Is anyone here familiar with how a grandfather clock works, and why they sometimes dont?
Our stopped for some strange reason. It has 3 separate weights for time, quarter hr westminster chimes, and the actual chimes for the hours. It just stopped running one day. What should I look at in the movement, and what might I be able to repair myself? Thanks.
grandfather clock?
stopped?
Aw, common, you know the words to the song…
…But it stopped, short,
Never to run again.
When the old man died.
Sorry - I don’t know how they work. 
Missy
Didja wind it? Nyuk!
Seriously, you might want to have a clock repairperson look at it, especially if it’s old.
Robin
I’ll second that motion.
I’ll chime in, as well. Thirded. 
I would try to open the clock so that the mechanical movement is exposed. Oftentimes a mechanical clock will stop because of the accumulation of dust in the movement. Try using a soft brush and blow the dust from the movement. I have a mechanical clock that periodically stops, and I get it going again with the above method. Good luck.
I have an old mantle clock that stopped several years ago - maybe I should take a can of compressed air and see if I can blow some gunk out that way.
This clock probably isn’t worth anything but it has lots of sentimental value - it was given to my great-grandfather when he retired from the police force in Sheffield, England, January 31, 1900. It used to run, but sometime in the late 1960s it struck 60 times before we got tired of counting and moved the chimes to stop it from making noise until it ran down. After that it wouldn’t run properly, and we took it in to various repair shops, so now 2 of the screws holding the face on are original, 2 are replacements, and one place lost the pin holding the hands on and used a heavy straight pin to replace it. After that I lost confidence in any clock repair shops around here.
Good luck getting yours to run.
This clock is not an antique or family heirloom. It is pretty however, and the chimes are nice sounding, so I’d like to get it running.
I have a weakness for clocks. If it’s weight operated I’d let a repair person deal with it. We’ve got a cuckoo clock that I enjoy.
[quote=“Flyingcursor” If it’s weight operated I’d let a repair person deal with it. quote]
Yes it is. As a matter of fact, I recall that it stopped running after I pulled the weight up a year or so ago. I’m careful about not pulling it up too far.
It’s possible that the chain slipped off the “gear” that it winds around, inside the clock. If so, and you can see the mechanism, it might be possible for you to get it back on correctly.
Your best bet though, would probably be a repair person.
Tom