Frequently Asked Questions
- What if my mechanical clock will not operate?
- What if my mechanical clock does not strike the correct hour?
- What if my mechanical clock will not chime or strike?
- What if my mechanical weight driven chimes / hour strikes seem exceptionally very fast or slow?
- What if my clock chimes a few minutes before or after the hour?
- What if my mechanical clock is in the “night off” position and it is silent during the day instead of the night?
- What if my clock chimes have the incorrect tone?
- Can I increase or decrease the chime volume in my mechanical clock?
- What if a chime rod is broken?
- What if my clock will not keep proper time – it is fast or slow?
- What if my mechanical clock operated fine for several years but now is slow or stopping?
- What if my pendulum hangs crooked?
- What if my pendulum hits the weights?
- What if the hands are bent?
- How do I reset the time for daylight savings?
- How do I wind my clock?
- What if the weights do not drop at the same rate?
- What if the top of my dial is tilted back and the hammers are not properly aligned with the chime rods?
- Where are the key, crank, and weights located in the floor clock carton?
- How should I prepare my floor clock to be moved?
- What is meant by “triple chime”?
- What is the function of the moon dial?
- What should I expect when my floor clock is professionally set-up?
- What if my quartz dual chime movement will not operate properly?
- How do radio controlled clocks work?
- What if my radio controlled clock does not operate?
- What if my radio controlled clock shows the correct time for another time zone?
- How do I set my barometer?
- How often should my mechanical clock movement be oiled and cleaned?
- Who should I contact to have my clock cleaned and oiled?
- How do you recommend that I clean and maintain my clock?
- What if my clock is out of warranty and needs service?
- Where are the shelf clips and key located on my collectors cabinet?
- How do I align the front door of my collectors cabinet?
- How do I purchase additional shelves for my collector's cabinet?
- What if the door on my collector's cabinet rubs at the bottom?
- How do you recommend that I clean and maintain my collector's cabinet?
What if my mechanical clock will not operate?
This trouble shooting is detailed in the clock instructions that you should have received with your clock. The instructions, which may include illustrations, are also available at this Internet site.
Ensure that all of the packing material has been removed.
If the clock is a pendulum type, ensure that the spring clip or rubber band has been removed from the back of the movement.
Try re-starting your clock. For pendulum clocks, it is important to give the pendulum a full swing.
Is the pendulum hitting the weights? If so, check the stability and level of the clock.
Do the hands operate without interference? Do not let the hour hand hit the second hand. If the second hand is rubbing the dial, pull it out slightly. If the hour hand is rubbing against the back of the minute hand, the hour hand should be pushed closer to the dial.
Did you check the suspension spring? If it is not hanging straight down, loosen the thumbscrew and straighten the suspension spring. Retighten the thumbscrew.
Ensure that the verge pin is properly located in the slots of the pendulum guide.
For weight driven clocks, make certain that the weights are in their proper location. The proper position of the weights as you are facing your clock is labeled on the bottom of each weight.
Ensure that the clock is wound or the weights are up.
If your clock has a moving moon, ensure that the moon is not caught on the click spring. Reference the instructions for further details and illustrations.
If your clock is a cable driven clock and was previously run or the white Styrofoam blocks were removed from the cable pulleys, it is possible that the cables were wound up without weights left on the pulley. As a result, the cable(s) have overlapped on the drum(s). Check each cable on each drum to see if it is overlapped. If so, attempt to correct the cables so that they are not overlapped. If you cannot correct the cable, contact McGuire's Clocks or retailer where you purchased the clock. Correcting this problem is not covered under warranty.
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What if my mechanical clock does not strike the correct hour?
This trouble shooting is detailed in the clock instructions that you should have received with your clock. The instructions, which may include illustrations, are also available at this Internet site.
If the clock is new, allow it to operate for several hours before making any adjustments. If the strike is off, grasp the HOUR HAND ONLY and rotate it forward or backward to line up with the correct hour on the dial indicated by the number of times the hour strikes. Rotating this hand independently will not harm the movement. Then adjust the hands to the correct time by rotating the minute hand counter-clockwise – as explained in the instructions. DO NOT MOVE THE HANDS WHILE THE CLOCK IS CHIMING OR STRIKING. After a few hours, the movement's self-adjusting feature will synchronize the hands with the correct chime and strike.
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What if my mechanical clock will not chime or strike?
What if my mechanical weight driven chimes / hour strikes seem exceptionally very fast or slow?
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What if my clock chimes a few minutes before or after the hour?
Reference the illustrated details contained in the instructions on how to perform this step.
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What if my mechanical clock is in the “night off” position and it is silent during the day instead of the night?
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What if my clock chimes have the incorrect tone?
