How to Install Cuckoo Clock Lift Wires
Cuckoo clocks are highly collectible mechanical clocks. A group of external weights supplies power to a system of internal gears. A pendulum regulates the time, and a small cuckoo calls the hours. The cuckoo's call is made by a pair of bellows. One makes the sound "cuck," and the other "coo." The bellows consist of wooden bodies with cloth tops. The bellows are opened and closed by means of lift wires. Sometimes these cuckoo clock lift wires break, and new ones must be installed.
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Instructions
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1
Find the two bellows inside the cuckoo clock. In most clocks, the bellows are located on opposite sides of the case. The lift wires are the pair of wires that are attached to each of the bellows.
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2
Use the screwdriver to turn the small circular pin located on the bellows tops at the base of the lift wires. Turn the pin just enough so that the wire can be slipped out through the hole.
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3
Detach the tops of the lift wires from the cuckoo clock itself. Set the wires aside in exactly the same positions as they were found inside the clock. The wires must not be mixed up or turned around.
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4
Purchase new lift wires from a cuckoo clock parts supplier, such as Clockworks or the Frankenmuth Clock Company (see Resources). Lift wires vary in size with the size of the bellows, and typically range from 2 1/2 to 7 inches in length.
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5
Attach the new lift wires in exactly the same positions as the old. Thread the base of the lift wires through the hole in the bellows top. Tighten the pin with the screwdriver, and hook the top of the wire back into place on the cuckoo clock.
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Tips & Warnings
Often, broken lift wires are not the cause of bellows problems. If the cloth bellows top has ripped or come off, the cuckoo will not call. The bellows top must be replaced.
If the bellows top has come off completely, the lift wires will usually have come free from the bellows. Note the correct position of the lift wires before removing them from the broken bellows.
