03/28/2026
Update on 1 day Birds nest cuckoo clock
Started chasing a runaway cuckoo issue and finally tracked it down to something easy to overlook
The gathering pallet pivot hole in the plate
At first glance everything looked fine
-Rack counted down correctly
-Gathering pallet engaged
-Timing was correct
But under load with the strike weight pulling it would not hold and the cuckoo would run all the way to the floor
After taking a closer look at the operation it became clear the pivot hole for the gathering pallet shaft is slightly out of round
That small amount of wear is enough to
-allow the shaft to shift under load
-change the engagement angle just enough
-cause the pallet to bounce off instead of locking
What makes it tricky is
-it works when slowed down
-it works out of the case
-but fails under normal operating conditions
Which points directly to a tolerance issue under load not a timing issue
Always check your plates for wear. Even a small amount in the wrong spot can affect how the entire movement performs
It is time for a bushing to be installed
