I hope you’re still on RU-vid. I have this clock for a few years. Love it. Store with batteries in original box. This year clock works fine but no zero, music and only one side lights up. Who do I Google that would know how to repair. After watching your video I’m not touching it! :). Thank you!
Hi Dave, great video! I have the same clock and would love to know how you removed the back, top part of the clock. Something is wrong with the mechanism that allows Zero to come out smoothly. (Zero still comes out on the hour, but after the doors open, he starts shaking and there’s a loud noise like the machine is struggling, then Zero comes out and the song plays as normal. I want to know how to open the back top part like you did so I can look at Zero and the mechanism. I’d appreciate your insight.
As I recall, it's glued in place. I think I had to pry it off. It didn't take too much effort and it came away without breaking. Good luck with your repair.
Where is the mechanical trigger for the hour? My clock (yes the same) wont activate. I hear a light metallic ping on the hour.... then like gear grinding. Bradford exchange wouldn't warranty the clock.
hey love this video. could you maybe do an in dept tutorial on this clock? so fixing the sound and having the entire song play. red light in zeros nose. and making sure the speaker doesn't intervene with the clock. or you could just bu them, mod them. and sell them. id buy one!
Thanks for the interest and suggestions. Doing a tutorial video in a great idea. However, I don't have this clock anymore. I gave it to my son as a gift as he was enamored with it. Maybe if I get another one I'll do a step by step video. I've had many, many requests from people wanting me to mod this clock for them. It's a time consuming labor of love but I just have too many other irons in the fire to take on a job like that.
Hey Dave I have a question for you. How hard would it be to replace the three AAA battery holder? I had a mishap with leaking batteries. And the lights/cuckoo portion of the clock no longer works. I am trying to figure out how to repair it.
Shouldn't be too hard to get the old one out. You can get replacement battery holders on Amazon. Find one that has leads already attached. Then you can just solder or crimp a connection to the old wires. Have fun!
Make sure the switch on the side of the clock is in the proper position. I think it's a 3 way switch . One position will turn off the sound altogether.Another position will turn on the lights. The 3rd position will turn on the sound and make the clock Preform properly.
I was wondering if you could help me with something. I bought the same clock. I can’t get the pendulum to move from side to side without hitting one or both of the clock walls making a hitting noise. Is this normal? I’ve tried readjusting the clock on the wall. I’ve tried everything. And I agree with you. The sound SUCKS!!! The clock is an absolute piece of art and they had to screw up something so simple as the music. Anyway, if you can help me with my pendulum and let me know if it is supposed to be going back and forth quiet or hitting each or one of the sides I would appreciate it. Sorry about the newbie questions. This is my first coo coo clock =) Edit: I forgot to mention my pendulum swings really fast. I am using lithium batteries. Should I just use regular ones? Could that be the problem?
Wow, that all sounds like a real pain. I did have the problem of the pendulum hitting the end of the swing also at time. However I was able to keep it from happening by adjusting it on the wall. Are you sure you have the pendulum installed properly? There is a certain way to hook it up inside the clock.
Dave, That's what I like about you..... You just can't leave S#!T alone!!! LOL! Save those Radio Shack batteries! They are collator items!!!! Thanks for sharing!
Congrats on you're new clock Golden. Sorry, I don't do the mods for others. This was just a project I did for myself. However it's simple and fun. In the description I have all the stuff listed you'll need. Use the free software Audacity to author the sound clips. Have fun!
Thanks for the trust in my work and am honored that you asked. Any other time I'd consider doing it. However I have too many other irons in the fire at this time to take on a project like this. If that changes I'll reach out. Thanks again!
Great work. The sound quality is way better than the original speaker. Would a strand of fiber optic work for Zero's nose? With the other end catching light from one of the existing lights on the clock or an led of the correct color to send it through the fiber. Again, great work!
Thanks for the kind words and the great suggestions. I still plan to do a few more things to the clock like placing the lights on a different switch that would be triggered by Zero moving in and out and maybe placing an extra led behind zero. I'll look at your suggestions at that time to see if that would work. ;-)
Wonderful! The Bradford Exchange sold me my beautiful piece of garbage that stopped working right after the warranty ceased. I was on the second one by the way. They know they're selling garbage too. Very EXPENSIVE garbage. At least your worry was just the sound quality, mine has just been sitting quietly, sad, on my office wall :(
Would you take orders to modify others clocks? I also have the NBC cuckoo clock and was a little disappointed in the sound....I'd love to have it modified like yours!
Hi Jessica, Thanks for considering me to modify your clock. I understand your disappointment with the sound quality of this otherwise very cool peace of functional art. That's why I went through the trouble of this upgrade. However at this time I'm not really wanting to do this to other people's clocks. Not enough time in my busy life. It's really not too hard to install all the parts I point to below the video. If you don't have the skills there are many people around who do. A local Maker Fair or Trade College? The real challenge (it was for me anyway) will be culling the voice clips and mastering them to sound and fit as you like. Good luck and have fun.
Hi, Yes, I can easily reload the music files on the Adafruit Audio Sound Board. I just hook it up to my laptop through the USB ports and the sound board shows up as another folder. I then just drag and drop the new sound clips into the Adafruit Audio Sound Board.
