Grandfather clock with urgos 301m movement

QuestionEdit

I have a grandfather clock that I assembled from an Emperor kit in 1985. It has an Urgos 301-M movement, triple chimes and a moon dial. At first, the clock would stop ticking when the weights were at the dame height as the pendulum disc. I reporfted this to Emperor and I was instructed to put about 15 or 20 pounds of ballast at the bottom of the case. The clock is standing on carpet which allows the dase to sway when the dweights and pendulum are at the same height, causing the clock to stop ticking. The ballast solved the problem. The clock has performed excellently for 25 years - until two weeks ago. Again, it stops when the weights and pendulum are at the same height. I added more ballast but it has not helped. Also, it stops ticking when I raise the weights to the top. It will tick for 15 or 20 minutes and stop. It stops every 15 or 20 minutes until the weights are fully visible in the door window. It will perform satisfactorily until the weights and pendulum are at the same height and stop. After starting, it continues to tick for 15 or 20 minutes and then stops. When the weights have moved down about five or six inches, it continues ticking until the weights reach the bottom of the case. The cycle repeats when I raise the weights to the top. It chimes and bonds as it should and keeps perfect time when ticking. I have oiled it every four or five years with no problems until two weeks ago. I spoke with a local clock repairman who told me that after 25 years they get a little sluggish. They lose time and the chiming and bonging becomes erratic. He could not explain why it stopped despite keeping perfect time otherwise. Please enlighten me.c

AnswerEdit

In your dissertation you did not mention having any work done on the clock. Urgos used rather soft brass for their plates and plated instead of hardened pivots. This results in fairly rapid wear and the need for installing bushings and dressing of pivots. I would suggest you have the clock inspected for such wear and while you are at it, see to it that it gets a good cleaning. ADDENDUM: As explained above the movement is subject to wear and needs inspection every few years. As you know there are abrasive particles floating in the air surrounding us, these particles mix with the clock lubricants to form a very aggressive grinding compound, the longer this compound is permitted to reside in the clock, the more aggressive it becomes. Over lubrication compounds this effect. Generally speaking a single drop of lubricant is sufficient for any clock. As a matter of fact to much lubricant is worse than no lubricant. Again, I AM SORRY THAT I FAILED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION YOU WERE SEEKING. RE-READING YOUR QUESTIONS AND MY RESPONES I FEEL THEY WERE WRITE ON, GIVEN THE INFORMATION PRESENTED.