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Frequently Asked Questions



Common Questions for Hobbyists

How difficult is it to install a quartz movement?

It is surprisingly simple. Just drill a 3/8" hole in front of your clock case, slide the movement shaft through the hole and secure in place by tightening 1 hex nut.


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How difficult is it to install a quartz movement?

It is surprisingly simple. Just drill a 3/8" hole in front of your clock case, slide the movement shaft through the hole and secure in place by tightening 1 hex nut.


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Do I need to use a second hand?

Most quarts movements have the ability to run a second hand. It is your choice to use one or not. If you feel the step second motion would be a distraction then don't use one. A special closed nut is available to cover the small hole showing when a second hand is not used.


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Do I need to use a second hand?

Most quarts movements have the ability to run a second hand. It is your choice to use one or not. If you feel the step second motion would be a distraction then don't use one. A special closed nut is available to cover the small hole showing when a second hand is not used.


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Should I use a pre-assembled “fit-up” or a quartz movement with separate hands and dial?

Using a pre-assembled quartz clock fit-up is the easiest way to make a clock. The clock movement, hands, dial, lens and Bezel are pre-assembled and ready to be installed. All you have to do is make a clock case with the correct size hole cut into it. Just set the time, put in a battery and press into the precut hole in your clock case.

To use a quartz movement requires a little more planning, but is still fairly easy to do. If you choose to do this you have the flexibility of being able to se a standard time only movement, a pendulum movement, a chime movement or a variety of other possibilities. You can also choose from dozens of clock dials and over 40 styles of clock hands. If you decide to use a quartz movement with separate hands and dial, it is much easier to create a design that is truly unique.


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Should I use a pre-assembled “fit-up” or a quartz movement with separate hands and dial?

Using a pre-assembled quartz clock fit-up is the easiest way to make a clock. The clock movement, hands, dial, lens and Bezel are pre-assembled and ready to be installed. All you have to do is make a clock case with the correct size hole cut into it. Just set the time, put in a battery and press into the precut hole in your clock case.

To use a quartz movement requires a little more planning, but is still fairly easy to do. If you choose to do this you have the flexibility of being able to se a standard time only movement, a pendulum movement, a chime movement or a variety of other possibilities. You can also choose from dozens of clock dials and over 40 styles of clock hands. If you decide to use a quartz movement with separate hands and dial, it is much easier to create a design that is truly unique.


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Do I need any special tools to install a quartz clock movement?

No, you do not. All you really need is a well lighted work area and a small pair of pliers.


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Do I need any special tools to install a quartz clock movement?

No, you do not. All you really need is a well lighted work area and a small pair of pliers.


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Can I replace a battery operated movement in a broken clock I have?

Yes you can, and it is not to difficult. The first step is to remove the old movement from your clock. Remove the clock hands first by gently pulling them off. Sometimes the minute hand is held in place by a cap nut. Just unscrew it and continue to remove the hands. The movement itself is normally held in place by a hex nut on the hand shaft, or it can "snap in" which means it is being held in place by little plastic "fingers". Either unscrew the hex nut to remove or just pry away from the case until snaps free.

The next step is to determine the size of the movement you have. The most important dimension is the shaft length. If your movement was held in place by a hex nut, then you need to measure the height of the threaded portion of the shaft that the hex nut was mounted to. This is referred to as the threaded shaft length.If your movement was a "snap in", then just measure the overall shaft length.

Now that you know the critical dimension of your movement, look in the movement section of our web site to find a movement that suits your needs and budget. Please remember that the old hands from your movement may not fit the new movement. Hour and minute hands are included free with movements, so pick out a pair when you order.


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Can I replace a battery operated movement in a broken clock I have?

Yes you can, and it is not to difficult. The first step is to remove the old movement from your clock. Remove the clock hands first by gently pulling them off. Sometimes the minute hand is held in place by a cap nut. Just unscrew it and continue to remove the hands. The movement itself is normally held in place by a hex nut on the hand shaft, or it can "snap in" which means it is being held in place by little plastic "fingers". Either unscrew the hex nut to remove or just pry away from the case until snaps free.

