Grandfather clocks are often sentimental pieces in our homes. When it comes to moving them, you want to make sure it is done with great care to prevent long-term damage to the fragile antique. We would always recommend that you hire a removals team to help with this, but if you need to do it yourself, we’re here to help.
To move a grandfather clock,
- Label and remove the weights and pendulum.
- Remove the hood.
- Lift off the face.
- Wrap in protective materials and blankets.
- Carry on its side to the van.
1. Label and Remove Weights and Pendulum
You never want to move the grandfather clock with the weights or pendulum in (even a tiny bit!) as this can cause damage to the movement kit, so it is important you remove these first.
Grandfather clocks have two different weights so the mechanism can work. To begin, you need to use a couple of sticky notes to mark the weight’s left and right – this will help you to put the correct weights back on when it comes to reassembling the clock (and ensure the clock works again after you do so).
Once this is done, slowly take the weights off, being careful not to tangle the wire. To help prevent this, you can make sure the wire is not wound up to the top, but not right at the bottom either. Some movers also recommend that you secure the wires with either packing tape or a twist tie to prevent the chains from becoming tangled up while the weights are being removed.
As you remove the weights, wrap them in packing paper and bubble wrap for protection.
Repeat the same process for the pendulum; this should be a simple “unhook” from the pendulum guide.
2. Remove Hood
Take the hood off carefully next. Sometimes this will be fixed and screwed in place, however most times you can just slide this off.
To do this, you will need two people to use both hands to push and slide – if there isn’t enough weight on it, there is a risk it will fall.
3. Lift off The Face
This step is quite simple: lift off the face from its plinth, again making sure that the wires don’t get tangled.
4. Wrap in Protective Materials
Now your grandfather clock is disassembled, make sure that you wrap each piece in protective materials (paper and bubble wrap) and a blanket if you haven’t already done so.
It is important that you don’t take off the protective materials too fast on the other side as you can rip off the dials and other fragile parts. This is even more important if your clock has been kept in damp conditions because the moisture might cause the veneer to peel off with the protective materials.
5. Carry on Side to Van
Carry it on its side to the van – if you carry it upright, this can put pressure on the clock and cause it to crack.
When in the van, make sure nothing is put on top of the clock.
And you’re done! Remove and reassemble the grandfather clock on the other side with great care.
Hire a Removals Team
When in doubt, hire a removals team. At Falconers we use meticulous moving techniques, passed down and perfected through generations for over 132 years, to ensure your grandfather clock and other valuables are moved and kept in perfect condition.
If you are not sure that you can manage this without the help of experts, don’t! A professional and experienced removals team is more than worth it.
