For many people there is an endearing and reassuring quality that is the sound of a ticking pendulum clock.
Some find the sound relaxing whereas for others it is a mind bending source of annoyance and distraction.
So, if you have a pendulum clock and are one of the latter types of people just how do you quieten it?
The best way to deal with a noisy pendulum clock is to simply replace it with a clock that is silent. If this is not an option then using sound proofing material or pads inside the clock will help to reduce the volume of the ticking. Some clock maintenance may also help.
How to Make a Pendulum Clock Quieter
While it may be impossible to completely rid the ticking noises from your pendulum clock, you can make it less obtrusive by simply taming the sound.
The two most common reasons for noise are that the brass rod is hitting another part and secondly, the vibration of the wood case itself creates a loud rattle.
In both cases small rubber or polymer pads can be inserted between the parts to absorb some of this noise.
It is best if these are made from soft material with no hard edges as they will rub against each other when attached together.
Small felts or silicone weather stripping work well in these situations.
If you do not have access to any of this then one last option is to use a small piece of cloth to cover the nook and crannies between the parts.
This will dampen the sound vibrations and in some cases, eliminate them completely.
Try using sound deadening foam pads or material
These are a cheap and effective way to reduce the noise from your noisy pendulum clock. The softer and smoother these pads are, the better they will work with your clock.
Most of these materials can be cut to size which will allow you to fit sound proofing to most of the inner surfaces of the clock.
Typically the best choices are those materials which are used in music studios or in car production to reduce sound.
These types of products can easily be found at places such as Amazon and a good choice would be the JBER Acoustic Foam Panels which you can read about here on Amazon.
How to Reduce the Vibration of your Clock’s Case
The next step is making sure that the case itself does not vibrate so much.
This is a tougher problem because you need to stop the vibrations from being transferred through your clock into the floor or surrounding structure.
A common cause of vibration is simply due to the clock not sitting level on the floor.
Check the base and, if there are signs of instability then either adjust the base ( if this is possible) or insert some shims between the clock and the floor.
The shim will help to stabilize the clock and will also provide insulation between the body of the clock and the floor.
Special sound reducing shims can also be bought online and these will reduce vibrations further.
Get the clock serviced
Another thing you can try is to get the clock serviced by a professional clock repairer.
Pendulum clocks contain many moving parts which can become worn over time – just like parts in a car.
Wear and tear can cause the clock to operate inefficiently which could result in excessive noise.
By having a regular check up and service you will avoid any problems and minimise the risk of damage and noise from the clock.
Replace the clock
The ultimate solution if you simply cannot live with a ticking clock, is to get rid of it and replace it with a silent one.
There are a wide range of options available such as battery operated, silent pendulum clocks, some of which chime and some which don’t, so you have a lot to choose from.
Final Words
As with many noise problems it is possible to reduce the volume of tick from pendulum clocks and in some cases, eliminate it completely.
The key is to find the cause or causes of the clock making more noise than it should otherwise you will not be able to silence it properly.
Looking online at silent clocks may be a good way forward if you are unable to fix your original clock.
But don’t forget that if you do replace it, you will loose that charm and history that so many of these clocks provide.
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