Building/Making Your Own Grandfather Clock – Grandfather clock kits

 

Timeless and elegant, classic and stately—grandfather clocks are all of those things. They are also rather expensive, with heirloom-quality grandfather clocks costing upwards of £10,000, making them inaccessible to much of the population. However, with just a little bit of money and a lot of do-it-yourself spirit, anyone can own a grandfather clock.

 

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These kits generally contain all of the components you need to build a grandfather clock, including wood, hardware, and detailed instructions. The components are pre-cut, pre-drilled, pre-sanded and some components are already fully assembled. All the customer has to do is stain and assemble the pieces. The construction of many of the kits requires no special tools and no specific woodworking knowledge. (Check individual kits for specific tool and skills requirements). Pendulums, clock faces, and movement pieces need to be purchased separately. Some companies also offer a complete package, which includes the basic kit, plus the movement, dial, pendulum, and beveled glass.

 

 

Kits are available in different skill levels. Novices can purchase kits with much of the difficult work already done. Those with more time to commit to the project and more advanced woodworking abilities can simply purchase the hardware, movements, dials, and pendulums, and construct their own cases. More hardcore woodworking enthusiasts can make the entire clock from scratch, and simply purchase grandfather clock design plans.

 

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Grandfather Clocks Info provides detailed information on antique, contemporary, discount, English, and German grandfather clocks, as well as kits and repair information. Grandfather Clocks Info is the sister site of Cuckoo Clocks Web.

 

 

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Woodworkers, hobbyists and clock enthusiasts have often looked to grandfather clock kits in order to build their own clocks. The popularity of grandfather clocks has never been greater. Interchangeably referred to as tall case, long case or floor clocks, the venerable grandfather clock has been widely produced since the seventeenth century. Variations of the classic grandfather clock include the grandmother clock and the granddaughter clock. Grandmother and granddaughter clocks are generally shorter than the average grandfather clock and feature smaller dial faces.

 

Through the years, craftspeople have turned these timepieces into works of aesthetic and musical art. Vintage and antique grandfather clocks have become family heirlooms, passed down for generation to generation. Antique and vintage floor clocks from such famous makers as the Willards, Levi Hutchins and Samuel Mulliken have piqued the interest of collectors from all over the world.

 

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For a number of years, skilled woodworkers have been able replicate popular designs from scratch. The market for grandfather clock kits was, for many years, geared towards hobbyists and collectors who had a good bit of skill at fine woodworking. Thankfully, the market for clock kits has advanced once again.

 

Designed for hobbyists and clock enthusiasts with average woodworking skill, grandfather clock kits are now available that make the process of creating a master work much easier. Manufacturers of clock kits have designed their products in a way that has taken some of the guesswork out of the process. Without the need for specialized woodworking tools, most kits include most everything you need to build a complete working clock.

Selecting a floor clock kit starts with the case. There is endless variety of styles from which to choose, from the traditional, to designs that are more contemporary. Cases are available in a selection of fine hardwoods such as cherry, oak, walnut and ash. Many of these case kits have been cut and milled to fit together properly. To make assembling the case even easier, some of the more complex components such as a door come preassembled. Holes for hardware such as locks and latches are often predrilled.

 

Not all wood kits come complete with items such as cabinet glass. Many manufacturers may offer a selection of glass panels, from flat to beveled, as options. Other case options include differing styles of hardware such as locks, latches and hinges. The all important dial face may come in various styles including moon phase dial plates, shaker styles and the smaller diameter dials that are characteristic of grandmother and granddaughter clocks. Moon phase dials are integrated with the clocks movement to calculate automatically the phases of the moon.

 

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The heart of any clock is the movement. The movements are usually sold separately from the case kit and are available in various configurations. As a rule, the more simple the movement, the less expensive it is. The movement can easily cost as much or more than the case kit. Some movements may feature more than one chime tone. Others may have a mechanism that automatically mutes the chimes during nighttime hours. There are many other types of options available when purchasing a clock kit including different styles of pendulums and counter weights.

 

It is important to understand that building your own grandfather clock is not an easy business. A great deal of time and patience is needed to do the job correctly. Building something as large as a grandfather clock is not a kitchen table project. The process of finishing the wood case may involve using volatile adhesives, stains and varnishes. The importance of having a dedicated work area that is clean and well organized cannot be understated.

 

If you enjoy a challenge, consider building your own grandfather clock from a kit. The work will tedious but the feeling of accomplishment can last a lifetime.

 

 

About the Author: Michael O'Brien is the staff writer for the quality online store FineWebStores.com. Shop for Grandfather Clocks at unique wall clocks for your home or office. Please visit FineWebStores.com today.