While each cuckoo clock sold at Bavarian Clockworks is uniquely hand crafted, the set up process for each one follows the same basic steps depending on the features of your cuckoo clock. Here are the steps in specific order to quickly set up your cuckoo clock in a few short minutes.
CUCKOO CLOCK SET UP:
1. Carefully remove the contents of box and place the clock face down on a padded surface
(Be sure to save your box and packing materials for at least 2 weeks just in case there are any issues requiring service)
2. Open the back panel of the clock, remove the bellow clips and paper from the chime coil, then replace the back panel
3. Hang the clock level on the wall using an anchor rated for 50lbs or more. Click here for details on How to Hang your Cuckoo Clock
4. Carefully unwrap the chains underneath the clock and lower them to the floor so they are hanging free of one another
5. Unlatch the cuckoo door
6. Hang the pendulum on the clock, attach the weights, then wind the clock by pulling each weight up to the base of the clock (This is obviously where the setup process will differ if you purchased a quartz cuckoo clock)
7. Release the shut-off switch by placing it in operation mode (see below for instructions specific to your switch type)
8. Pull the pendulum to one side or the other and release it to start the clock.
9. To confirm that your cuckoo clock is operating correctly advance the minute hand clockwise to the nearest hour or half hour and listen for the cuckoo and music for musical clocks. Be sure to let the cuckoo and music run its full cycle before advance the minute hand again. You can repeat this process as many times as you like to witness the wonder of your new cuckoo clock.
ADJUSTING THE SPEED AND ACCURACY OF YOUR CUCKOO CLOCK:
1. First move the shut-off switch to the off position to disable the cuckoo and music. DO NOT ADVANCE THE TIME WHILE THE CUCKOO OR MUSIC IS PLAYING. If the music an cuckoo are on you must wait until they are finished to advance the time. You can advance the time freely if they are off.
2. Carefully advance the minute hand clockwise until you reach the the current time. This may take a little time and several times around the dial to get to the hour you want. Always set the time with the minute hand and do not manually advance the hour hand.
3. Let the clock run for 4 hours to see if it is running too fast or too slow. Once you know how many minutes you have lost or gained in the 4 hour time period, multiply that by 6 to determine how many minutes are being gained or lost over a 24 hour period.
Example: Your clock was 5 minutes slow over a 4 hour period so ( 5 minutes x 6 = 30 minutes). This means we are losing 30 minutes over a 24 hour period. Now let's adjust your clock.
4. To adjust the speed of you clock you will need to adjust the decorative pendulum slide. If your clock is running slow you will need to move the slide up. If your clock is running fast you will need to move the slide down. How far you will need to move the pendulum slide depends on how fast or slow your clock is running.
Here's a good rule of thumb:
For every 1/4 inch you move the pendulum slide it will make a difference of about 10 minutes over a 24 hour period. So using our example above where we were losing 30 minutes over 24 hours, we would want to move the pendulum slide up 3/4 of an inch to correct the issue.
The manufacturers are pretty good about setting them close to where they should be so adjustments are usually pretty minor. Make minor adjustments over time until you get you clock dialed in with precision. It may take a little patience and tinkering but you'll have it down before you know it!