The next step is to determine the size of the movement you have. The most important dimension is the shaft length. If your movement was held in place by a hex nut, then you need to measure the height of the threaded portion of the shaft that the hex nut was mounted to. This is referred to as the threaded shaft length.If your movement was a "snap in", then just measure the overall shaft length.

Now that you know the critical dimension of your movement, look in the movement section of our web site to find a movement that suits your needs and budget. Please remember that the old hands from your movement may not fit the new movement. Hour and minute hands are included free with movements, so pick out a pair when you order.


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Common Questions for Manufacturers

What are the minimums required for custom clock dials?

We can run as few as 100 pcs. when making dials for fit-ups and 250 pcs. when making custom metal or styrene dials. Lead times can vary from two to four weeks depending on our schedule and the type of dial you want. Contact a ClockParts.com sales representative for additional information.


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Do you sell large quantities on a wholesale basis?

Yes, we do! We stock thousands of movements that are ready for immediate shipment. If you need 500 or 50,000 movements we can handle your needs.


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Are all fit-ups available for immediate delivery?

We offer the best selection of fit-ups in the industry today. While some of our fit-ups are stocked pre-assembled, ready to go, many others are made to order. Making many of our fit-ups to order allows us to offer thousands of possible models with a lead time of one to two weeks. We think that offering the possibilities we do is worth the wait and so do most of our customers. Just contact one of our sales representatives to find out what is in stock and current production lead times.


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What are the minimums required for custom clock dials?

We can run as few as 100 pcs. when making dials for fit-ups and 250 pcs. when making custom metal or styrene dials. Lead times can vary from two to four weeks depending on our schedule and the type of dial you want. Contact a ClockParts.com sales representative for additional information.


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Do you sell large quantities on a wholesale basis?

Yes, we do! We stock thousands of movements that are ready for immediate shipment. If you need 500 or 50,000 movements we can handle your needs.


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Are all fit-ups available for immediate delivery?

We offer the best selection of fit-ups in the industry today. While some of our fit-ups are stocked pre-assembled, ready to go, many others are made to order. Making many of our fit-ups to order allows us to offer thousands of possible models with a lead time of one to two weeks. We think that offering the possibilities we do is worth the wait and so do most of our customers. Just contact one of our sales representatives to find out what is in stock and current production lead times.


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Movements Motors

I want to purchase a standard c size Quartz pendulum motor, but don’t know which shaft to use. My present motor has a 3/8″ diameter shaft and 5/16″ long threaded section. I also want the gold hands 31/8″ long. Please help.

Our MVT3160 has a 5/16” threaded shaft and a 5/8” overall shaft length. My only concern is that the shaft diameter on our C cell movements is 7/16”, not 3/8: https://www.clockparts.com/standard-c-battery-size-movements/

If this would be a problem, then consider one of the AA battery movements like the MVT7160A: https://www.clockparts.com/usa-made-motors-movements/

These AA movements have a 5/16” diameter shaft.


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I am trying to replace a clock movement on a very expensive boat clock. It is a Chelsea clock Newport Model (I believe). It is 2.1/8″ Square. Overall Shaft length is 7/16″ AND SHAFT LENGTH IS 3/16″. However the shaft does not have threads, but the end of the overall length has a nut and threads on the end. I have photos to help locate it.

We have a press-on at 1/4” overall shaft:
https://www.clockparts.com/american-made-press-on-movement-with-no-threaded-shaft/

The next shaft length would be 17/32”, the MVT7130A “I” shaft movement:
https://www.clockparts.com/american-made-mini-quartz-movements/


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I am looking for a motor that has the following features:
•High Quality chime
• Westminster chimes
•Automatic night time shut off
•Volume control

What are the names of the melodies for the quad chimes?

The four melodies this movement plays are 2 versions of the Westminster Chime ( 1 hour only and 1 every fifteen minutes), Ave Maria, and a strike or Bim-Bam on the half hour and hour with an hour count: https://www.clockparts.com/quad-chime-pendulum-movement-with-remote-speaker/


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I am replacing an old electric Ingraham model 17 motor. The new motor will need to attach to the glass face of the clock which is 1/16″ thick. There is a glass crystal about 14″ in diameter and almost 1-1/4″ deep covering the face. What size motor should I use?

