North Coast Imports, Inc.

We'll have a leap second at the end of this month. The last minute will have 61 seconds. But, not without controversy: From  Cosmos Magazine : The leap second has long caused debate among member countries of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), with some arguing for it to be abolished in favour of the exclusive use of atomic time. Every time a second is added, the world's computers need to be manually adjusted, a costly practice that also boosts the risk of error. High-precision systems such as satellites and some data networks will have to factor in the leap second or risk provoking a calculation catastrophe. [via io9.com ]

This is a phrase we hear all the time from people who love weight-driven clocks (like cuckoo clocks!) but are concerned that their young child or pets might get a hold of the chain or weight and pull the clock down. It is surely a concern.  We know that it can be nearly impossible to child-proof or pet-proof a modern home, without even considering adding a timepiece. But consider this: There is nothing quite so personal, or thoughtful, as a gift of a clock to a young child.  It's something that the child will grow up with his or her entire life.  They might even regard a clock as an old friend or at least a remembrance of your love and care.  There are very few gifts which actually last a lifetime.  A mechanical clock is one of those things. While the child is small, don't worry about needing to keep the clock running all the time.  Sometimes they might just like to see it run now and then... possibly they might enjoy the soothing tick-tock sound whil...

Probably the most common error made during the setting of a clock that makes noise is that of moving the hour hand independently of the minute hand. Remember: when you set a clock, just move the (longer) minute hand and let the hour hand follow along. Many modern clocks allow you to move the minute hand backwards (counter-clockwise) some allow you to shut off the sounds so that you don't have to listen at each interval. Either way, you shouldn't move the hour hand independently of the minute hand - because you will cause your mechanism to become out of sync with your hands. But, even if your hour hand does get moved, DON'T PANIC. Most modern clocks allow for an easy fix. Simply follow this procedure: 1. Move your (longer) minute hand clockwise to the hour. NOTE: if you have a quarter-hour or half-hour chime clock, you may have to wait at the quarter or half-hours for your clock to finish making its sounds. 2. Count the number of strikes or calls your clock give...

There have been some changes to the quartz cuckoo clock movements. The new models don't have the cumbersome "eye" or light sensor, but rather a more sophisticated night-off system. The newer clocks also have nicer music! In order to properly set up your new quartz cuckoo clock, there are a few things to take note of. The proper set-up procedure is already in your printed instructions, and here , but please also reference this article to troubleshoot. The point of the setup procedure is to FIRST properly align the chiming computer mechanism with the clock hands, and SECOND to set the correct time on your clock hands. In order to do this, you'll need to find out what time your bird thinks it is. Once you have the batteries installed, move the longer minute hand only (don't touch the shorter hour hand) clockwise until the hour is reached. Please make sure you have the cuckoo switched on before taking this step. Once the hour is reached, count the number o...

Here's a great post from Instructables on how to set the time and chime on an old w 1217 Hermle movement. This German-made movement was a pioneer in bringing a "real-sounding" chime to a quartz movement. If your older clock has one of these movements, and it doesn't work, it's more cost-effective to replace it with a more modern mechanism. But, if you just need to set it, here are some good step-by-step instructions on how to do so. From Instructables : Top left are the STOP and START buttons. Three knobs along the left side are also buttons. A knob in the center sets the analog hands. Upper right corner has the Make (Hermle) and Model# (1217) Lower right is the battery compartment. - The STOP button stops the analog movement and resets all digital settings. - The START button begins keeping time after you're done setting the clock. - Knob 1 sets the time in the digital portion of the clock. Turn the knob to the number you wish to set and press it until you...

The following is a diagram of the Hermle mechanism w0340. This depicts the top of the movement, around the balance wheel and escapement. Turn the Regulating spindle in very small increments (less than 1/16th of a turn) to adjust the timekeeping. Turning the spindle clockwise will slow the clock down, counter-clockwise will speed the clock up. Be sure to reset the hands each time you make an adjustment. Our Sternreiter Brahms tambour and Sloan bracket clocks are equipped with a manual shut-off lever for the chimes.

One of the quality and trouble-free movements found in many of our clocks is the Quartz chiming mechanism by Hermle. These are excellent, accurate, and durable devices which are made in Germany and sound great too! The Hermle quartz movements are workhorses in the clock world, because they can provide premier sound and accuracy for many different kinds of clocks. The mechanisms also provide lots of options for how and when the clock chimes. Here's a diagram of the version of the movement which includes a moving pendulum: Setup instructions for this movement are very simple: 1. Insert batteries. Because of a special coating that Energizer brand batteries uses on their contacts which is not compatible with this devices contacts, it is best to use any other brand besides Energizer. Duracell or almost any other generic brand will work fine. If your clock starts chiming erratically, or (if so equipped) the pendulum stops, please install new batteries. 2. If your clock has a mo...

Here is an excellent video for troubleshooting your cuckoo clock. If your clock is not running and not keeping time please check this video out. Remember that all wire bending and adjustments described in the video should be done VERY slightly. Clocks from North Coast Imports are always extensively tested and any adjustment you make should be to a very small amount. Click Here for more helpful articles on the proper care and operation instructions of your lovely clock.

Does your cuckoo clock not cuckoo? First, be sure to read the instructions (PDF) carefully. Then, view our comprehensive videos on properly setting up your cuckoo clock. There are also more articles on proper set up and troubleshooting on our /instructions page. If all else fails, check this video out: Notice at the end of this video that some shutoff switches for the cuckoo call are clearly printed on the side, and some are a small black loop hanging under the bottom of the clock. Carefully push this loop all the way up or all the way down to engage the cuckoo call. Click here for more details on the shutoff switch.

