A Kundo Standard 400 Day Clock That Gave Me Trouble!

This is an ordinary Kundo standard-sized 400 day clock made in the 1950s. Normally, I go through my standard repair process, and the clock works well.

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This clock didn’t work well after repair. It ran, but the pendulum rotated only about 3 balls (where 4 balls is one full turn), and sometimes it would stop. Normally the pendulum rotates 3.5 – 3.8 balls with the mainspring wound 2 turns.

Each adjustment I made seemed to help, but after an hour, the pendulum motion would decrease.

  • Closed the suspension fork tines: It helped for a while, then the motion decreased;
  • Made the top block fit tighter in the saddle’
  • Bushed the second and third wheel pivot holes (because the pivots were too short for the original holes;
  • Tightened the fork on the suspension spring.

Finally, I tightened the lower block in the pendulum (this clock has a locking pendulum; and the lower block slides up and down in the top of the pendulum). I squeezed the top of the pendulum together to reduce the slot width, and the clock worked perfectly!

The pendulum rotation was as follows:

  • Escape arc (minimum pendulum rotation at which the clock will run: 2 Balls;
  • With mainspring wound 2 turns: 3.9 Balls;
  • Fully wound: 4.2 Balls.

Repair job 6319. Polished 6 pivots, cleaned, installed new .0032 inch suspension spring.


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12 comments

  1. You sir are the man. I recently acquired a Kundo Anniversary clock. They have been on my list for awhile now. The person I got it off had inadvertently locked the pendulum assembly for travel without raising it and had pinched the the suspension spring. I disassembled it and attempted to straighten out the spring in a similar fashion as I’ve done on watch hairsprings while waiting for the new one to arrive in the mail. It seemed to have worked. I put the clock in beat but could not get it to continue running. Searching the web I found this article and had a go at pinching the bottom block to see if that might have been the issue. Went and had a hour nap and came back to a clock still running. Now to let it keep going and work on the regulation once it has been working for some time. Thanks again for your article which has provided the information needed to keep one of these old clocks going. JKM

  2. Mr. Stoddard; I inherited what appears to be a beautiful,Kundo 400 day clock, but the pendulum is off and the two pieces that hold the thin wire are off. It appears to be in good shape otherwise, but I’m wondering if it is possible to mail this clock to you for repair, or if you can recommend someone in the Minneapolis area who might be able to get it running for me. It’s much too pretty to be sitting on the shelf gathering dust.

    Also, can you tell me the approximate cost of repairing it. If it exceeds the value of the clock, then it would probably be foolish to have anyone work on it. I don’t have a sentimental attachment to it other than thinking it is beautiful and I would like to have it work again.

    Thank you for any information or suggestions you might be able to give me.
    Linda Kuhn

  3. I replaced the suspension wire and bottom block on 1950 non locking pendulum kundo 400 day anniversary clock ,but the beat is off ,the fork swings further to the right and clock doesn’t run long . How do you adjust the beat,?this one does not have top screw to adjust it

  4. I have a kundo clock the pendulum wire that holds the pendulum unattached from the clock and the pendulum, do you have the instructions how to put it back together, I do not think the little Perl like wire does not seem broken? broken…

    Thanks..Waiting for your help.

  5. I have a kundo clock the pendulum wire that holds the pendulum unattached from the clock and the pendulum, do you have the instructions how to put it back together, I do not think the little Perl like wire does not seem broken? broken…

    Thanks..Waiting for your help.

  6. I have a kundo clock the pendulum wire that holds the pendulum unattached from the clock and the pendulum, do you have the instructions how to put it back together, I do not think the little Perl like wire does not seem broken? broken…

    Thanks..Waiting for your help.

  7. Do you hawe a 400 days clock from 1950 for sale. Pleace give me your best price.
    Thank you wery much.
    Aksel Andersen
    DK 6000 Kolding

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