How to Fix Grandfather Clock Wound to Tight
A grandfather clock wound too tight is a common problem and can be fixed easily. If you have ever found yourself in this situation, it’s essential to know how to un-wind the pendulum so that your timepiece can run properly again. There are several steps involved with how to fix grandfather clock wound to tight, but once you take them one by one, it becomes clear how easy the process is.
The first step involves removing the weights from your timepiece and then lifting on the movement’s crown (the part that holds all of your gears together) until it pops off. Once you’ve done that, simply place an oiler (like those used for guns) inside and squirt some oil into each hole where the winding mechanism sits. Oil is important in this situation because it will allow for the gears to function properly again. Read o to know more information!
8 Ways on How to Fix Grandfather Clock Wound to Tight:
If your grandfather clock is wound too tight, it won’t keep accurate time. As you now know from the first part of this series, the clock will run slow and lose time. So what can be done to fix a wound grandfather clock that is too tight? In this section, we will look at several ways on how to fix grandfather clock wound too tight.
1. Stop the Pendulum for Five Minutes.
To stop the pendulum on a grandfather clock, you must first lift it off its bearings and let it slide down freely without touching any gears or wheels. This can be done by releasing the weights all at once or taking out one weight pin at a time if they are not too heavy.
This will stop the pendulum in about five minutes which is enough time for you to take off the bottom board of your grandfather clock. The baseboard can be removed by removing the screws holding it down. Set them aside in a safe place where they won’t get lost or damaged. After getting all four corners loose, this part of the case should come off exposing the movement.
2. Remove the Pendulum and Pendulum Rod.
Once you remove the bottom board, you must focus on removing only the pendulum and its rod from your grandfather clock. This can be done by taking out two screws at each end of where the pendulum rod connects to the case. The two screws are located on one side just above where the pendulum rod connects to the movement and on the other end at where the pendulum hangs.
You Can Check It Out to Reattach a Pendulum on a Grandfather Clock
3. Wrap a Rubber Band Around One Weight Shaft.
After removing all of this, place a rubber band around one of the weight shafts with enough tension to be slightly heavier than the total weight. You can now replace the bottom board and pendulum with a rubber band wrapped around one of the weights to hold it in place. Since the clock is now running faster, this method will work as long as you don’t let too much time pass before making adjustments again.
4. Place Three Rags Between Weight Shaft and Dial.
If the clock is not running fast enough to need a rubber band, you can try placing three rags or folded pieces of paper between the pendulum rod and dial. This will slow the movement down just enough to keep good time but doesn’t lose any more than about three minutes in an entire day.
This method can work well, but it will take a little time to get the clock to run at its proper speed. This is much like winding a watch and letting it run down before adjusting again.
5. Use Small-headed Needles to Adjust the Regulator.
If your grandfather clock has a metal regulator, you can try using small-headed needles or steel paper clips instead. This will work, provided you have at least four of them and can turn the screws with them securely.
To do this, remove the two screws holding the regulator in place enough so that you can push it up or down to get it started in either direction. You must then carefully but quickly move the regulator until you find its proper position. Once the clock is running at or close to its proper speed, you can now tighten the two screws back down again.
6. Move the Regulator Down One Note on the Music Box.
Another way to slightly slow down a grandfather clock that is wound too tight is by moving the regulator down one note on the music box if your clock has one. This will decrease the speed of the weights just enough so that it keeps good time but doesn’t gain any more than about three minutes in 24 hours.
7. Use Lubricants to Fix a Grandfather Clock.
You can also try slightly greasing or oiling your grandfather clock movement, which doesn’t lose more than three minutes in an entire day. This method works best when the clock is running at least one note lower than it should be. This is much like winding a watch and letting it run down before adjusting again.
8. Use a Screwdriver.
If your clock is wound too tight, you can try using a flat-head screwdriver by removing the screws holding the top board down. You can now use this screwdriver to lift on the bottom corner of the board just enough so that you can turn the weights slightly. The clock will now run slower, which will make it take longer before it loses time again.
Conclusion:
Grandfather clocks are a staple of many homes and offices, but they can also be challenging to care for. The following steps on how to fix grandfather clock wound to tight will help you troubleshoot your grandfather clock when it stops ticking. If the movement in your clock is wound too fast, then it may not have room to swing freely or move around as much.
It could even cause additional damage if this continues for long periods because the gears could become permanently bent from being overworked by winding so tightly! However, there are several ways to solve this problem, either loosen the tension on the pendulum rod to free up some space within the movement. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
