That is the within line on easy methods to transfer a grandfather clock with plenty of good clear recommendation and a step primarily based tutorial strategy. I do that sometimes to……maintain clocks going and maintain individuals concerned with their clocks. Transferring your personal grandfather clock will get you into the clock a bit extra. You will notice a few of the way it works and it would even result in you trying a few of your personal service jobs – a bit like proudly owning a basic automobile. This text tells you easy methods to transfer your clock safely and professionally. Thanks for visiting my web site and taking and curiosity.
In the event you clock is price an incredible deal you must most likely get any person like me to maneuver it. Its an odd factor to open with when it comes to a DIY tutorial however the course of does have some threat, which whereas I inform you precisely easy methods to keep away from, continues to be current.
In case your clock is a mid-range two weight affair (and really good too!) then you may transfer it your self as a result of it comes aside simply and pretty strong. Its the costlier clocks that are likely to have the extra fragile key elements. Grandfather clocks are nearly modular in design and custom of manufacture has meant this modularity is constant via grandfather clocks manufcaturing historical past. That is partialy as a result of all of the elements have been manufactured by guilds specilising in every space. Circumstances have been produced and bought to clock motion makers who in flip have been shopping for face plates and dials from engravers and sheet metallic producers. This even applies to the face elements like spandrels and fingers, however dont fear, you wont be eradicating these. In reality there are solely 5 components to the breakdown for transport. Head, case, motion and face meeting, weights and pendulum (and key!)
So this can be a step-by-step information on shifting a 1700 – 1860 clock. Broadly talking they share an identical total building.
Earlier than you do something to the clock document the angle of the clock on two horizonal axis. You’ll have to set the clock up at precisely the identical lean and yaw as it’s at the moment set to or it wont work whenever you put it in place on the new location.
So, you have to measure the lean and yaw from the hood of the clock .The hood is the field head of the clock with the glass door. It slides off as a separate meeting, however we’ll come to that, firstly you have to measure. To do that get two small spirit ranges and a whiteboard marker. Put one on the aspect ledge of the clock hood and the opposite on the entrance ledge. Mark the sides of the spirit degree bubbles and mark every degree with its identification / aspect / entrance.
Take away the hood. What you’re coping with is a field with an open backside, again and naturally a glass door. It slides ahead so simply come up with all sides with the flat of your hand and pull it ahead. If the clock has not been taken aside for just a few years you may have to frivolously jiggle it. You will notice some motion on the sides and you may than work that right into a slide with a little bit of perseverance. However cease…..
Earlier than you do that safe the glass door catch as a result of the clock head will seemingly lean ahead within the final phases of sliding free. At this level the door, if not locked, will open and hit you straight within the face. The upper the clock the more serious that is. I used to be engaged on a 1900 8 bell that was 7.5ft excessive the opposite day and if that had opened I might have been sporting the entire head door like a jagged glass necklace. So price mentioning.
Okay so the hood is off. Now you take away the pendulum. Look behind the motion and see whats happening.
What you will notice is the pendulum rod change into a leaf suspension spring in its prime 6″. On the prime of this leaf spring, if you happen to look rigorously, you will notice that the leaf spring is sitting suspended from a slit reduce right into a assist. It isn’t slipping via as a result of there’s a brass stopper on the finish of the leaf spring so the entire pendulum is hanging from this brass stopper.
The following factor you’ll discover on the backside of the leaf spring is that there’s a canine leg formed wire protruding from the motion which seems to cross the leaf spring. That is normally on the junction between the pendulum rod and the brass block that joins the rod to the leaf spring. That canine leg is a lever that strikes backwards and forwards with the pedulum as a result of it has a fork or loop in it that surrounds the brass block. You cant see this loop / fork arangement simply type a aspect view so it’s a must to know what your in search of beforehand if its the primary time youve had the top off. Relaxation assured what you’re looking at is a leaf spring operating via a fork or loop connected to a canine leg lever that leads into the clock motion.
To take away the pendulum you have to attain contained in the clock and get a grip on the pendulum rod as far up as is snug. It should be snug as a result of you might have to assist the pendulum for a couple of minutes and a difficult job is badly effected by discomfort. If this bit goes improper it begins to value cash. Dont unscrew the pendulum weight off to make issues simpler. It must be precisely the place it’s for the clock to maintain the identical degree of accuracy because it at the moment does. In the event you change the pendulum weight even just a few MM down the thread whenever you reassemble it the clock will acquire or unfastened time considerably and want regulation which is a time consuming week lengthy means of change, measure, change, measure and many others. to seek out the exact bob place that ends in good time. Grandfather clocks are designed and valued for his or her accuracy so messing up the timing on one is a cardinal sin! Actually to the proprietor.
