Instructions on the Repair of a Cuckoo Clock

Bellows Repair

• The most common cuckoo clock malfunction has to do with the bellows. The bellows is responsible for the cuckoo whistle. Most likely if your clock is not sounding properly, it is an old clock. Some old clocks with old cuckoos have old fabric on the bellows which causes the whistles to malfunction. You can buy a used bellows on the Internet for less than $25 a pair (2010 price).

Remove the Old Bellows and Prepare the New Bellows

• To remove the bellows, locate the lifting wires attached to the bellows and remove them first. These wires are attached with a circular pin on top of the bellows. Take the wire off by opening the lower wire holes. Use a standard screwdriver to unscrew the screw that holds the bellows. The top is the large flat part of the bellows. At the bottom of the bellows is a tube with a hole on the side that pushes out the noise.

Insert New Bellows

• To do the replacement, take the new bellows and match up the old tops, putting the new bellows next to the old one. Break the old bellows tops down to the bottom. Because epoxy is holding them together, breaking them off should be easy. Remove all of the old leftover dried epoxy with a knife or other sharp object, and make the top as smooth as possible. Now insert the pins that hold the lifting wires. This will lift the top of the bellows like a pair of wings. Use the pins from your old bellows top and insert them into the new one the same way you removed them from the old top. Do this to both tops and then epoxy them. Make sure the air holes on the top and bottom are lined up enough so air can blow through the top to the bottom to make noise. Epoxy around the hole on the bottom of the bellows and then hold it down until the epoxy is firm. Do this to both sides. Put the bellows into the clock the same way it was removed and your repair job is complete. Replace the back and hang the clock on a vertical surface and see if the pendulum is on beat.