DO NOT ADJUST THE CHIME HAMMER, unless the chime tone is incorrect. The chime tone may be affected by the hammer resting on the chime rod (coil) or striking the rod (coil) off center. Although the hammers were set at the factory, it is possible for the hammers to get out of adjustment.
Chime hammer arms are made of brass and can be bent safely. This is accomplished by bending the hammer arms slightly in the middle so that the hammers rest approximately 1/8 inch from the chime rod. DO NOT bend the chime rod. Strike volume cannot be adjusted.
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Can I increase or decrease the chime volume in my mechanical clock?
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What if a chime rod is broken?
Contact the McGuire's Clocks for a replacement rod.
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What if my clock will not keep proper time – it is fast or slow?
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What if my mechanical clock operated fine for several years but now is slow or stopping?
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What if my pendulum hangs crooked?
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What if my pendulum hits the weights?
The clock may not be level. Level the clock.
Pendulums can get twisted in shipping or by handling. Please use cotton gloves or a soft non-abrasive cloth when handling the pendulum. To straighten the pendulum, first remove it from the clock. With one hand, hold the pendulum below the top strap. With the other hand, grasp the pendulum bob. Gently twist the pendulum in the direction necessary to eliminate the twist.
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What if the hands are bent?
The clock hands are easily bent. Carefully bend them back to the correct position.
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How do I reset the time for daylight savings?
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How do I wind my clock?
Floor Clocks – Cables with Pulleys – Weights that are suspended by cables with pulleys should be raised by using the crank provided. DO NOT lift the weights by hand while cranking. Insert the crank into the holes located in the dial face. It does not matter in what order the clock weights wound. All weights need to be wound to the up position.
Floor Clocks – Chains – Pull straight down on the chains. DO NOT lift up on the weights as this could cause the weight to come unhooked from the chain. Pull down on the loose end of the chain until the weight is approximately 2 inches from the bottom of the wood movement mounting board. It does not matter in what order the clock weights wound. All weights need to be wound to the up position.
Wall and Mantel Clocks – Insert the winding key into the holes located in the dial face. Depending upon the model of your clock, there can be 1, 2, or 3 winding keyholes. Turn the key clockwise until the spring becomes tight and will not turn further. For clocks with hanging weights, raise the weights using the crank. DO NOT lift the weights by hand while cranking. Wind your clock once a week. It does not matter in what order the clock weights wound. All springs must be fully wound.
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What if the weights do not drop at the same rate?
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What if the top of my dial is tilted back and the hammers are not properly aligned with the chime rods?
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Where are the key, crank, and weights located in the floor clock carton?
The key, crank, and weights are all packed in a white styrofoam carton under the clock.
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How should I prepare my floor clock to be moved?
For clocks with a cable driven movement, wind the weights all the way up. For clocks with chains, use a long wire or string and put it through the chain links just below the chain sprocket. When done properly, the wire or string should go through six chain links. Secure the wire or string to prevent the chains from coming loose from the sprocket.
Carefully stop the pendulum from swinging.
Remove the weights. NEVER wind the clock without the weights installed. For clocks with chains, secure the chains so that they do not damage the finish.
Remove the pendulum
For tubular movements, remove the tubes
Keep the clock in an upright position while carefully moving it to its new location.
Set the clock up per the original set-up instructions. Ensure that the pulleys are properly located on the cables and the chains are properly located on the sprockets.
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What is meant by “triple chime”?
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What is the function of the moon dial?
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What should I expect when my floor clock is professionally set-up?
- Treat your home the same way they would treat their own.
- Be knowledgeable and courteous.
- Completely set-up the clock following the set-up instructions in the order in which they are detailed in the instructions manual.
- Ensure that the clock is level and stable.
- Ensure that the clock runs continuously for a minimum of 10-minutes.
- Ensure that the clock strikes the correct hour.
- Ensure that the chime is correct and the hammers are properly positioned.
- Ensure that the pendulum swings properly.
- Ensure that the moon dial is properly set.
- Ensure that you have all the parts.
- Review the instruction manual with you.
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What if my quartz dual chime movement will not operate properly?
Before going further, follow the two instructions below.
First, ensure that you are using brand new alkaline batteries.
Batteries made by various manufacturers may present some difficulty in working properly in the movement. A poor electrical connection can cause inferior performance. Ensure that the positive battery contacts are positioned over the nub on the end of the battery.
The problem area is typically the negative end of the battery. Ensure that the negative battery contacts are positioned completely on the metal contact area of the battery. As necessary, bend the battery contacts out to ensure that they are not making contact with the battery casing. If necessary to ensure a proper contact on the negative end of the battery, take a 1 inch by 1 inch piece of aluminum foil and fold it over tightly to the size of ¼ inch by ¼ inch and place it between the battery contact and the battery.
Other issues and remedies.
