How can I fix a clock that is losing time constantly?

Question

I have a wind-up mechanical analog clock, the kind that you wind with a key and that runs with a swinging pendulum. Since the day I bought it, it's been losing time steadily - it runs about a minute slow per day, so about every two weeks it's off by a quarter of an hour and has to be changed.

Can anybody tell me what I can do to make this clock keep more accurate time? I heard somewhere that problems like this are to do with the pendulum being not right, what can I do about this?

There is not any switch, knob, lever, or anything else to make the time pass any faster or slower. Thanks, but if it were something that simple, I wouldn't really have needed Yahoo! Answers would I? =P

There's a pendulum, and two holes for the key to wind it up. That's it, no other settings or functions.

And yes, it's on a perfectly flat surface, and all other obvious factors have been ruled out.

Can anybody tell me how I can stop this clock from losing time?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Clean it with a special product that lubricates the clock.

Answer 2

There should be a little dial or knob in back that will show how to move the clock forward or backward to keep the correct time. If it is not really well balanced on a level surface it pendulum may not be able to swing correctly therefore throwing the timing off.

Answer 3

Wind Up Clock

Answer 4

Most of the wind-up clocks have a speed adjustment on the back. There will be a small slot with a small lever inside. Move it toward the + sign just slightly and check your results. Continue this process 'till you get it as close as possible. (If it starts keeping time too fast, then slide the lever toward the - sign.)

Answer 5

Some wind up clocks have a little switch on the back, near the key, which you can slide left or right to make it go slower or faster.

Answer 6

Does the weighjt on the penulum slide up and down? Make a mark before you try moving it so you will know where you started. Move it up to speed up the clock and down to slow it. If it is not moveable then it is there for looks and there should be a regulator somewhere to adjust it.

Answer 7

Sounds like you need to take it to someone that works on these kinds of clocks. Sometimes the pendulum somehow gets off balance and that has to keep perfect rythmn in order to keep perfect time. Good luck and I hope you can get it fixed>

Answer 8

There is indeed a place to speed it up or delay it. However it is on the inside of the works. Usually you can remove the gear box without too juch trouble, and you will find the advance delay screw or slide on the back part of the gearbox.

Answer 9

Just a thought, check the level front to back not just side to side.

Answer 10

take it to a clock repairer