Two Hundred years ago in the early 1800s some American clock makers were crafting shelf and mantel clocks with movements made entirely from hardwoods. Gear wheels were carefully shaped from cherry or other hardwoods and assembled with great care so as to ensure smooth running. Many wooden works clocks have survived for two centuries and are now costly antiques. They command prices in the thousands of dollars when they are available. Many collectors who would like to have such a clock can’t afford the high price tag naturally. However modern reproductions of these fine old clocks are available usually as kits or plans.
Even earlier in the 1700s, tall case grandfather clocks with wooden works were being made by many clockmakers. The tall case left room for the weights which drive the clock to fall further so that the clock would run longer before needing to have the weights raised to the top again.
Building a wooden gear clock takes time and care in the workmanship but it is not really difficult to produce a good working clock. The average home crafter with some wood working skills can do it with simple hand tools just as the early clock makers did. The clock will be a family heirloom which will be passed proudly down through the generations.
The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has on display a rare and beautiful wooden gear shelf clock which was made in the early 1800s. After two centuries this fine clock is still in running order. It has been carefully measured and detailed drawings made. These plans with complete building instructions are available for purchase. They show complete details of all the working parts and how they fit together. The case of the clock is also presented in detailed drawings showing every part as it is in the original antique clock.
Building wooden gear clocks is a great hobby for the craftsman, and anyone can be a craftsman; it only takes careful work. This is not the type of project which can be completed in a few evenings. Rather it is a project for the person who takes great pride in the quality of their work and will spend whatever time is necessary to do a perfect job. The individual parts of such a clock are of very simple design and quite easy to make. To run smoothly each part must be finished properly so that the clock will keep good time.
To summarize, building a wooden gear clock is perfectly within the ability of almost anyone. It is hard to tell a well made copy of an antique clock from a genuine antique at a quick look. Close inspection by an expert will, of course, show the new wood and materials used to build it establishing its origin beyond doubt. But for the craftsman who made it and for all who see and admire it the clock is a thing of beauty which will tick tock proudly in the home for a lifetime and probably many years after that while keeping good time.
Some time or other you will have to move your long case clock whether it’s in the process of moving house or just time to clean behind the case and move it for decorating. A lot of damage can be done by just picking the clock up and moving it in one piece without taking a number of precautions So whether you are moving your grandfather clock ten foot or ten mile Always
1. Wind up the clock so the weights are as close to the seat board as you can get them, but remember you need to be able to put the weights back onto the pulley hooks when reassembling, so leave yourself some room to hold the pulleys with one hand while holding the weight with the other. A good guide line is to wind the pulleys up to just above the trunk door top.
2. Take of the hood to expose the movement and dial and place masking tape or the like over the gut line that is around the strike and going barrels, this will stop the gut line from springing out and getting tangled when you take off the weights and will keep everything in place when you lift the movement and dial from the case.
3. Take off the weights and it’s a good idea to mark them by sticking a piece of masking tape on to each one and writing on them L (Left) and R (Right) or one, two and three in the case of a modern clock with a chiming movement that has three weights, this will ensure the weights go back in the right place, as you will see when you lift them there is a difference in weight.
4. Now take the pendulum off the movement, being very careful not to damage the thin suspension spring (thin piece of spring steel) at the top of the pendulum which is threaded through the crutch at the back of the movement.
5. You can now lift the movement and dial from the case and away from the trunk cheeks by lifting the whole thing up with the seat board and placing it in its packing case. It is best to pack the movement and dial stood upright in the box making sure the bottom of the dial is not crushing the gut lines. This will also keep the front of the dial and clock hands safe, plus the added bonus of keeping the crutch at the back of the movement from possible damage or bending.
6. Your clock is now ready to be moved safely to its new location. To reassemble just reverse the dismantling procedure put the clock into beat and you are up and running.
7. If transporting the clock in your own vehicle be sure the clock case is secure and will not slide, preventing any damage to the veneers or mouldings. We have found it is wise to protect the suspension spring on the end of the pendulum by taping it to a piece of thick card to prevent it form being damaged or bent, also make sure the weights are stowed really well as you don’t want 12lb weights rolling around the boot or foot well of your car.
