German Tradition. Florida Soul.
Welcome to the Coastal Cuckoo family! Whether you are a Collector who just unboxed one of our fully assembled kinetic art pieces—like the architectural Pink Lifeguard Stand or the vibrant organic Mango Madness—or a Maker ready to dive into customizing your proprietary Core Kit, we are thrilled to have you here.
We’ve engineered our clocks to exist at the perfect intersection of digital precision (utilizing 3D printing and CAD mechanics) and human touch (hand-painted craftsmanship). The result is a vibrant, modern coastal vibe that is completely unique.
To ensure your clock runs beautifully for years to come, we have created this comprehensive master guide. Let's get your new kinetic art piece set up!
Part 1: The Basics of the Chassis
Before you hang up your beautiful new piece, we want to walk you through the structural basics. Check out our introductory video below for a visual guide featuring a custom Jamaica commission piece:
The Golden Rule:
Your Coastal Cuckoo features intricate craftsmanship. The most important rule of ownership? Never manually push or pull the cuckoo doors. The mechanical Core Kit is specifically engineered to open and close them automatically. Forcing the doors by hand can easily break the delicate mechanisms.
Power & Controls:
- Batteries: Our efficient chassis runs on two D batteries, which can effortlessly power your clock for up to a year. Reach into the back panel to install them, positive side facing up.
- Volume Toggle: Located on the side, this controls the overall volume. You can set it to Low (a softer sound), On (full volume), or Off (completely silent).
- The Light Sensor: We believe a modern clock should fit your lifestyle. Your clock features a highly sensitive light sensor. When the room goes dark, the cuckoo goes to sleep! (Tip: Don't place your clock in a kitchen where a stove light stays on all night!)
- The Pendulum: To attach the pendulum, simply take the pendulum hook and slip it into the square container at the bottom of the mechanism. It will immediately begin to swing.
Part 2: Setting the Time
When your clock arrives, the mechanical hands may be out of sync. Here is exactly how to set them, featuring our Spring Bloom and original Florida Gator designs:
How to Set the Hands:
- Attach the Hands: If your hands arrived detached, begin by gently pressing the smaller hour hand onto the center dial. It doesn't matter what position it faces yet. Then, gently press the longer minute hand on top of it.
- Find the Internal Hour: We need to find out what time the internal mechanism thinks it is. Gently rotate the minute hand clockwise until you hear the bird cuckoo.
- Reset to Twelve: Once it cuckoos, carefully remove both hands. Place both hands back onto the dial so they are pointing straight up to the 12:00 position.
- Set Your Local Time: Now, simply rotate the minute hand clockwise to match your current local time.
(Note: For designs without painted numbers, like the Florida Gator, we recommend waiting until exactly 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, or 9:00 to set the hands to ensure perfect alignment.)
Part 3: Synchronizing the Cuckoo Count
Sometimes, the number of times the bird chirps won't match the hour on the clock face (e.g., the clock says 2:00, but the bird chirps seven times). This is an easy fix! Watch the demonstration on our Jupiter Lighthouse clock here:
How to Fix the Count:
- Use the Adjust Button: On the side of your clock, you will find the single "Adjust" push button. Every time you press this button, it manually advances the internal count by one.
- Cycle Through: The clock's internal memory only counts up to 12. So, if the hands point to 2:00, but it just chirped seven times, you simply need to press the adjust button repeatedly. Cycle it up to 12, and then press it two more times to tell the mechanism it is 2:00.
- Test It: To verify, gently rotate the minute hand forward to the next hour. It should now chirp three times perfectly!
(Note: You will likely need to repeat this procedure anytime you change the D batteries!)
If you need any further technical assistance, please don't hesitate to contact us.