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Singing Bird In Cage clockwork/automata repair


Matthew

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Good (insert time here) everyone!

     I am relatively new to the world of clockwork repair and maintenence, but have done delicate metalwork, mechanism cleaning, and enjoy fixing things. Just recently, my sister brought home her boyfriends late great grandmothers singing bird in cage automata. For those of you who dont completely know or understand what it is, its basically a spring driven mechanism using bellows and a variable organ pipe to make bird sounds and move a little birdie around and "sing" (Example of singing bird mechanism working).

     His aunt wants it to be operational again, and after opening it up (not yet taking much apart) I have come to the conclusion that it could just use a good cleaning and oiling. But, my question is, what kind of oil should I use and how should I apply it? I don't have any fancy oils except for a bottle of valve oil for my trumpet at my current disposal, but I would like to buy some decent clockwork oil for this project and a sankyo music box repair I have waiting. 

 

     Note: come to find out while writing this, it was made by eschle reuge I'm Germany, probably around the 50's or 40's.

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I am sooo happy this post started! I have been hoping it would. I have a clockwork toy collection and right now need help with a 30s loop-the-loop toy with  a decreasing strength issue. I would have postd but last week my sister stepped on the two-guys-in-a-cart vehicle that travels the loops and I can't find one wheel. Will pay attention here instead.

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