Congratulations – you are now the proud owner of a Black Forest Cuckoo Clock.
After you have seen so many different designs you picked out just the right one for you. Now comes the next step. The set-up process of your new clock.

Please print out this information and run through these next steps, following the instructions carefully, when unpacking the clock. Generally something like this set up procedure is always within the box of the clock in printed form. Maybe not so detailed but the major points are the same. Please have a look at the picture – the manuals are always in a kind of yellow or red color.

During the production process the clock passed several quality controls to ensure a perfect functioning. If, nevertheless the clock should not work in the end, please check our “troubleshooting points” under the “Help Yourself” button on this website or contact the customes´ service or HelpDesk of the company where you bought your clock.

Set-up Procedure 1. Unpacking 2. Remove paper and take out clock 3. Check all parts form the clock 4. Prepare the clock - Open back lid 5. Let the music play - Pull out bellow clamps 6. Mount the clock - Put screw in the wall 7. Completing the clock – Attach missing parts 8. Start the clock - adjust the pendulum 9. Wind up the clock – Switch the Night-Shut-Off Device

1. Unpacking

Unpack with care! Please check the carton when getting it where top and button is. Open the cardboard box on the top by cutting the adhesive tape from one end to the other with a cutter very carefully. Better you take a letter opener – this will take more time but chances to hurt the clock or yourself are pretty small.

Attention: Opening the box with a knife, scissors, etc. might be hazardous to your health if you cut yourself. The cardboard edges of the box´s lid may be very sharp, so that there exists a possibility of cutting yourself, also.

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2. Remove paper and take out clock

After opening the carton make sure it is the right side. Normally the clock is protected with same paper or a special carton box within the cardboard box. the clock. Carefully remove the paper in order not to damage the more delicate wooden pieces of the clock. When removing the clock from the carton, please hold it at the roof. Take out the clock by the roof not by the carvings or figurines. Mind the two sharp metal holders on the front of the roof as not to pierce or cut yourself (only traditional carved cuckoo clocks). You may take clocks without carvings by the bottom panel. Remove the loose accessories such as pendulum, weights etc... Please do not open the small paper-bag fixed to the bottom of the clock, this will be done later.

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3. Check all parts form the clock

Before you throw away the wrapping material, make sure that you have all the necessary pieces of your new clock. Double check the empty box and put all parts on a table or on the floor and check if everything is available. For example a Traditional carved cuckoo clock with oak/wine leaves consists of the following parts:

Carved top piece with oak/wine leaves Deer head. Attention: Mostly attached to the back of the lower carvings with a rubber band (only hunting scenes) Antlers (only hunting scenes) Pendulum Weights (clocks with music have 3, clocks without music have 2 weights)

If a part is missing or broken please contact your shop or contact person where you bought it. Sometimes the wooden pieces are broken – so there is always a chance to fix the broken part just by sending you a new one.

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4. Prepare the clock - Open back lid

Put paper or a cloth on a table to make the surface soft. Lay the clock down with the face downwards and turn aside the locking tab on the back wall. Push up the small bolt that sets free the back lid. Take a screwdriver or a nail and put it in the small square hole on the top end of the lid (next to the bolt) and pull open the lid. Do not put a screwdriver or like things in any other hole of the back wall. You may damage the clockwork, the chimes or wires.

Pull out the paper that you find wrapped around the chimes on the inner side of the back lid. Then put the back lid to the side.

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5. Let the music play - Pull out bellow clamps

Remove - depending on the model - one or two clamps by pulling them out from the bellows. Please be very careful that no wires of the clock will be bent or damaged. You will have 2 clamps with every models despite “8 MT” (8-day cuckoo clocks with music - you only have 1 large clamp). Close the back lid and move down the small bolt. Keep the clamps, chimes´ paper, and the cardboard box in a safe place for possible transportation in the future.

