How do you move a longcase clock?

Best to dismantle it. Take the hood off first and slide the glass door out if it is loose. Unhook the heavy lead weights and lift the pendulum off its suspension spring. Only then should you lift the movement and its seatboard out of the case. Move the wooden carcase separately.

I wound my clock up fully on Sunday but the weights seem to be dropping at different speeds and now the strike weight is stuck.

The strike train only moves when the clock actually chimes. If you have the strike turned off, or if the mechanism is jammed, that weight stays at the top while the time side drops normally. Open the hood and check the gut line. Sometimes it overlaps itself on the brass barrel during winding and binds. If the line is clear but the clock won't chime, the rack mechanism behind the dial needs looking at.

Why does it chime the wrong hour?

The hands have slipped out of sync with the internal striking snail. This happens if someone moves the hour hand independently of the minute hand. Move the hour hand to point to the number the clock just struck.

My floor is quite uneven and I am worried the case is leaning forward, is it okay to put wedges underneath the front?

You have to use wedges. The carcase must stand straight or the pendulum will rub against the backboard and stop the clock. Most dealers pack folded card or thin wooden shims under the front feet. You want to tilt it back just enough so the case rests flat against the wall behind it. Secure it to the wall with a hidden screw through the backboard if you have children or dogs running around.

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Antique Longcase Clocks

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Antique longcase clocks are tall, freestanding wooden cabinets housing weight-driven pendulum movements that were designed to strike the hour and keep accurate time in domestic hallways and parlours.