Many of us remember having one. Many of us older than 30 that is :) Some of us still have one. Grandfather clocks have been unique (and quite valuable) additions to many homes for many years and they hold two things: Sentimental value. -and- Monetary value. As we go along through life, moving from home to home is imminent; but if you want to keep the grandfather clock in your home and care about not damaging any of its components, you’ll want to read this blog, bookmark it and/or print it for your records. For daily moving tips, organizing ideas, DIYs and home décor inspiration, click here and LIKE our Facebook page. And remember... US Storage Centers is here for all your self-storage solutions. Find a location near you. First things first, you need to check and see if the clock is anchored to the wall. If it is, then unscrew the brackets first, to detach it from the wall. Now you have to remember that grandfather clocks, in addition to being very delicate, are extremely heavy. So the most important tip is to never move a grandfather clock, with the weights and pendulum attached. Why? For two reasons: Moving it with the pieces we mentioned attached, can damage the clock’s movement kit or cause the pendulum to break. In addition to that, the moving weights can break or damage the glass and case. So in a nutshell, let’s not do that and move along to tip #2. 2. The first thing you need to do after making sure that the clock is not mounted to the wall, is to remove the pendulum. If it’s made of brass, use a soft cloth or cotton gloves to remove it. To do so, hold it from the middle and slowly move it up till it un-hooks. When removing it, be careful not to damage the pendulum’s suspension spring. Once removed, wrap it in a soft cloth padding for protection and place it in its original box (preferably). 3. Now it’s time to detach and remove the weights. To avoid any confusion when reassembling the clock, consider labeling the weights. A simple example would be to label “R” for the right weight and “C” for the center one. This is especially important when weights don’t carry the same amount, so mixing them can cause performance issues, which in turn will lead to damage to the mechanical movements. When packing, pack them separately and never place them inside the clock’s case as they can damage it as well as the inside of the clock during the move. 4. If your clock has chains, be sure to secure them by tying them all together and wrapping them in a newspaper. Tying them together will help keep them from getting tangled during the move. 5. If your clock has removable glass shelves, we strongly recommended removing them prior to moving the clock. Shelves can very easily shift during the move, break and/or damage the clock. 6. We always recommend padding the clock using bubble wrap and placing it in a wooden crate or a rigid container. We’ve found that to be the best way to minimize any risks of damage during transit. BONUS TIP: While inside the moving van, we recommend placing a mattress in between the clock and the truck’s wall. As a rule, try to pad the clock as much as you can, to prevent any potential shifting during the drive and/or scratching and damage. Now here are a couple of bonus tips for reassembling your clock: 1. Start by making sure that the clock is positioned on a stable floor surface, to avoid any rocking movements (I.e. carpet). 2. Re-attach the pendulum. 3. Reference the labels and attach the weights. 4. Start the pendulum swing, and listen to the tick-tock sound. 5. Set the clock to the correct time. For more, CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY. Time after time, US Storage Centers
