Howard Miller chime repair

[Carlton Davis]

At the family New Years gathering I was provided a clock for repair. It is my first Howard Miller (I prefer older stuff) but I always welcome a new challenge and learning opportunity.
The clock is a Howard Miller model 612-374 spring type mantle clock with multiple chime selections. The complaint from Uncle Bob is that although an 8 day clock, the chimes started giving up at 3-4 days. Eventually the whole thing stopped altogether. It has sat on his mantle not running at all for the past 4+ years.
No doubt it needs a good cleaning but I'm suspecting a more serious problem with the chime. A plastic piece (pin drum) was lying loose in the bottom of the clock (see pix).
Simple oiling of the pinions got the clock to going and the chimes show some life every 15 minutes but are very sluggish and don't contact the ringing bars at all. Seems like the hammers lift from rest position and then lower back to rest.
Any assist from you Howard Miller experts out there would be greatly appreciated. Also if I do indeed need any parts, where do you order them?? The HM site only wants to sell me new clocks. It is a model 612-374 serial 713508, movement# 354119G, Dial# 270174G.
Thanks much!!

 

[gilbert]

I am far from being any kind of expert, but that plastic piece kind of looks like something they stick in the winding holes for shipment when new.

 

[harold bain]

Hi, Carlton. Your clock has a Hermle movement. Can't quite make out the numbers, but looks like 87, which makes it 24 years old. It may respond to oiling, but chances are it needs stripped down and cleaned first. It's usually cheaper to replace the movement than to pay a repairman to overhaul yours.
Gilbert is correct about the plastic piece, it's not part of the movement.
Also looks like the hammers are sitting too high above the chime rods. You "might" be able to move the chime block forward by loosening the screws on the bottom of the clock, to get the hammers closer. If not, the hammer rods can be easily bent so that the gap is smaller (there has to be some gap, just not that much).

 

[shutterbug]

I'd advise talking to Mark Butterworth about a new movement, or he might be willing to install Butterbushings in yours for you. That will give you an idea of where you are price wise. Of course, Uncle Bob doesn't need to know how you accomplished the repair Marks advertising can be found at the top of the page, and when you dl the price list you'll find his contact information as well.

 

[Carlton Davis]

Thanks for the info. I would have had an interesting time trying to replace the "valuable" plastic shipping cap (thinking it was my problem).
I agree that the easy (and perhaps more sensible) way out would be to spring for a new movement. Having never experieced the excitement of cleaning one of these I'll probably try my hand at it. Cleaning and some gong adjustment should bring it back to life for a while. I just need to communicate to Uncle Bob that the next time it goes belly-up it will need a new movement.
Give me a good 'ol ogee anytime . . .

 

[harold bain]

Carlton, first thing to do, after you take the movement out of the clock, is let down the springs. Then test for worn bushings by rocking the spring barrels back and forth, watching for pivot movement further up the trains. If no ovalled holes are seen, cleaning may solve the problem. Take lots of pictures before and while taking it apart. Make sure the springs are properly serviced.

 

[shutterbug]

Yeah, I'm betting you'll need some bushing work as well

 

[Willie X]

I just need to communicate to Uncle Bob that the next time it goes belly-up it will need a new movement.
. .

That is a very good approach. I do that with my customers all the time. They often remind me later that I said "it would need to have the movement replaced" next time it stopped working.

It's sort of like the old jokes where someone starts out a death announcement with: "you know old Aunt Lucy had to go to the doctor last week" ............

Willie X

 

[Ed O'Brien]

Agreed regarding the probable need for bushings. Experience has taught me that the Hermle movements often require re-bushing, and that they are VERY susceptible to stopping with what would often be considered minimal bushing wear. If you do old American movements you'll be amazed at the difference in movement tolerance for bushing wear. (small pinions, small teeth).