For a 1/16” thick clock face, I would suggest the MVT7130A, which is available in both battery and electric.
https://www.clockparts.com/american-made-mini-quartz-movements/

If your clock hands are over 6”, then I would consider one of our high torque movements like the MVT708CHT Which is also available as battery or electric.
https://www.clockparts.com/high-torque-motor-aa-cell-continuous-sweep/


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I need a new movement for my clock. The thickness of the clock face is 3/16 the minuet hand is 9 and 3/8 long what do you suggest

For your minute hand length you will need a high torque movement. Possibly the MVT708CHT or MVT712HT below:
https://www.clockparts.com/high-torque-motor-aa-cell-continuous-sweep/
https://www.clockparts.com/high-torque-movement-aa-cell/
These are “I” shaft movements, so the mounting holes will be like those at the top right of the link below:
https://www.clockparts.com/clock-hands-for-high-torque-movements-2/


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Is it possible to find a pendulum movement with Westminster chimes

I am looking for a 3 inch time piece that runs backwards. It needs to be very thin. I am attempting a project and as much as I look for this item, it seems difficult to find right size.
I would love to purchase a very thin Antique/ivory thin metal clock with hands that run backwards as well as Arabic numbers on backwards close to 3 inches or not much larger then 3 inches.

The size of our reverse movement is 2-3/16" square and 5/8" thick: https://www.clockparts.com/reverse-high-torque-barbershop-quartz-movement/

Our smallest reverse dial is 6". You could take it to a store like Staples and have it reduced to a smaller size and printed out on a heavy paper.


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I am looking for a replacement motor (or repair of mine) for a SANGAMO motor for my Seth Thomas clock. Don’t know the model of the clock but picture attached. My motor’s center bushing/bearing is warn allowing the shaft to wobble and make noise. Also, the wires connections are poor with one broken off.

All of our chime movements are battery operated quartz movements: https://www.clockparts.com/chiming-clock-movements/

The electric chime shown below is an old design that probably has not been made in at least 50 years. Our mechanical strike would be about the closest movement we would have: https://www.clockparts.com/chiming-clock-movements/


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What size replacement kit should i purchase for my wall clock which is 38″x48″ long?

You need a high torque movement. Our high torque quartz movements are designed to operate up to an 18” minute hand.
You need to determine just how thick your clock face is so you can select the right hand shaft length. Here are a couple of links below to consider:
https://www.clockparts.com/high-torque-movement-aa-cell/
https://www.clockparts.com/high-torque-movement-c-cell/
Here’s a link to our selection of large clock hands:
https://www.clockparts.com/clock-hands-for-high-torque-movements-2/


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Inserts Fitups

I have an old wooden round mantel clock. I want to put an quartz insert into the opening. The hole diameter is 4 3/8″, the outside of the clock is 5 3/8″. Do you offer something to make this work?

https://www.clockparts.com/6-in-152mm-premium-quartz-clock-fit-ups/
These inserts are designed for a 3-1/8” mounting hole, so to properly fit you would need to make some type of adaptor ring:
https://www.clockparts.com/video/clock-insert-adapter-ring-for-your-clock-case/


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I need to replace the Takane clock that was mounted in my golf cart. The back snaps into the dash and is approx. 3 5/64ths in diameter. Can you help?

Please advise what the diameter of the mounting hole size is.
It’s smaller than the diameter of the front of the clock, but actually the most important measurement.


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Do you have a clock insert with a brushed gold or spun gold face with a mounting hole of about 2 1/8”, 2 ¼”, 2 3/8” ?

Our F59 series has a brushed gold roman or Arabic option.
https://www.clockparts.com/2-1-4-59mm-standard-fit-ups/
Overall size 2-1/4”, 2-1/8” mounting hole size.
Our F73 series has the same brushed gold dial options and is 2-3/4” overall and a 2-3/8” mounting hole:
https://www.clockparts.com/2-3-4-73mm-economy-quartz-clock-fit-ups-with-bevel-edge-bezel/


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We purchased a F108WAC 108 MM White arabic 4 1/4″ clock insert. The clock insert is just a little small and won’t stay in the clock frame. Do you have something we can use to fill the space?

