Long case clock transportation

Is it an old or valuable clock? This is an important question.

Carefully remove the hood. Take off the weights. Remove the pendulum. Ensure nothing is going to fall off. Plan how you are going to move the clock, including where you are going to hold it when doing so. Ascertain what is fragile and what can be handled. Transport upright.

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From an insurance point of view, it might be worth getting a specialist mover if it is valuable...

-- jc

Whatever you do, keep those weights well away from the clock. My father had a long case shipped out to us in NZ after my Great Uncle died. The shippers just left the weights loose in the case and they did some considerable damage to the wood and glass. It needed some restoration anyway, but not that much. In ours the mechanism was removable through the back once the weights were removed and the chains brought up. So I would recommend you remove it and pack separately as otherwise it might move inside the case of its own accord.

Since my father's death, I have inherited said clock and am facing the prospect of arranging its return to this country. It's currently at my sister's place. She says she has a shipper who knows how to do it properly this time.

Anyone got any ideas on how a late 18thC clock will react to a centrally heated house?

Peter

In almost all cases the movement is removable, first remove the hood, then unhook the weights and remove the pendulum, then simply lift off the movement (the seat board is not usually fixed in place). The case can then be simply transported as a piece of delicate furniture. Transport the movement in a protective box keeping it upright.

Take care on reassembly, levelling the case and movement, it may take some adjustment to the pensulum to get the tick even after moving.

Take sensibly precautions and they are not that delicate...they have lasted 200-300 years of mistreatment after all!

Ian

My grandfathers grandfather clock suffered considerable damage after it came here due to the CH... Don't know the answer but it mainly affected the wood finish, French polished I think..

Fully wind the clock before removing the weights, then remover the pendulum, box weights on there own, put movement in a box 3-4 inches too big and pack with screwed up newspaper.