Hobbies And Interests
Removing the Lift Wires
The cuckoo clock's two bellows are usually located on either side of the inside of the clock case. The lift wires are thin metal rods with small hooks at either end. The bottom hook attaches directly to the bellows, while the top attaches to a part of the clock mechanism. There is one lift wire on each side of each bellows, for a total of four inside each cuckoo clock. The end of the lift wire attached to the bellows passes through a small hole closed by a screw, or nut, that resembles a small pin. The pin can be opened and closed with a screwdriver. To remove a broken lift wire, loosen the pin with a screwdriver and simply withdraw the lift wire. Place the old lift wire on a table in exactly the same position it occupied inside the cuckoo clock. If lift wires are mixed up, or turned around, the bellows will not operate properly.
Installing New Wires
New lift wires should match the size of the original wires. Cuckoo clocks come in a variety of sizes, and so do the bellows inside them. Cuckoo clock parts suppliers, such as the Frankenmuth Clock Company, Black Forest Imports and Clockworks (see "Resources"), sell wires in different sizes and variety packs. If purchasing a variety pack, select the wire that best matches the original lift wires. Some of the other wires are used to operate other parts of the cuckoo clock, for example, the cuckoo door. Attach the new lift wire in exactly the same position as the old. Hook the top part onto the clock mechanism itself, and slip the bottom portion through the hole with the pin. Tighten the pin with a screwdriver. If the cloth top of the bellows was torn, or missing, that, too, should be replaced. Bellows tops can also be purchased from cuckoo clock parts dealers, cut to shape and secured in place with cuckoo clock epoxy. The bellows will not work properly without either the lift wires or the bellows tops.