Issues with chiming Howard Miller 610-892

[CharlesSanDiego]

Hello all, I have a Howard Miller grandfather clock. The chiming hammers are the same set as the striking hammers. Was working fine. Recently the issues started. When chiming the earlier sections, all the hammers are working fine, however in the later sections prior to striking, the small lever that handles the last three hammers for striking seems to activate earlier. so that it pulls up a little bit, so that the last three hammers are not touching the rod in the later parts of the chime, although the hammers are moving right, they are just a bit short from the rods due to that level moving up. Any ideas what I can do to adjust? Thanks for any help!

 

[wow]

The lift lever for the strike hammers must be lowered slightly so it doesn’t lift those hammers at all during the strike warning. Photos of the back side of the movement would help us see what is actually happening and how to fix it.

 

[Willie X]

Look up 'hammers lifting on the warning'. Willie X

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

The lift lever for the strike hammers must be lowered slightly so it doesn’t lift those hammers at all during the strike warning. Photos of the back side of the movement would help us see what is actually happening and how to fix it.

Attached is the picture. Total 5 hammers, the first 4 from the left are the chiming hammers. The lever handles the last 3 right side hammers for striking, and it is controlled by the last hammer to the right.

The lever is in correct position in earlier sections of the chiming, however, when in the last couple of sections the lever lifts up a little just enough the last two chiming hammers are not touching the rods. Then the striking happens fine. This just started happening a week ago. I wonder what triggers the small lift lever to lift up a bit in the final sections of the chiming.

Thanks for your help!

 

[tracerjack]

Near the end of the last sequence of the chime tune, the strike side is released by the chime's long lever, usually as the lever rides over a high spot on the chime selection plate. The strike train then rotates a bit, but is quickly stopped; as Willie X posted, the warning run. The strike hammer is not suppose to lift during that short roll. If it does, in your movement, it will interfere with the chime hammers. Because I have no experience with grandfather movements, there is no benefit for me to give you advice on how to fix it when I am not sure. There are several people here who can give you experienced advice.

 

[wow]

The silver lever that lifts the strike bar must be adjusted so it is further away from the hammers. Hard to see how to adjust in the photo. A well-lighted photo from the opposite side would be better.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

The silver lever that lifts the strike bar must be adjusted so it is further away from the hammers. Hard to see how to adjust in the photo. A well-lighted photo from the opposite side would be better.

Thank you! I will try.....

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Look up 'hammers lifting on the warning'. Willie X

I did search for this but it comes back with more than 10 pages of feeds, and I looked at the first few pages and they are not the exact topic..... is there a feed with an exact topic you can forward please? Thanks!

 

[NEW65]

Sounds like you just need to adjust the timing. Or as wow mentions, slightly bend the keeper forward to allow the hammer (or hammers) to reach the chime rod(or rods). Its hard to see what is going looking at your picture. A video would be very good.

 

[NEW65]

Thinking about it further, It does sound that the position of the star wheel that operates the strike (and long lever) needs slightly adjusting to allow for a little momentum.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Sounds like you just need to adjust the timing. Or as wow mentions, slightly bend the keeper forward to allow the hammer (or hammers) to reach the chime rod(or rods). Its hard to see what is going looking at your picture. A video would be very good.

Thank you! and I will get a video.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Thank you! and I will get a video.

Tried uploading the video but it says the file is too large.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Thinking about it further, It does sound that the position of the star wheel that operates the strike (and long lever) needs slightly adjusting to allow for a little momentum.

Thank you

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

I uploaded a video onto Youtube here, see how all the chiming hammers are working properly in the first 4 sections:

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

 

[NEW65]

Charles, the chime needs setting up. Its running on. However, its difficult to explain how to go about doing this.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Charles, the chime needs setting up. Its running on. However, its difficult to explain how to go about doing this.

Thanks! I will find out what it means to set up the chimes.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Charles, the chime needs setting up. It’s running on. However, it’s difficult to explain how to go about doing this.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Well, to “reset”, I took off the weights, changed the time, put the weights back on, tried the hour strike, and it still has the same chiming issue. I guess that is not the set up process suggested……

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Near the end of the last sequence of the chime tune, the strike side is released by the chime's long lever, usually as the lever rides over a high spot on the chime selection plate. The strike train then rotates a bit, but is quickly stopped; as Willie X posted, the warning run. The strike hammer is not suppose to lift during that short roll. If it does, in your movement, it will interfere with the chime hammers. Because I have no experience with grandfather movements, there is no benefit for me to give you advice on how to fix it when I am not sure. There are several people here who can give you experienced advice.

