[ Rusty DuFoe wrote in 160908 MMDigest:

> ... but it rarely ran properly and eventually ceased running for
> any length of time.

Hi Rusty, I may be able to assist you, but I'm a little confused about
what's not working correctly: the clock or the musical mechanism, or
both in conjunction ?

Please note that music boxes and clocks, though they both originated
from the same Swiss sources, are really two very different genres and
most "clock people" don't work on music boxes and vice verse because of
the different parts and tools used.  So if you have a problem with the
clock, you'll need a clock person.  If the problem is with the music
box, you will need a music box person.  Once the two components are
separately functional (as much as they can be), then usually either the
clock person or the music box person can figure out how the two fit
back to together as one.

Because of the complexity and design of the clocks, it was usually the
clock makers who incorporated a music box into their clocks requesting
the music box maker to configure the musical mechanism relative to the
design of the clock.  Some music box mechanisms in clocks are just the
same as they would be in a music box with their own wind up springs,
speed regulators, comb and cylinder and the clock simply acts as a
regulated "on/off" switch activating the music box to play on the
hour &/or half hour and shutting off after a single revolution of the
music box cylinder.

Other musical mechanisms are driven by the clock mechanism itself, via
wind up springs and/or counter-balanced weights and pulleys.  In some
clocks the musical mechanism is simply a cylinder and a comb mounted on
a base plate with an extended shaft for pulley and weight attachment or
a drive wheel on the cylinder that interconnects with a set of gears
and cams on the clock.

That being said, usually, if a clock or a music box starts to slow down
over time and then stops running, it is generally due to a combination
of dirt, debris, dried up grease, and/or oxidation of the metal parts
which get the equivalent of music box or clock arthritis and freeze up
and can not move and/or a part being physically broken or worn out from
extended use.  (Even the grist mill stone needs to be replaced when it
gets worn down by use.)

Disassembly and detailed cleaning and inspection of all the components
is usually the first step.  In that process, one will usually find
(actually see) where and why the mechanism isn't working: debris
caught in the cog wheels preventing them from working, or perhaps a
broken spring or fly wheel.  Cleaning, repair or replacement, of the
damaged/defective parts and re-assembly usually takes care of the
issue(s) and the mechanism becomes operational again.

If you would be kind enough to describe the problems you have
experienced in more detail with specifics of who made the musical
mechanism, along with some close up photos of the clock and music box
mechanisms and how they integrate together, I may be able to assist you
with a more specific diagnosis and prognosis of recovery (at least for
the musical portion).

Most sincerely,

Don Caine - Proprietor, The Music Box Repair Center Unlimited
Lomita, California
http://www.musicboxrepaircenter.com/ 
mbrcu@aol.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]