Grandfather clock weights, winding and care
Most grandfather clocks that stop are not broken. Here are the simple checks owners can do, and the jobs that belong to a clock repairer.
What the weights do
A grandfather clock with three weights uses each one for a separate job. Instructions for Hermle weight-driven clocks describe the center winder as the timekeeping, the right as the quarter-hour chime and the left as the hour strike. A clock with two weights has no chime, just time and strike.
Weights are usually different and must go back in the right place. If yours are labeled, follow the labels.
See also: more on owning and moving a grandfather clock on OnlineClock.app.
Unmarked weights: sources disagree
If the weights are not marked, advice varies. Frankenmuth Clock Company, writing about Howard Miller clocks, says the heaviest weight goes on the right, the lightest on the left and the middle one in the center. Premier Clocks says the heaviest is usually the timekeeping weight and belongs in the middle.
Clocks differ from model to model, so the safest course is to check the owner's manual or the maker's support site for your model, or ask a clock shop. A clockmaker writing at antiquevintageclock.com adds that a weight should only be judged after any mechanical repairs are done.
Winding and setting the time
An eight-day clock should be wound about once a week, on the same day, before it runs down. Frankenmuth recommends weekly winding and notes that irregular winding can upset the chime sequence. Wind gently so the weights do not jerk to a stop at the top.
To set the time, move the minute hand, not the hour hand, which moves on its own. If the clock strikes the wrong number of hours, the Hermle instructions say to move the hour hand by itself to the hour just struck. Let each chime finish before moving on.
Why it keeps stopping
The most common cause is that the clock is not level or not in beat. A pendulum clock is in beat when the tick and the tock sound evenly spaced; out of beat, it runs for a few minutes and stops. Frankenmuth also lists vibration, drafts, tangled chains or cables and hands touching each other or the dial.
To set the beat, the clockmaker behind antiquevintageclock.com suggests tilting the clock until the ticks sound even, noting which side is higher, then setting it upright and gently moving the crutch, the rod the pendulum hangs through, toward that side.
How often a grandfather clock needs oil
Clock oil slowly dries out and collects dust. Edina Clock reports that Howard Miller's advice has moved from oiling every year to every two years, while the shop's own rule is about every five years in a clean home, and sooner if there is dust from building work, woodworking or floor sanding.
Oiling and cleaning are jobs for a clock repairer, who knows where oil belongs and where it does harm. If a clock has gone many years without service, a full cleaning is usually needed rather than more oil.
See also: when it is time to call a clock repairer on OnlineClock.app.
Questions people ask
Which weight goes where on a grandfather clock?
Follow the labels if there are any. If not, sources disagree on unmarked weights, so check your clock's manual or ask a clock shop.
Why does my grandfather clock keep stopping?
Usually because it is not level or not in beat. Also check for touching hands, tangled chains and vibration.
How often should a grandfather clock be oiled?
Every few years. Advice reported from Howard Miller is every two years; one repair shop suggests about five years in a dust-free home.
Can I turn the hands backward?
Move only the minute hand. Instructions for Hermle movements allow turning it either way; let each chime finish as you go.
Keep exploring
Sources
- Instructions for weight-driven clocks, The Clock Depot
- Troubleshooting your Howard Miller clock, Frankenmuth Clock Company
- What to do if grandfather clock weights are not marked, Premier Clocks
- Beat setting: a super quick guide, antiquevintageclock.com
- How often should I oil my clock?, Edina Clock
- Modern grandfather clock weights, Abbey Clock
More clock guides
How to identify an antique clock and judge its value · Clock hands and numbers · Clock movements explained · Why clocks use IIII instead of IV · Tempus fugit: the motto on the clock · How to date a watch by its serial number · The Westminster chime · all guides