You have to be wanting straight into the again of the clock so you may see the leaf spring, its brass block, and the crutch (canine leg wire), whereas on the similar time holding the pendulum rod as described.
Elevate the pendulum slowly. The stopper on the prime of the spring ought to elevate but when its sticky the spring will flex to account in your elevate. In the event you bend the spring to a lot its had it, so take it simple on the elevate and – 1cm ought to shift it. If it doesnt get your spare hand on the stopper and pull it up whereas SUPPORTING however NOT PUSHING UP the pendulum together with your different hand. In the event you push and pull on the similar time you may snap the crutch / fork be part of.
If, as I hope, the spring comes free with out occasion, then get your free hand on the stopper and push it again to launch the spring from it slit. As soon as thats freed from the slit then slowly decrease the rod, BUT….
That is the difficult bit. The crutch or loop around the block is a decent match and the blocks are sq.. If lifting the pendulum to detach the leaf spring from the slit has pushed the brass block proper up via the crutch then it may be actually trick to tug it again via as a result of the match might be very tight.
For this reason I advisable a cushty place which you must take a look at with a measure of how heavy the pendulum is earlier than you go for it. You cant hurry this bit or power it as a result of the crutch is and costly part to get fitted and the be part of on the canine leg is usually 100 years or extra outdated. The crutch will break simply below any sort of sturdy power. Its about as fragile as plastic to provide you an concept. If its a foul one then smooth plastic thats already perished is the norm – an accident ready to occur.
Im not saying your clumsy, the actual fact of the matter is that you may be supporting a kilo or two on a skinny rod in a stress place which inspires you to rush. In the event you unfastened your grip on the customarily skinny an clean pendulum rod and it drops, then the block will catch on the fork and the load of the pendulum accelerating downwards will break the crutch on the solder level.
You’ll both be nice or swearing lots or most likely each about midway via.
When you’ve performed the pendulum wind the weights proper up. Once I say proper up I imply till you are feeling the very first trace of additional resistance attributable to the weights locking on the prime. Go actually sluggish on the finish of the wind to seek out this candy spot.
Now take the weights off. Wrap each in a single towel and tape it. In the event you wrap them individually they roll and bang into issues until you pack them in packing in a field. In the event you bubble wrap and tape them they invariably break unfastened and you’ve got the identical downside. Towel.
In the event you search for into the clock you will notice the load wheels bunched up towards the supporting plank. Wrap just a few layers of packing tape loosely round them to take care of their place. You need to have the ability to simply reduce off the tape on the different finish in order that the wheels are sitting there with the cable of their grooves prepared for the weights. Don’t fear if the cable falls out of the grooves throughout transit an excessive amount of and higher frivolously tape them and have them come lose than struggle a tape ball in low mild close to simply reduce weight cable. In the event that they do fall out, since you wound them to the candy spot you may simply kind of clip the wheels again to the cable – its not onerous. In the event you overwind it nonetheless you’ll have no finish of bother so go mild on the preliminary wind up and try to wind the wheels so they’re simply frivolously clamped towards the board by the wound in cable.
Your now able to take away the motion meeting. The face is connected to the motion by three pins. That in flip is connected to the picket base plate by way of two bolts. In the event you search for into the clock you will notice these. The face, the motion, and the board are subsequently a discreet unit for transport. It is possible for you to to elevate it off as such. Dont do that till you might have learn the remainder of this text by the best way – assured fail if you happen to do.
In the event you cant elevate it off then its screwed or nailed on the place the board meets the aspect assist it sits on. For some cause there are usually 4 screws or nails, I suppose as a result of this creates the most effective flat and even connection between parallel helps with out threat of distortion. Anyway, take away the screws or within the case of nails lever the board up with a chisel so the nails detach. Don’t use a hammer fork or nail remover from the highest of the board. A 2″ chisel used judiciously is the trail of least destruction. Anticipate some harm right here and if you happen to’ve acquired a brass face 1700 london clock in walnut cellphone Pickfords or me at this level. Transfer the entire clock moderately than harm a uncommon and good one. Situation is all the things on the prime of the market.
