On Tuesday, January 31, 1995 9:30:06 AM UTC-6, Kevin Marlowe wrote:
I'm in the final stages of building a grandfather clock from a kit by Emperor
Clock Co. of Fairhope, AL. It's taken me about a year, on and off, and I've got
only two remaining problems: (1) bubbles in the Varithane finish, and (2) tuning
the chimes. The bubbles I'll ask about in another post, but the chimes really
bug me - they're badly out of tune. I guess my musician's ear is a little
over-sensitive to it, but does anybody have experience tuning these things?

I called the factory; they said to adjust the distance the hammer travels to
strike the chime, but I think they're confusing flat (dull, muffled tone) with
flat (too low in pitch). There are adjustment screws at the top of the assembly,
but the factory advised me never to touch those, so that's probably what I
should do...

Any thoughts? Thanks -KLM
--
__________________________________________________ __________________
Kevin L. Marlowe Computer Sciences Corporation
k.l.marlowe@ NASA Langley Research Center, MS 931
Voice/Fax: (804) 865-1725 Hampton, VA 23681-0001
---------Speak softly and carry a +6 two-handed sword.--------------

I have an Emperor clock I confess to having bought already built. This thing has 3/4 inch solid walnut! I'm sorry but, an original oil finish is the only way to go. More on that in a moment, if I may. You did mention it after all.

I had had a problem with chimes in that there was a clinker. I took out the board and tested the tone and mine had one 'chime' that was flat/dull. I realize that is not your problem but, this leads to what relates to comments here. I found that as soon as I loosened the rod screw on top, the sound went completely flat. There was an immediate loss of vibrancy with just a single turn. I would up taking it out and there was some crud in there like some sort of packing or perhaps some sort of lock tite in a putty form? I don't know what but, cleaned up, I was able to put it back with and tightened to original bottom, it rang true again. I also think it change the actual tone itself. So I suspect debris in the hole through the iron block could affect the pitch too.

I was wondering if shimming the screw head would make any difference in tone but, didn't have occasion to try it.

One thing that concerns me is that were the iron rod went into the brass screw thread head, the rod was corroded with significant pitting. Does anybody know if replacement rods are available. In case anybody wonders, paperwork with mine had it made or at least received in 1974.

As for bubbles in your finish, nothing for it but to sand it down or strip and start over. Depends on the degree of area bubbled up I reckon.
To me, nothing brings out the beauty of wood like an oil finish. Now, there are new finishes like wiping poly which go on like oil but dry much faster and do not need the maintenance an oil finish does. Also finishes like "Homer Formby's "tung oil finish" Be advised there's more tung oil in the lael than the can! It's basically a varnish. My main fault with those are they start to tack so quickly you can't (at least I can't) get a good even spread before it starts to smear. I take and use such with a healthy dollop of BLO ("boiled linseed oil") or rub in a good coat of linseed oil first and then put of the modern wiping finish after. The oil underneath will prevent it's tacking so quickly and yet still dry much faster. It also has more the look of a true oil finish.

Anyway, I hope this helps somewhat at least. Good luck!