Try taking the gasket off of the back of the insert clock. Wrap something like electrical or plumbers tape around the back of the insert. Then re-install the gasket.
Can be a bit of trial and error, but it normally works for small adjustments. Rubber bands can also work.


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I have an old wooden round mantel clock. I want to put an quartz insert into the opening. The hole diameter is 4 3/8″, the outside of the clock is 5 3/8″. Do you offer something to make this work?

https://www.clockparts.com/6-in-152mm-premium-quartz-clock-fit-ups/
These inserts are designed for a 3-1/8” mounting hole, so to properly fit you would need to make some type of adaptor ring:
https://www.clockparts.com/video/clock-insert-adapter-ring-for-your-clock-case/


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I need to replace the Takane clock that was mounted in my golf cart. The back snaps into the dash and is approx. 3 5/64ths in diameter. Can you help?

Please advise what the diameter of the mounting hole size is.
It’s smaller than the diameter of the front of the clock, but actually the most important measurement.


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Do you have a clock insert with a brushed gold or spun gold face with a mounting hole of about 2 1/8”, 2 ¼”, 2 3/8” ?

Our F59 series has a brushed gold roman or Arabic option.
https://www.clockparts.com/2-1-4-59mm-standard-fit-ups/
Overall size 2-1/4”, 2-1/8” mounting hole size.
Our F73 series has the same brushed gold dial options and is 2-3/4” overall and a 2-3/8” mounting hole:
https://www.clockparts.com/2-3-4-73mm-economy-quartz-clock-fit-ups-with-bevel-edge-bezel/


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We purchased a F108WAC 108 MM White arabic 4 1/4″ clock insert. The clock insert is just a little small and won’t stay in the clock frame. Do you have something we can use to fill the space?

Try taking the gasket off of the back of the insert clock. Wrap something like electrical or plumbers tape around the back of the insert. Then re-install the gasket.
Can be a bit of trial and error, but it normally works for small adjustments. Rubber bands can also work.


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Assessories

I recently had my grandfather clock converted to a quartz movement. The pendulum set is only 16in with a small pendulum bob. It is on a AA battery by itself. Will the 25 in rod and 3in bob operate on a single AA unit?

Our AA battery powered mini pendulum movements do not have enough power to operate a 25” pendulum.
You would need to use our PD200 to operate a pendulum of this size.
https://www.clockparts.com/pd200-heavy-duty-pendulum-drive/


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I have a grandfather clock with a lyre pendulum that is operated by itself. It looks like a pd200 but Im not sure that is exactly what it is. The pendulum attachment swings perfectly until I put the pendulum on it, then it works for a few minutes and then quits. What can I do to make it swing continuously? I wasnt sure if I needed to order the PD200

The PD200 will operate a pendulum up to 7 ounces, and the PHDPD will operate a pendulum up to 10 ounces.
Make sure you know the weight of your pendulum before ordering anything.
Being level or vertically plumb is very important for any pendulum drive. It’s important that the magnet and electro magnet on any pendulum drive also be as close as possible without touching.


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I recently had my grandfather clock converted to a quartz movement. The pendulum set is only 16in with a small pendulum bob. It is on a AA battery by itself. Will the 25 in rod and 3in bob operate on a single AA unit?

Our AA battery powered mini pendulum movements do not have enough power to operate a 25” pendulum.
You would need to use our PD200 to operate a pendulum of this size.
https://www.clockparts.com/pd200-heavy-duty-pendulum-drive/


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I have a grandfather clock with a lyre pendulum that is operated by itself. It looks like a pd200 but Im not sure that is exactly what it is. The pendulum attachment swings perfectly until I put the pendulum on it, then it works for a few minutes and then quits. What can I do to make it swing continuously? I wasnt sure if I needed to order the PD200

The PD200 will operate a pendulum up to 7 ounces, and the PHDPD will operate a pendulum up to 10 ounces.
Make sure you know the weight of your pendulum before ordering anything.
Being level or vertically plumb is very important for any pendulum drive. It’s important that the magnet and electro magnet on any pendulum drive also be as close as possible without touching.


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