Expert: Martin Meyer - 9/27/2007

Question
Is there some less frustrating way to level a grandmother floor clock? The clock has levelers on each corner of the base....but I'm ready to send the thing out the window right now...I seem to get the front level...but the chains hang crocked. I transported the clock and we tied the chains together with baggie ties to keep the chains on the sprockets. I have those still attached and haven't put the weights on yet as I'll probably damage the case in trying to get the leveling right. Any tips you could provide would be appreciated. Thanks.

Answer
Hi Jan,
    Leveling the clock before you put the weights and pendulum on is the best way to do it. Leave the chains tied up.
    First, do this with two people. Make sure that the leveling feet start out mostly screwed in, so you have plenty of space to raise them, and all screwed in same amount. Have the clock placed exactly where you want it to stay.
    Place a small 6" level (called a torpedo level) on a flat surface of the front base of clock, so you can look at it while you're kneeling down to turn the leveling feet.
    Now, remember that the feet are underneath the clock, so to raise them, you will be turning them clockwise from your perspective (in other words, they're upside down as you look at them). Check the level and see which side needs to go up. Have your assistant tilt the clock off the floor on the side that you're going to adjust and turn both the front and back feet levelers out on that side the same number of turns. Set the clock back down and check the level. Do repeated adjustments until the clock is level side-to-side.
    Now set the level on a flat surface of the base of the clock on either side. Have your assistant tilt the clock forward so that you can adjust the back feet, or backwards to adjust the front feet, whichever is needed. Adjust the two back or front feet, again the same amount on each foot, until the clock is level front-to-back. Note that a slight backwards tilt is okay, as long as the pendulum doesn't tilt backwards enough to hit the chime rods when it's on the clock.
    The clock should now be level. Undo the chains and attach the weights and pendulum. I'm not sure what you mean by "the chains hang crooked." The chains will all hang parallel to each other simply due to gravity. But remember that the chains are not all equidistant from each other; some are closer than others.
    If the clock is level side-to-side the pendulum's swing will go approximately equally close to the sides of clock on both sides. If it is level front-to-back the pendulum will not hit the chime rods behind it, although the clearance may be close, and the clock will not look tilted when you look at it from the side, unless your wall is not perfectly vertical itself.
    As a side note, weight-driven clocks are top heavy when the weights up, and it is always a good idea to have a safety strap or cord fastened from the clock to the wall at its top. This will prevent the clock from falling over forward, especially if you have small and curious children in the home.