The motion meeting is the the riskiest half to move. Take note of the again and the entrance specifically. Whereas it appears like the edges are weak with the uncovered cogs, its truly the fingers face and the delicate crutch on the again which might be going to get you if something does.
The motion meeting is unstable by nature. Its simply the improper form and can fall ahead or backwards if you happen to put it down on a flat floor or lean it up towards a wall – it has a misleading centre of gravity. Even when yours appears to be nice at about 25 degress off vertical I assure you it’ll topple simply backwards and that invariably snaps the crutch at its weak level. It will occur if you happen to belief your luck whenever you want at third hand. Its one of many causes l come effectively ready or with my son if we have to acquire, ship or set up an entire clock
The best threat interval of this complete job is from the second you elevate the motion meeting to the purpose the place it’s positioned in ready packaging. In the event you digress from the direct switch from clock to packaging all of it goes pear formed shortly. You’ll place or relaxation the motion for a second whereas making remaining changes to the packaging and it’ll fall over assured and bend the fingers or break the crutch. In case your actually unfortunate you’ll scratch the face which on a brass confronted clock isn’t one thing you may actually come again from. Ive scratched a white face on one and solely event. The restoration was 30 hours as a result of its like filling in an oil portray versus portray a floor with outlined strains because of the variance in ageing coloration. I believe I’ve most likely made my level – get it off the case and within the field straight.
“The field” must be large and filled with polystyrene worms prepared to put the clock head in upright as if it have been mounted on the clock.
DONT use bubble wrap or towelling or something fibrous or snaggy to encompass the clock in its field. It’s because the fingers on these clocks are just about like fishing hooks and can adhere to any of the aforementioned. Earlier than you realize it youve bent or snapped a hand off whereas eradicating the packaging. Its a extremely widespread mistake to make. Equally the crutch on the again is completely designed to snag on packaging and actualy strikes round as effectively so its nearly prepared itself to snag up on one thing.
Essentially, its definitely worth the problem of getting the best packaging supplies for this bit and whereas it should imply pulling poly worms out of the motion on the different finish its higher than a key part break. Don’t use beads – it must be worms. Beads, the small ones, will get within the clock and you may be spending a while finding and eradicating those that match completely wedged between overlapping cogs and are a swine to get out. I do know as a result of some individuals use them when then ship clocks to me for restore. Someone did it with a cuckoo clock as soon as which I shall not overlook.
By way of the pendulum, make a two piece cardboard sleeve from cardboard and tape it across the leaf spring. Now heavy tape it contained in the case. Its simple to do if you happen to lay the clock on its again. If the clocks solely happening the street then simply take it alongside but when its a part of an enormous transfer the place its going to be saved previous to set up the pendulum tends to be the issue half to go lacking. Weights might be changed however pendulums are weighted to particular person clock to a level though many are about the identical. Theres no reference materials out there publicly that may inform you the load vary of yours and Id decline sourcing one if requested as it could be a matter of making an attempt just a few fairly frankly – over to you!. Some could be simpler than others however its not definitely worth the threat of shedding it.
So all the things is now good to go and might be transported in the identical method as, a tv – with care. You cant shock it however it may be dealt with in pedestrian style offering in fact you are taking due care with the top which has significantly fragile glass. If its unique lovely uneven glass with faults its a horrible disgrace to unfastened it so I might truly suggest boxing it up with bubble wrap like a vase.
The case is price wrapping in a sheet. The case is awkwardly weighted whenever you carry it, solo specifically so, and its simple to mis-judge it and catch the sting of a door body on the slide because the case tries to show in your grip with the uneven weight distribution. The uneven weight is generally entrance and backside heavy however solely by about 60%. You’ll seemingly have to rotate the clock to get in via any awkward house and the clock can simply spin and slip throughout rotation even with two individuals. So long as you retain a agency grip and are conscious of the place the vast majority of the load is at any given time, its okay.
Whenever you attain your vacation spot merely do issues in reverse order and the clock must be standing infront of you nearly able to go. Whenever you take a look at you clocks place towards your required spirit degree information it should nearly definitely tick inconsistently and cease after a short time. For this reason it wants levelling to its native gradient.