Thank you and you explained the mechanics related to the issue well.

 

[Willie X]

The chime is running on. That is, not stopping when it should. It needs to be properly set up, as everyone else is saying.

It may have a missing spring, or bent parts in the chime stop mechanism. This is a common problem and usually due to the very thin/cheap levers and/or previous failed attempts at repair.

Willie X

 

[Willie X]

Take the movement out and set it up to run on a test stand. As it chimes, watch the chime stop disc on the front of the movement. You will probably see the chime stop lever bouncing up, instead of stopping the disc. This can usually be corrected by putting slightly more slant/draw on the stop lever. The stop lever is a shiney thin stamped part that rides on the chime stop disc. There is usually a small spring there to make this action more dependable. Someone may be able to post a photo.

Willie X

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Take the movement out and set it up to run on a test stand. As it chimes, watch the chime stop disc on the front of the movement. You will probably see the chime stop lever bouncing up, instead of stopping the disc. This can usually be corrected by putting slightly more slant/draw on the stop lever. The stop lever is a shiney thin stamped part that rides on the chime stop disc. There is usually a small spring there to make this action more dependable. Someone may be able to post a photo.

Willie X

Thank you!

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

After a night with the clock set to silence, this afternoon I turned on the chime at exactly 3pm. Miraculously the chime played perfectly, not overplaying, and not issue with the little lever either, however for the striking for the hour it did four rather than three strikes. So I dialed the hour hand to 4, and used the minute hand to go back to three o’clock, but now the issue starts again, at 15 minutes it played three sections, also three sections at half hour, then nothing at 45 minutes, then at 4pm it overplayed like yesterday. Well seems like there may be hope. I am turning it to silent, and be back at it tomorrow again. Thanks all!

 

[Willie X]

It's not going to get well.

You will have to find the trouble and repair it, or pay a professional to do so.

Willie X

 

[roughbarked]

It's not going to get well.

You will have to find the trouble and repair it, or pay a professional to do so.

Willie X

Said by one who knows the problems and who to send them to, to be fixed.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

It's not going to get well.

You will have to find the trouble and repair it, or pay a professional to do so.

Willie X

Thanks! I will give it some tries and time first. Will report back. My thought is that for that striking at 4pm it proves that mechanically it is capable of doing it correctly. I speculate that maybe I messed it up when I turned on and off the Chime at undesirable times. It must be the set up that is messed up, probably not a damage. Well, will circle back if any good news to share. Ya the local shop says it costs $290. I told him I cannot afford it.

 

[roughbarked]

Mechanically capable, it was when manufactured.
It should be self-synchronising within the first hour.
It is actually worth the cost of repair if it runs for another couple of decades without fault.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Mechanically capable, it was when manufactured.
It should be self-synchronising within the first hour.
It is actually worth the cost of repair if it runs for another couple of decades without fault.

Thank you! Yes I read Howard Manual online today, and it says give it a couple of ours to self adjust if chiming is acting weird. I will get at it tomorrow. Yes the striking at 3pm was perfect, and that led me to believe it is capable to do the right chiming and probably it is the setting that I somehow messed up.... hopefully this is not my uneducated wishful thinking

 

[Willie X]

Yep, "wishful thinking".

Fact ... no one can, or should, give you a quote like that without having looked at the clock in question.

Willie X

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Yep, "wishful thinking".

Fact ... no one can, or should, give you a quote like that without having looked at the clock in question.

Willie X

I texted the shop owner that youtube video. He then called me back and said it will be $290

 

[roughbarked]

That's nothing like having the clock in his hands. He's quoted the general price for overhaul of a clock like yours.
Sounds like a duncanswish to me but there you have it.

 

[Willie X]

Try to find someone local. This movement is very easy to remove. Willie X

 

[shutterbug]

Your striking issue is probably related to the snail being off. Small numbers work, but it gets progressively worse as it advances toward larger strike numbers.
I'd also advise a local guy to remove the movement, make the repairs and return it to you.

 

[CharlesSanDiego]

Your striking issue is probably related to the snail being off. Small numbers work, but it gets progressively worse as it advances toward larger strike numbers.
I'd also advise a local guy to remove the movement, make the repairs and return it to you.

Thank you, and that would explain the 3pm working fine on Friday...... got too busy in the weekend and have not tried again. Thanks!