Pendulum will not swing: To provide proper pendulum operation, it is also necessary to ensure that the clock is level. Also check that the pendulum is properly located on the pendulum hanger and that the speaker wires are not interfering with the pendulum operation.
Chime volume is off or lower during the day and louder at other times: The nighttime volume reduction or shut-off is not properly set. Reset the nighttime shut-off.
Chime volume is always low: Attempt to increase volume using the volume control knob. If this does not solve the problem, replace the batteries.
Chime is off – will not chime: Ensure that the chime is not in the “OFF” position. If this does not solve the problem, replace the batteries.
The clock chimes several minutes before the hour when the hands are moved manually: This is normal. The clock will chime on the hour under normal operation.
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How do radio controlled clocks work?
Due to the effects of the many communication devices used throughout the United States (more so during the day than at night, and more so during the week than the weekend), the WWVB transmission is easier to receive at night and during the weekend.
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What if my radio controlled clock does not operate?
Geographic features, weather disturbances, and structural characteristics can affect the strength of the radio signal. The clock will not operate properly until it receives a signal – it will look for a signal on a regular basis.
If the movement in your clock is the type where you select the time zone by turning a knob on the back of the movement, it may stop if it does not receive a signal for an extended period of time. To start the clock, remove the battery and insert it backward (reverse polarity). Remove the battery again and reinstall it correctly. Then reference the detail below on locating your clock.
Locating Your Clock
- For best performance, you should NOT place your clock:
- On a metal surface.
- Within several feet of an electrical raceway, radio transmitter/receiver, personal computer, television, satellite dish, air conditioner, light dimmer switch, electrical motor, microwave oven or any other appliance that could interfere with the clock¹s reception of the radio signal.
- In enclosed areas and structures of concrete and steel such as a basement, office building or factory.
- For best performance try to place the clock near a window, preferably a window that is facing Fort Collins, Colorado.
Best signal reception occurs between 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM - particularly during the weekend.
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What if my radio controlled clock shows the correct time for another time zone?
Ensure that your time zone is selected from the back of the movement and wait for the clock to receive an updated radio signal. Best signal reception occurs between 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM - particularly during the weekend.
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How do I set my barometer?
The following procedure, if done every twelve hours, should provide the most accurate readings.
Tap the instrument lightly to release and latent action.
Record the inches of mercury as indicated by the barometer hand. This is your momentary reading. Some barometer models have a set hand that can be positioned directly over the barometer hand. At a later period you will be able to notice in what direction the barometer hand has moved since the last setting.
In the event that your barometer does not provide accurate readings as compared to your local weather forecast, adjustments can be made from the back of the instrument. Adjust the barometer hand by turning the adjustment screw located in the hole in the back of the instrument. Only make small incremental adjustments at a time.
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How often should my mechanical clock movement be oiled and cleaned?
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Who should I contact to have my clock cleaned and oiled?
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How do you recommend that I clean and maintain my clock?
What if my clock is out of warranty and needs service?
Please call our toll-free number at 1-877-452-4558 to schedule and appointment.
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Where are the shelf clips and key located on my collectors cabinet?
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How do I align the front door of my collectors cabinet?
Release the pressure (never tip the collectors cabinet) on the front of the collectors cabinet and screw the right front leveler out (down) approximately 1 full turndo not adjust the left front leveler at this time.
Allow the collectors cabinet to sit back on the leveler.
Continue to adjust the right-front leveler out (down) until such time that the left-front leveler does not fit snugly on the floor. This will likely be no more than a few turns out (down).
Adjust the two rear levelers and then the left-front out (down) until such that the collectors cabinet is sitting in a stable position. (Do NOT release the pressure on levelers to accomplish this. Let the collectors cabinet sit on the floor while adjusting.)
Make further adjustments to ensure the collectors cabinet is not leaning forward.
Once the proper final adjustment has been established, it will likely require repeating if the collectors cabinet is relocated.
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How do I purchase additional shelves for my collectors cabinet?
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What if the door on my collectors cabinet rubs at the bottom?
First, remove the collectibles from the cabinet.
Release the pressure from the front of the cabinet and screw the right-front leveler out approximately one full turn. Do not adjust the left front leveler at this time.
Allow the cabinet to settle into the foundation.
Continue to adjust the right-front leveler out to the point where the left-front leveler does not fit snug on the floor.
Allow the cabinet to settle into the foundation and adjust the two rear levelers and then the left-front out such that the cabinet does not wobble. On a soft foundation, settling of the cabinet into the foundation will provide a snug fit of all levelers over time.
Make further find adjustments to ensure that the cabinet is not leaning forward or wobbling.
Recheck the shelf clips and shelf location on all clips. As desired, place collectibles into the cabinet.
Allow the cabinet to set a minimum of two weeks before further fine adjustments. As necessary after two weeks, repeat the steps above.
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