Along with the uneven, cantering tick the pendulum swing could effectively rub on the weights or the again of the clock if its tilted even barely backwards. Correction is subsequently invariably required even when its near degree and truly runs – it wont for lengthy. Nevertheless it may run badly and you may be tempted to depart it as that. This can be a dangerous concept as a result of what you dont need is a clock functioning however huffing and puffing alongside, if just for what it does when it comes to uneven put on long run. In the event you go away it like that you just may discover it should ONLY run like that after just a few years no matter adjusments you may make on crutch which is the one various adjustment. Basicly it knackers the clock over time and your giving it a loss of life sentence.You may ace it and it goes in precisely proper – 1 in 10 or so do completely however simply make sure it actually is true with a superbly even tick tock and a minimum of 5mm clearance from the pendulm front and back. In the event you dont give it a superb 5mm any shifting of the floor its on over time ultimately means the pendulum clashes with the weights. For example carpet compresses flat over years as an illustration, and never evenly due to the entrance weight distribution of the clock. It leans ahead over time which is an efficient cause to repair it to the wall in the direction of the highest of the clock. You should use glued wooden spacers and screws on common clocks – a few holes / rawplugs is completely acceptable and all clocks principally have already got them. Its truly a part of the character and reveals you, in some circumstances, that the clock has had many lives.
We took some spirit ranges measurements earlier that you just now use to appropriate the distinction. To do that is so simple as placing spacers below the corners of the clock to get the clock to the proper spirit degree settings. You have to spacers on a minimum of 3 corners to ensure that the clock to be steady. In the event you solely do two corners and the spirit ranges line up one can find that the clock rocks somewhat diagonally which isn’t any good long run even when it seem to sit down reliably perched on three corners. Simply be certain its solidly planted in addition to lined up with the degrees.
By way of what you utilize for the foot spacers, don’t use field cardboard regardless of the actual fact you’ll have lots about at this level. It compresses over time and the clock will go leaning tower of Pizza. This goes for any compressible materials like that e.g. carpet shards to match the ground are a very poor forming selection however amazingly fashionable for some cause in my expertise (I find yourself troubleshooting loads of botched effectively intentioned strikes).
Good supplies are wooden and paper however the most effective might be sport or enterprise playing cards or thick paper or some type. This may be divided up very precisely and reduce to form to allow them to be hidden away from view. It doesnt compress considerably which is what you’re in search of in no matter you choose as spacer materials and naturally its very simple to get the precise top you need. Variance is never greater than 5mm on any foot because the circumstances are produced effectively and match for goal, they function a superb 4 level join on a superbly flat floor. I anticipate it was a part of the artwork of manufacturing the circumstances.
When most older grandfather clocks (130 years) have been produced there have been guild managed methodology primarily based apprenticeships which appears to have standardised each the fundamental design of the circumstances and the important thing high quality factors. I anticipate some belongings you have been obliged to get proper on the required commonplace!. A degree base was I think about most likely one among these. Its definitely borne out within the clocks I’ve seen throughout all high quality ranges, however to be truthful there should not many non-guild dangerous ones about and also you may need a kind of so it is likely to be off…however its most likely bang on so 5mm is the place you have to be aiming for on a fairly even floor.
Be aware that there there are two legged variants that depend on tight wall fixing and have the benefit of typically recessing into skirting board because of the lack of again pediment. In the event you dont screw this sort on it should slip ahead on the backside very simply, scratch the wall, and break its glass because it grand slams on its again on the ground. Ive solely imagined it by the best way, thank goodness. However it’s what would occur for sure due to the highest heavy nature of the clocks.
General, to be truthful, this methodology of propping the clock degree is a bit bodge. The crutch angle on the again must be set as an alternative, BUT, if I inform you how to do this you’ll solely break it because it invloves bending it with measured power in the best location and understanding whats happening within the clock. This information is for everybody so its a one dimension match all!.
Oh – I nearly forgot – get the winder and tape it contained in the case with the pendulum.
So thats it. Carry on clocking and dont be afraid to provide this a go. Ive careworn the dangers so that you just get it proper, to not put you off. In the event you do what I’ve stated you may be greater than nice and some hundred quid richer on re-location charges. Good luck and you probably have any questions I can normally make time for a short reply on e-mail.
Some individuals are unable to, or don’t wish to personally transfer their clocks for good cause. In the event you would choose me to deal with shifting your Grandfather clock e-mail me an image and particulars of location, vacation spot, time frames and Unwell get again to you with an estimate.
