Why is my Cuckoo Clock Movement door stuck open?
Knowledge Base
Cuckoo clock door stuck open
Upon installation of a new cuckoo clock movement this is a common issue. The Cuckoo clock door stuck open could be a number of things. Please check the following to see if it solves the issue of the door not closing all the way.
If the pine cone weight that controls the cuckoo portion of the clock is not heavy enough this can be the issue. Pull down some on the currently used weight and see if the door shuts. If the below issues are checked, and the door only shuts when pulling the weight down, consider adding a heavier weight. It maybe the wrong pine cone weight to begin with.
The cuckoo clock movement may need oiling at least on the arms that make the bird go in and out of its house. Also, it is good to put a drop of clock oil on the door hinges and the connections for the wire that goes from the bird to the door.
Try bending up the wire that goes from the bird to the Cuckoo clock door. If putting an upward hump of a bend in this wire, it will basically be the same as shortening this wire. With a bent or shortened wire, the bird will not come out as far, but also the bird will pull the door shut more when it goes back in the clock case to sleep.
The arm that pushes the arm to make the bird come out, may need to get bent inward some. This may be tricky to see or get to, but sometimes there is a small side door on the side of the cuckoo clock case that you can open and see this wire, or arm, that pushes the arm that connects to the bird. Other times there is no door on the side of the case and you will need to do it from the back of the movement by taking the back panel off of the cuckoo case.
When looking at the back of the movement, this arm will be in a horizontal direction on the back right hand side of the clock movement. Your right as you look at the back of the movement that is. In some cuckoos this is even trickier to see or adjust as the right hand bellow tube maybe in the way and has to be removed. Locate this horizontal wire that is in the approximate middle of the movement, located on the strike train side, this is the wire that can get bent. This bending in of the wire more into the movement, will in turn make the door come out more. If bent out some toward the case side, will allow the bird to go in more and therefore the door will shut more.
The content of this website is copyright by Clockworks and written by James Stoudenmire in year 2020
Last Updated: 2 months ago in
Cuckoo clock door stuck open
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Cuckoo clock door stuck open
Upon installation of a new cuckoo clock movement this is a common issue. The Cuckoo clock door stuck open could be a number of things. Please check the following to see if it solves the issue of the door not closing all the way.
Weights not heavy enough
If the pine cone weight that controls the cuckoo portion of the clock is not heavy enough this can be the issue. Pull down some on the currently used weight and see if the door shuts. If the below issues are checked, and the door only shuts when pulling the weight down, consider adding a heavier weight. It maybe the wrong pine cone weight to begin with.
Needs Oil
The cuckoo clock movement may need oiling at least on the arms that make the bird go in and out of its house. Also, it is good to put a drop of clock oil on the door hinges and the connections for the wire that goes from the bird to the door.
Bending the door wire
Try bending up the wire that goes from the bird to the Cuckoo clock door. If putting an upward hump of a bend in this wire, it will basically be the same as shortening this wire. With a bent or shortened wire, the bird will not come out as far, but also the bird will pull the door shut more when it goes back in the clock case to sleep.
Bird wires bent
The arm that pushes the arm to make the bird come out, may need to get bent inward some. This may be tricky to see or get to, but sometimes there is a small side door on the side of the cuckoo clock case that you can open and see this wire, or arm, that pushes the arm that connects to the bird. Other times there is no door on the side of the case and you will need to do it from the back of the movement by taking the back panel off of the cuckoo case.
Correcting a bent bird wire
When looking at the back of the movement, this arm will be in a horizontal direction on the back right hand side of the clock movement. Your right as you look at the back of the movement that is. In some cuckoos this is even trickier to see or adjust as the right hand bellow tube maybe in the way and has to be removed. Locate this horizontal wire that is in the approximate middle of the movement, located on the strike train side, this is the wire that can get bent. This bending in of the wire more into the movement, will in turn make the door come out more. If bent out some toward the case side, will allow the bird to go in more and therefore the door will shut more.
The content of this website is copyright by Clockworks and written by James Stoudenmire in year 2020
Last Updated: 2 months ago in
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Updated on: 05/08/2022
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