If using a professional moving company it is always best to dismantle and pack your grandfather clock ready for the removal men to transport. As most are very well experienced in moving furniture very few understand the workings of a clock and attempts to move longcase clocks without using these precautions will inevitably cause damage that is not detected until long after the move has been taken, and by that time they have long gone often leaving the owner with a very large repair bill.
Collecting antique German cuckoo clocks is actually not just fun to do; it is also an educational hobby. For one thing, starting this collection distinguishes you from other antique clock collectors. This is because most collectors do not really go out and buy more than one antique German cuckoo clock for their collection.
Yes, antique clocks can indeed be pricey. In fact, they can be more expensive than contemporary clocks. But they are very rewarding to have because of their designs and styles that just set them apart from your usual cuckoo clock. Its wooden art designs carved by hand is more than reason enough to consider starting your own collection.
German cuckoo clocks have a long history to them as well, having been manufactured for nearly three centuries already. The fact that they were produced in the cold mountain villages of Germany also contributes to this rich history. Back in the days, villagers spent the winter months away from mining the mountains or plowing their fields because winter can be very harsh in the German mountains.
With all that time in their hands, they kept busy perfecting the craft of making cuckoo clocks. This became the focus of the people who lived in the Black Forest region during winter. As time passed by, the declining demand for farm products and the depletion of mining resources soon led to the people of this region having more and more free time. This gave them all the more opportunities to produce just about the best cuckoo clocks the world has ever seen.
German clocks are also as unique as any cuckoo clock can be. The whimsical sights, the endearing sounds, and the exceptional movements, these are just some of the factors that make the hobby of collecting them very well worth it. The rich culture of Germany is also incorporated in the designs of these clocks.
Aside from the usual cuckoo chirping at each hour, some clocks have dancing women or gun toting hunters decorating them. There are also clocks that release wood-choppers with axes, chopping wood as the clock chimes at the top of the hour. With each design, you are actually shown a part of the vibrant culture and history of Germany. A unique story is told every time these clocks come to life.
The more elaborate designs of these clocks include the chalet styles. Usually, the cuckoo clocks are designed in the shape of a Black Forest chalet. These clocks would have more animated figurines and various focal points as the top of the hour strikes down. Collecting antique German cuckoo clocks would not be complete without these chalet types.
Grandfather clocks. Amazing pieces of machinery. Very few people understand how they work and even fewer know how to fix one, should something go wrong. Bringing to a repair shop is going to cost you an arm and a leg, so if you have a grandfather clock that’s not exactly running up to snuff and you don’t have the bucks to fix it, then you might want to try to tackle the job by yourself. In order to do that, aside from needing some mechanical expertise, you’re going to need some troubleshooting tips, since these marvels can get pretty complicated. This article is going to cover some of the things to do when trying to fix the old man.
Let’s start with the most common problem of a grandfather clock. The pendulum itself stops swinging.
The first thing you have to do is make sure the clock weights have been pulled up. Sometimes all that needs to be done is simply wind the weights. This can really save an unnecessary repair.
Next check the hands. Are they touching each other? If they are this will stop the pendulum from swinging. If they are touching and the time train is jammed all you need to do is push the hour hand slightly towards the dial in order to clear the minute hand. Just make sure it doesn’t touch the dial.
Next, check to see if the hands are touching the glass. If they are, all you have to do is bend the minute hand away from the glass.
If by some chance you’ve recently moved your grandfather clock (they are very temperamental and don’t like to be moved), the pendulum may have stopped swinging because the case is now leaning at a different angle. To fix this you simply have to start the pendulum swinging and balance your clock. Don’t use a level. Continue testing until the swinging sounds more balanced. This requires a good ear and a lot of patience. Balancing the clock itself may require you to do one of several things.
First you may have to actually place something under the clock on either the left or right side to get the pendulum swinging just right. A bracket or shim will probably do the trick for this.
Second, you may have to actually tip the clock itself towards the wall so that it is slightly leaning. You have to be very careful when performing these tricky manoeuvres. You don’t want to tip the clock too far in either direction or back. The clock may fall too far off balance and spill to the floor. Trying to catch one of these falling monsters is not easy so care is needed.
In the next article in this series we’re going to continue with troubleshooting techniques to figure out just what is wrong with the old man, including running too fast or slow, weights not falling, chimes out of sequence and others. By the time we’re done your grandfather clock should be as good as old.