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Grandfather Clock Weights Description
The Grandfather Clock Weights Description on this web page will cover what is meant by weights and their parts. Any part of the weight is available on its own, or the entire weight complete is offered. If a complete clock weight is needed, we would need to determine the appropriate weight needed for the clock. This requires getting the information off of the back plate of the brass movement itself. This information will not be on any of the paperwork or clock case. Once the movement number is obtained, it can be cross reference that with the weight chart. The other piece of information that you need is the diameter of your bob. The bob is the round disk at the bottom of the pendulum.
The weight chart
Before using the chart, it is needed to know who made the clock movement. This can be deceiving because the movement can have any name on it, but it may not be the true maker. For example, a Hermle unit may have the name Sligh, Ridgeway, Howard Miller and so on. The numbers on the movement is what will lead to getting the correct manufacturer of the movement not the names on the movement. These numbers will be stamped right on the back plate. The movement identification page can be used to find out who made it. Once the manufacturer is known and the starting numbers of the movement, the chart can be used to see the weight specifications.
Avoiding the weight chart
There is also another way to go about this task which may be easier. If the movement was made in Germany, post WW2, we can safely make the following assumptions. If the movement is square and chain driven, it will require [email protected] lbs and [email protected] lbs. These are available in either 47mm or 44mm diameters. If the pendulum bob is 8 1/2 inches or more, change that rule to [email protected] lbs and [email protected] in 47mm or 44mm. A movement that is rectangle in either chain or cable will use [email protected] and [email protected] LBS in 60mm diameter. This changes to [email protected] and [email protected] in 60mm diameter if the pendulum bob is 8 1/2 inches or wider. These specifications do not apply if your clock has 5 or 9 big tubes on the back. Also this rule is not for all clocks but the vast majority of the post WW2 German units.
Close enough is good enough
The weight specs are listed as 4.7 or 6.6, however this is really being too picky. If you get it close to those numbers that is fine. In fact if you order a 4.7 lb weight, it may come 5.3 or whatever, but that is just fine. There has to be some sort of reference for the factory to label the weights so it is what it is. Just know if your a pound over its fine. If its a little under, that is fine also. They do not have to be exact.
Often wrong from the start
In fact, there is a lot of clocks in the world sold new with the wrong Clock Weights on them from the start. Clockworks.com will do a repair and they will say the clock ran for 30 years straight and come to find out they had weights that were a pound or two too heavy. If the weights are a little too heavy it is fine. A lighter weight may or may not be fine because it may not trigger the movement to work as designed.
Grandfather Clock Weights Description - Conclusion
Weights are not cheap mainly because they are so heavy to keep, ship, store, move from here to there. Sure one weight set of three is less than 30 lbs but that adds up quickly in a stack of weights sets. With that said, we don't want to ship these back and forth. It is best to get the right weights the first time. To return these is not an inexpensive or easy task. For example, suppose we charge $30 to ship these. They are wrong for some reason it's now $40 to get it back and another $30 to reship. UPS charges a fee to send a call tag for them to come back. That is $110 to UPS for no reason. So if there are questions, please ask.
Grandfather Clock Weights Stuck
The weights can get stuck in the high position if over wound. Some larger clocks have over wind protection to prevent this. The grandmother and grandfather chain drive units often do not have this feature. When winding the weights up make sure you can always see the top of the weight. Never go to the point where you can’t see the top of the shiny weight covers.
Chime weight stuck
The chime weight is on the right as you face the clock and has the heaviest weight. Using cloth gloves, or at least a cloth of some kind, pull down on the weight some. This is the same as making the weight weigh more. At the same time, turn the minute hand past the quarter hour to see if it will engage the chime. When you advance the time and make it chime, the weight will slowly come down. This will hopefully be enough to activate and run the chime on its own.
Time weight stuck
The time weight is the center weight which can be a light or heavy depending on bob size. This is the hardest weight to deal with out of the three. Try pulling down some while swinging the pendulum to see if it will start running on its own when you let go. If this does not work, take off the pendulum. All you will have is the pendulum leader hanging on the back of the movement. This will make it tick tock faster than if the pendulum was on. As you pull down some on the weight, the leader will tick tock faster. The weight will then come down enough to run the clock. If all else fails, and it’s a chain driven clock, you would need to cut the chain in half, or break a link, to take the movement out of the clock. With the movement out of the clock you can restring the chain and fix the link that broke.
Strike weight stuck
The strike weight is on the left as you face the clock and has the lightest weight. Only after the chime weight is operating correctly can you work on the strike weight. This is because if the clock does not run through the chimes, it will never get to the point where it’s supposed to strike the hours out. With some cloth gloves on, or at least a cloth of some kind, pull down on the weight some. Again, this is the same as making the weight weigh more. Doing this will make the clock strike. You will have to advance the minute hand and let it chime each quarter until it plays the top of the hour song. Then it will be time for you to pull a little on the weight when it’s supposed to strike out the hours. If you keep advancing the time with the minute hand, as to make it chime and strike, then slowly the weight will come down enough to be able to activate and run the strike on its own.
If 8.5 pendulum bob or larger is used, the time weight should be the same as the chime weight instead. (Tubular Bell movements are an exception)
If 8.5 pendulum bob or larger is used, the time weight should be the same as the chime weight instead. (Tubular Bell movements are an exception)
If 8.5 pendulum bob or larger is used, the time weight should be the same as the chime weight instead. (Tubular Bell movements are an exception)
Polished Clock Weight Shell
Polished clock weight shell to replace a damaged or discolored one. No lead filler, just the new outer shell, the rod in the middle, the two caps and the hook on the top and the nut on the bottom. There is no reason to replace the entire weight when all that is needed is a new outer shell.
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