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6. Mount the clock - Put screw in the wall

The moment is here. Now you have to decide where you want to put your new clock. Mark the place where you want to put the clock with a pencil at a height of at least 6 ft from the floor. Put a large screw in an upward angle into the wall at the mark and let it stick out of the wall for about an inch. If you have other than wooden walls you had better use a drill and a rawl plug or dowel to fix the screw. Attention: Do not use nails as they might not be strong enough to hold the clock when you wind it. Put the clock on the wall by placing the end of the screw in the top round hole on the back of the clock. Take care to hang up the clock straight.

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7. Completing the clock – Attach missing parts

The clock is attached to the wall. Now the remaining steps can be done to complete the clock. Open the packet underneath the clock containing the chains and pull out the wire. Possible knots in the chains should be undone very cautiously. Please notice that henceforth the clock must not be put down or turned upside down - otherwise the chains will slip off from the chain- wheels.

In case one chain has slid from the chain-wheel please take your clock to a reliable clock shop, or pay attention to the following remarks: The chain can be replaced again by fully winding up the other weights and hooking them off; hereafter the clock must be turned upside down and the chain has to be balanced upon the chain-wheel; it is advisable to remove the back panel in order to observe the replacing of the chain on the chain-wheel through the chain holes in the clock case.

Turn the wire which locks the cuckoo door to the side. In the case of Music-Cuckoo-Clocks, two wires (= two doors) must be turned to clear the doors. Take the deer head and screw it to the top carved piece from the back side. Than take the antlers and stick them onto the deer head. This is only necessary for clocks with hunting scenes. Take the top carved piece and make the two screws on its back side slide in the screw holders on the front edge of the roof. If the top carved piece does not sit tightly in the holders, take it off and slightly tighten the screws on the back side and then repeat the aforementioned.

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8. Start the clock - adjust the pendulum

The clock must be placed in a correct vertical position so that the pendulum can swing freely. Hang the pendulum in the wire loop in the middle of the case bottom. Than hang the weights on the chain-hooks. Now your clock is ready for operation.

For setting the correct time turn the minute-hand (longer hand) around to the left. NEVER move the hour-hand (small hand). If you turn the minute-hand around to the right, always wait for the end of the cuckoo-striking on the half and full hour. In the case of a music-clock, always wait for the end of the music.

For starting the clock gently push the pendulum to one side. The clock hangs in the correct position when the "tick-tock" of the pendulum is even. Listen for the even "tick-tock" sound, and adjust clock to the right or left as necessary. Depending on the model the clock must be wound up each 24 hours or each 8 days by pulling the ring on the end of the chain downwards thereby raising the weight up to the clock.

The accurate time of the clock can be regulated by the pendulum. If the clock runs too fast, take off the pendulum and slightly move down the leaf/shield. Hang back in the pendulum and try the clock. If it still runs too fast, repeat the aforementioned. If the clock runs too slowly, take off the pendulum and slightly move up the leaf/shield. Hang in the pendulum and try the clock. If it still runs too slowly, repeat the adjustment. Several models are available with the possibility of turning off the striking mechanism - this is indicated by a stick-on label.

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9. Wind up the clock – Switch the Night-Shut-Off Device

In generally you do not need to let the weights go down all the way. You can wind it whenever you like. But normally you wind 1-Day cuckoo clocks by just pulling the chains at the end where there is the ring until the hooks with the weights on are all the way up to the bottom panel of the clock. You wind 8-Day cuckoo clocks basically in the same way. You might just want to lift the weight with one hand while you pull the chain with the other.

Most clocks have a handle to keep the clock silent. The handle is either at the bottom of the clock or at its left side when hanging on the wall. To silence the clock you have to push the handle up/in. To listen to the sound again you have to pull the handle or push it down. Do not move the silencing handle while the cuckoo calls or the music plays.

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Now your clock should be operating perfectly. As we mentioned above – in case it´s not working – please check our “troubleshooting points” under the “Help Yourself” button on this website or contact the customes´ service or HelpDesk of the company where you bought your clock.