HOW TO MOVE A GRANDFATHER CLOCK

How To Move A Grandfather Clock

1. Understanding Protective Materials
2. Delicately Moving the Clock 
3. Gently Remove the Glass First
4. Label Everything 
5. Padding is Essential
6. Check Your Grandfather Clock

1. Understanding Protective Materials

2. Delicately Moving the Clock

Moving grandfather clock is something that mustbe handledwith extreme care. The grandfather clock has a lot of fragile and delicate components. As a result, moving clock like this one of the more difficult things to move. Before touching the grandfather clock, remember that bare hands might cause damage. The oils that arenaturallypresent on the skin will tarnish the brass and glass pieces of the clock. Always wear gloves made of cotton when touching the internals of the clock. 

3. Gently Remove Glass First

Remove glass shelves and pack them first. Pack each glass component by itself. Even if they seem sturdy, they could chip or crack during transport. Wrap glass items in thick packing materials. Mark the wrapped items as ‘fragile’. Cover fragile items with protective wrapping before placing them in the box. Wrap cardboard and bubble wrap between the hammers and bells. Install the foam blocks or cardboard above the pulleys between the clock cable.

4. Label Everything

This puts tension on the cables, keeping them out of the way. Remove the pendulum and weight with care. Take extra caution here. Be careful not to damage the spring or movement kit. Avoid leaving the weights inside of the clock, as they can move around and break the glass. Label each weight as left, center, or right. Do this immediately to avoid confusion later on.

5. Padding is Essential

Make sure there is enough padding between the chains and cables. If the cable weight is heavy, removing it may be a good option. This will prevent internal damage when you move the clock. If they are not removed, they could become tangled during transport.

Cable and chain driven mechanisms are especially important to keep safe. Secure loose panels with tape to prevent them from swinging open during transport. Pack the pendulum along with the rest of the parts in the original box. Some clocks have removable hoods that you can remove to prevent damage. With your moving clock, do not remove protective coverings throughout its movement.

6. Check Your Grandfather Clock 

To check if your grandfather clock is working well after your move, you may set it up and hear how it chimes. If it sounds as good as before, you know either you or your movers did a great job transporting it. Remember that a grandfather clock may not operateproperlyunless you place it on a flat surface. Before winding the clock, ensure that you've removed all protective padding. Also be sure that every component isproperlyattached. This will secure the chains, pulleys, or tensioners that ensure proper operation. 

Do not pack the weights together and do not place them inside of the clock’s case to avoid damage.