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The Clock Owners Guide to
Faults and Maintenance

Faults

People take far less care of their clocks than they do of their cars. While the latter are only in use for a small part of the day, they are given regular maintenance and servicing whereas clocks , which for their size do far more work and are in constant use, are usually neglected until they come to a grinding halt.

Just as in a car, clocks need an oil change and for the same reasons as a car does. The volatile parts of the oil evaporate, reducing its lubricating properties and becoming sticky. As the inside of a clock case seldom gets dusted, the dust collects in this oil and makes a grinding paste: wearing out the pivots and enlarging the pivot holes until the whole works jams up and needs expensive repair.
Mainsprings may suffer from metal fatigue at any time. This often happens if they get rusty or if there has been a sudden change of temperature. When it does occur, the spring may shatter into many pieces. Careless winding may strip the end off a mainspring and cause it to unwind suddenly to the detriment of the works and the fingers of the person winding it!

Winding ratchets may break and cause a sudden unwinding of the spring with the same results.
Clock gears (called wheels and pinions) have teeth that wear away so that they no longer mesh smoothly and eventually jam to stop the clock.

Then, of course, there are the results of bodged repairs done in the past which are the cause of many stoppages and have to be undone before the clock will work satisfactorily again.
And finally, many clock designs are imperfect and the materials of which they were made were not the best. Whether such clocks are worth restoring is a matter which can only be settled by discussion between the owner and the clock restorer.

Maintenance

Small clocks should be serviced every two or three years to keep them in going order. This involves stripping the movement (the works) down, cleaning out the old oil, polishing the pivots and holes where necessary, reassembly, re-oiling with the correct grades of oils, testing and adjusting.

Large clocks can go from five to ten years without a service but they will need one then if excessive wear is to be avoided.

Remember that if the clock is not going then it needs more than a service it needs an overhaul which is more expensive. Just think of the difference between garage charges for a regular service and for a breakdown repair!

revised 23rd August 2001