour strike, please see my previous answers on this topic. It is an easy adjustment.
    Your clock's pendulum is so far out of beat that the clock needs to be crooked on the wall to run. Setting the beat can difficult if you are not experienced in the procedure. You can try straightening the clock on the wall, then moving the pendulum all the way to one side, then giving it a TINY extra push. If the problem gets worse instead of better, do the same thing, but move the pendulum to the other side when you do it. Do this gently! If this doesn't work, you will need to have a professional clock repairer reset the beat for you.