music box is broke

[mimififi]

Hi, now those of you who know me, will know that I aint no scientist/engineer.

However, I have an old music box which was bought for me when I was a little girl when I lived in Hong Kong. However, I have noticed today, to the pantomine style surprise of my 8 year old son (with the hot feet) who claims that, how strange this is the first time ever in all his years of meddling with my stuff, that

it is running very slow and practically stops. I've looked at the mechanism, said some very convincing Hummmms and ahhhs, but obviously, music box mechanisms are largely closed units. The fan goes round, all the cogs appear to be interlocking fine with no worn teeth. It winds just about, there doesn't feel to be a loose spring, i can push the mechanism round, but it stops on it's own as if it is running out of 'wind'.

Can this be fixed, is it something I could do (I do have a GCSE in CDT, A grade, brag brag), or do I need a specialist little chappie in a small workshop full of tiny keys and small tools???? (next to the Keymaker's house?)

Any help, as always, is very much appreciated......

mimififiXX

[Clanad]

I don't know if this will actually help, but at least it makes for interesting reading...

http://www.alscher.ch/e/musicboxes/repair1.html

(You've been up a long time today!)

[mimififi]

Hi thanks for that Clanad, I'll look into it.

(story of my life, raving insomniac! Wake at 5.45am, bed about 1am.....such is the life of the wife of a long distance commuter!!!!!)

[derekpara]

Your stopping and starting is probably due to dust. I hesitate to recommend WD40 but try (a) blowing into the mechanism. (b) using a vacuum cleaner - with attachment - to extract the dust. You can buy an anti static cleaner and lubricant from good electronic store which might do the trick. Clockmakers clean clock mechanisms, which I guess are similar (?), by immersion in benzine (lighter fuel). This quickly evaporates but could damage delicate surroundings if you can't remove the works. If all this fails, go for the WD40 ! Good luck. (Retired CDT teacher !)

[mimififi]

cool! I shall try that too. Thanks Derek

(P.S CDT was my favourite subject....mr Boothby was very proud of me and my work on the metal work lathe!!!!!!) Not bad for a girlie)

[derekpara]

You're welcome, Mimi. I don't think they use lathes in schools any more - it's all electronics. And the Health and Safety police have moved in. Hope you have music for Christmas.