Hamilton Grandfather Clock

by Deb McHale
(McKinney TX)

I have a Hamilton Grandfather Clock that stopped running. It has 3 chains with weights. When I give the pendulum a push it will go for awhile but then stops. The chains (with the weights) have stopped moving. The weights seem to be stuck at the top. Is there anything I can do to try to correct the problem.


Also, when pulling the chains to reset the weights, is there a special order to follow. I have no instruction manual at all. Unfortunaley, when I called someone to come out to look over the clock they wanted a minimum of $500 (which I just don't have). This clock has a lot of sentimental meaning and I really don't want to give up on getting it running. It is at least 25 to 30 years old.

Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks

Deb McHale

Comments for Hamilton Grandfather Clock

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My clock doesn't chime hour well
by: Anonymous

I have a Hamington floor clock. It works and chimes. It has only one problem : it chimes hour at number 7. Does someone can tell me what to do?
My email: phamluna@yahoo.com

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Clock Not Striking Hours
by: barbara

My Hamilton grandfather clock is keeping good time and chiming at the right time with the correct number of chimes. However, it has stopped striking the hours. The left pendalum continues to move down with the right and center ones. When I pull the pendalums up I pull up all three and there is still the same amount of tension on the left chain as there has always been. For some reason my clock is not striking the hours. Anyone know what I can do?
Whats my Hamilton worth?
by: Tommy

Can someone please tell me how much a Hamilton Greenfield Manor Edition granfather clock is worth? I have searched everywhere and I am yet to find the price on this precise clock.
Lost Manual
by: Anonymous

Lost my manual to my grand father clock. It is a Hamilton Greenfield Manor Edition. Is there any way to get another one.

Thanks
stopped clock
by: Stephen Colangelo

If your pendulum swings for a few seconds and then stops and there is not a steady beat tic-toc-tic-toc, then you may have knocked your verge out of adjustment. This is often caused by pulling the center weight up to fast or to far. The fix takes about 3 minutes-very simple to do. I have a Hamilton Floor Clock. It has happened to me a few times. The way I learned about this is I have the original owners manual. Let me know if you need more detailed info.
Hamilton grandfather/grandmother clock
by: Jessie

It is absolutely CRUCIAL that floor clocks be perfectly leveled AND plumb, for the pendulum to continue to swing back and forth in order to keep the minute hand moving on the clock dial. If you so much as slightly jostle the clock, tip it or subject it to movement in ANY way (i.e., the floor itself is unsteady and "gives" under nearby foot traffic), the pendulum's back and forth rhythm will be disrupted. when this occurs, the pendulum will simply lose its momentum and gradually come to a stopped position.
help needed in Arkansas
by: Barbara

I purchased an Hamilton Grandfather clock from an Estate, I cannot find any markings on it except for the name plate of the orginal owner and the plate that says Hamilton Lancaster County, with a number on it of no.a536
how do I find out what I have, I cannot even identify the wood it is so dark

Help
clock won't stay running
by: jerry h

recently purchased an older granfather clock, have set it up and leveled it , was not running when bought and can not get it to start again, runs for a short time but then stops again, have tried adjustments according to manaul but have had no luck, can you help me please
HOW TO RESET THE CLOCK TIME
by: Anonymous

I read that if you reset the clock backwards....it will readjust the chiming mechanism. If you set it forward tho, it will not synchronize.
Running fast
by: Tom Hardison

I just bought a 1978 Hamilton Grandfather's clock with three chimes and three weights. It runs 20 minutes fast in an 8 hour period but all the adjustment space has been used in the pendulum to slow it down.
Is there another way to slow it down?
I love the sound, and the auto adjustment worked fine when i reset it after it was moved to the house.
The pendulum looks like it may have been dropped at some time in the past....there are two distinct marks on the floor of the case where the screw knob may have hit the floor. It seems to have jammed the metal rod up into the wooden pendulum stick and there is a split in the wood for an inch or so but solidly attached to the wood. Could it be that the rod is TOO FAR up into the wooden stick to be able to adjust it further?
If you can shed some light on this problem, I would be most grateful.
Tom
Hamilton Cloc- oil
by: Ralph in Georgia

I moved my in-laws to Georgia 3 years ago. They have a Hamilton Grandfathers Clock. He got it in 1988 and it ran until 2004 with no problems. When it stopped they didn't do anything about it. Seemed as if the weights were stuck in the fully wound positions. Last week I found a clock man to come to the house. He took the clock works out and oiled all of the pivot and bearing points with an oiling needle that had "clock oil". Then he put eveything back together and it. worked. That was all it needed after all those years of not working. I watched him and I could not have done what he did without having a demonstration of how to take the clockworks out of the clock housing. It cost $80 amd was worth it. Works fine, rings chimes and keeps time!
Asking for help
by: Becky

I recently moved a Hamilton Grandfather Clock
which was serviced last year and was running when I picked it up. I have it set up and it will chime. Just can't keep it running.

I have pushed the pendulum to get it into rhythm. It will run for a very short time and them quit. Could it need leveled better or is there something I am missing?

Appreciate help,
Becky

Howard Miller Clock
by: Bill

Hi Deb,

The two main causes for a clock to stop running when the clock has not been moved are 1) it needs oiling which should be don at least every three to five years or the movement will wear out and need replacing or overhaul. and 2) it's out of beat, which means the tic toc sound is uneven. In other words, when you listed to the ticking sound, it will not have an even tic...toc...tic...toc...tic...etc. It will be more like tic.......toc.tic.....toc.tic....toc.etc. If you can hear this ticking sound and it is uneven, give the pendulum a few hard swings that will almost cause it to hit the sides of the case and if the automatic beat setting mechanism is working properly it will reset itself.

If there is no ticking sound when you swing the pendulum, it needs oiling or repair. It should cost much less than $500 to get this done. I charge $100 locally for this service.

If your clock has cables and you have a crank to wind it up, the cables could be tangled up on the drum that they wind around. This can be untangled by you, but is rather tedious. If your clock uses chains that you pull up by hand, make sure they did not fall of their sprocket. This is fairly easy to do yourself.

Also, the order that you wind them does not matter. The three weights just do different jobs. The center one is for the time, the left one is for the hourly chime (where your clock counts the hour) and the right one is for the quarter hour chimes.

I hope this helps you. Bill

Hamilton Grandfather Clock
by: Mary

I also have a Hamilton Grandfather Clock. We just moved and I got mine set back up and the pendulm would go back and forth and then stop. I was able to get mine running. I don't know if I can help you, but we can try if you want to contact me. My clock has kept time, but I have not been able to get it to chime.

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