Need Levelling Feet for Mantel Clock

[John Buzzurro]

Hi All,

I'm building a mantel clock with a mechanical movement, and want to put levelling feet on the bottom. I did this once before on another clock, but can't remember where I bought the feet from.

If anyone knows of a source for this, I'd appreciate it.

John

[Dell Littlefield]

I spent several years as a clock restorer and maker but don't recall ever seeing levelling feet on a mantel clock. Floor clocks have them to make sure the clock is vertical. If your goal is to use the clock on a sloping surface, then I can see its practicality. If you want to use the levelling feet to put a pendulum clock "in beat", the instructions that should come with the movement will tell you how to do this. If you didn't get adequate instructions, PM me with the movement model and I will try to help. If it isn't a pendulum clock, there is no need to adjust the beat

[Bruce Page]

I agree with Dell. Our antique mantel clock has lived on a verity of surfaces, some of which weren’t perfectly level, and it has never been an issue.

[John Buzzurro]

Yes, this is a pendulum mechanical movement. The instructions say to start out with a perfectly level surface. So far, I haven't had any trouble keeping the movement in beat. It just would be nice to know that wherever it ends up, it will be level.

I have seen many commercially available mantel clocks with leveling feet, so this does not seem unusual. In any event, I'd like to add the feet, necessary or not. So, if anyone knows where to get them, please let me know.

thx
john

[Jim Becker]

John, how about some threaded inserts and machine screws. Once it's level, a little Loctite and you're good to go.

[Ron Bontz]

Hi. I generally look to "Klockit" for such but there are a couple of others I use for little things like that.

[Jamie Buxton]

How 'bout using knurled headed thumb screws?

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=651 is one example. For a much larger selection, go to www.mcmaster.com, and search with "knurled headed thumb screw". You can get 'em with tall heads or short heads; in brass, aluminum, black oxide, or other materials; with or without a shoulder; and in thread sizes from 4-40 to 1/2"-13. They're all machine screws, so you'd drill and tap the bottom of your clock. Hardwood takes tapping perfectly well.

[Jim Becker]

Along the lines of Jamie's suggestion, self-stick felt pads on the bottom of said screws would provide a soft touch to the mantle surface, too.

[John Sanford]

http://www.levelingmounts.com/