How To Set the Beat Of Your Mechanical Clock

The term ‘Setting the beat’ is a common one in the world of clocks. What does it mean though? And how do you get your clock ‘in beat’? In this video, we will discuss these questions and more to give you the knowledge you need to make sure your clock is keeping time. 

When should you set the beat? This process needs to be done if you purchase a new clock, if your clock has been moved or left sitting at an angle, or if the clock has recently gotten serious repairs.

Setting the beat is the act of adjusting the anchor to make sure the escape wheel is hitting the sides of the anchor at an even interval. If this interval is irregular, it will inhibit your clock’s ability to keep proper time. In some cases, a poorly adjusted beat could even stop your clock entirely.

Does this apply to all clocks? Actually, no. If the pendulum on your clock has the space to overswing, the beat will set itself. Deadbeat Escapement clocks are the ones that primarily need extra attention. The design simply doesn’t allow for that overswing responsible for a self-setting beat. If you aren’t sure what type of clock you have, take a look at the escape wheel. If the teeth are long and sharp, that’s a deadbeat movement.

To set the beat on a Deadbeat clock, you will need to push the leader all the way to the right, and then slowly inch it back to the center. You will feel a bit of play in the leader at first. Continue pushing it to the right. Once you feel resistance, that’s when you are changing the angle of the anchor rest. When you get the leader to tick rapidly, the clock is in beat. It’s important to note that if your clock is not level, this will not work. A tilt in any direction will cause the pendulum to swing poorly and your clock will fall out of beat again. Double check to make sure your clock is level. This applies to wall clocks and floor clocks.