Our NEW Sternreiter quartz cuckoo, model #40QM has a more sophisticated mechanism with an automatic night shut-off. The older models had a light sensor switch, but the new models actually have a timing device which shuts off the cuckoo and the music during the nighttime hours. In order for it to function properly, the clock must be sequenced to the proper day/night setting. In order to do that properly, follow this sequence: BEFORE INSTALLING THE BATTERIES 1. Turn the minute hand clockwise until it points to 5:00am 2. Open the back cover and insert 3 batteries R14 in the battery holder (for best results, use Duracell or a generic brand - any brand OTHER than Energizer.) 3. From 6:00am to 9:00pm, the cuckoo will call the full hour on the hour. From 10:00pm to 5:00am the night shut-off should be in effect and the cuckoo will not call.

If your cuckoo clock doesn't sound quite the same as those heard on our YouTube movies , the first thing you'll want to do is to check the position of your gong. Before every cuckoo call, there is traditionally a gong that is struck by a mechanical hammer. This adds depth of sound to the cuckoo clock call. If your hammer is missing the gong, or if the hammer is too close to the gong, you might get a "sick" sounding cuckoo. This gong can be easily adjusted! In the picture above, you can see the back of a cuckoo clock. There is a hole at the center of the back side through which you can see some black wires. This is the gong and the hammer. Seen from the inside, you can see the gong... First, be sure that the packaging paper is removed from this spiral gong. Then, replace the back piece into it's slot. Check out our setup videos for more information on removing packaging and replacing the back piece. After the back piece is set in place, you should be able ...

How does a cuckoo know how many times to call? Why is my clock only calling once when the hands say 3:00? These are great questions, and the ingenious works of a mechanical clock can do it, but a few things have to be in proper adjustment. Here are some things to watch out for to keep your clock working, and keep your cuckoo calling the right number. First, check the hands. We already have an article about the proper alignment of a cuckoo clocks hands. Second, check the rack. Here you can see a picture of one of our cuckoo clocks with the dial removed. Circled you see a black, sickle-shaped part that we call the "rack." This part has a certain number of teeth on it that are counted by the brass pin to the right of the part. Sometimes, through excessive handing upside down, this rack can get stuck in a position that is too high for the pin to count its teeth. In the picture below, you are looking at the clock mechanism from the back. You can see the top part of the rack...

On the back side of the dial there are levers. Two levers behind the 3:00 and one behind the 9:00. The one behind the 9:00 is the chime shutoff. The one further behind the 3:00 is the auto night shutoff. The lever at the front (behind the 3:00) is the date advance lever. Please have your customer follow this procedure in shutting the clock. 1. Move the minute hand COUNTER-clockwise until both hands show 6:30 - that is, both hands should point downward. 2. Click the date advance lever until the date shows one day BEFORE the current date. That is, if today is the 12th, advance the date to the 11th. 3. Carefully move the minute hand CLOCKWISE until the next quarter-hour mark. Wait for the clock to finish chiming and then turn the chime OFF temporarily by engaging the lever behind the 9:00. 4. Now that the chime is shut off, you can freely advance the minute hand without having to wait for the clock to chime. Keep advancing the minute hand CLOCKWISE until the date turns over to t...

I've had some questions on the best way to ship cuckoo clocks. Besides making sure you have enough soft packaging (you should have at least 4 inches of bubble wrap in all directions) you'll want to make sure all of the dangly parts are secure. As I mentioned in a previous post , you'll want to wind your clock first and remove the weights before taking it off of the wall. This will leave only the winding side free. You can wrap these loose chains around the bottom of the clock. In order to keep them in place, stick a rubber band through the rings and hook them onto the clock. It's also very very important to remove the weights and pendulum from their hooks and wrap these separately - perhaps even in a separate box. If the weights aren't tightly packed away from the clock they will become like missiles when the box is in motion. When they come loose they can very easily rip large chunks out of you precious clock's beautiful facade. -Make sure the weights can...

Congratulations lucky owners of new cuckoo clocks! Welcome to the world of clock collecting and horology! Now that you have this treasured heirloom you'll want to follow this blog for more helpful hints and tips on the care of your clock, as well as fascinating information on fun, clock-related news items. We are also pleased to be posting many interesting articles by antique clock experts and their fascinating collections. Check out the sidebar menu of this blog for extra navigational help. This website is huge, with tons of information on a range of horological subjects. On the sidebar, you can see an index for clock adjustments, as well as an index of terms. You can also see an index of instructional articles here or on our main website under "Instructions." To get you started, here's a three-part video on how to setup and hang your new cuckoo clock! Related Posts: Unpack Your Black Forest Clock , Cuckoo Instructions (PDF) , Adjusting the Bird's Tail

This short tutorial will give you some help changing the suspension spring on our popular "Americana" Anniversary clock . If your suspension spring is broken, replacing it is a relatively simple fix. The first step is to make sure you have the parts and tools you need. You'll need the clock, a pair of pliers, and the replacement suspension spring. The suspension spring actually looks like a little brass ribbon. notice that there are two ends with a pin, or a plastic perpendicular piece sticking out that is closer to one end than to the other. There are two square ends with pins sticking out of the sides. Carefully take the glass dome off and set it aside. Take a look at the back of the clock. Using just your fingers, pull the black plastic hand-setting knob straight off. This is only friction fit, and should not be too difficult to pull off. Please make sure you pull it straight back, and not to one side or the other. Also, pull the battery door off and remove the...