# Need some clever things to do with a Grandfather Clock minus the movement. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 18, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526 "2012-06-18T15:52:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/1 "2012-06-18T15:52:07Z")
My wife and I were driving home the other day when we saw a HUGE grandfather clock on the side of the road, in front of our neighbors house [he’s a woodworker]. It had a sign on it that read: FREE. So I pulled over and grabbed it…darn thing was really heavy. It’s got all the chimes and pendulum but no movement - it even has the original paperwork - anyway we brought it home and now it is sitting here with nothing to do. We have a 9-month old son - and were thinking of putting it in the playroom and bracketing it to the wall and making it something he can interact with - I dunno for now we could put a mouse on it and make it into a nursery rhyme theme. Eventually he could play G.I.Joes in it or something… Or I was thinking of putting a plant in it as the top and front are glass behind wood - could be a cool terrarium… Any other ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/2 "2012-06-18T15:55:50Z")
Make it Digital. Its irony, man! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/3 "2012-06-18T15:56:51Z")
BTW, you might try cleaning the gears - its probably not working simply from dust etc. That is what kills most mechanical clocks. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/4 "2012-06-18T15:59:12Z")
Use it as the entrance to your BatCave [http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/hid](http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/hid) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat\_Caveden-passageway1.htm](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_Caveden-passageway1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/5 "2012-06-18T16:14:31Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > BTW, you might try cleaning the gears - its probably not working simply from dust etc. That is what kills most mechanical clocks. It doesn’t have the gears or anything…just the chimes -no movement. I like the idea of putting a digital face on it though. Great Idea **Cal**! ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/6 "2012-06-18T16:16:27Z")
Totally get some rope lights and get creative. Make a cool basement decoration or put it in the garage and store stuff in it (after adding some shelves). ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/7 "2012-06-18T16:17:06Z")
Get a new [movement](http://www.klockit.com/). Then make it run backwards. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/8 "2012-06-18T16:23:23Z")
mount some photocells and LEDs behind the face glass. mount some solenoids to hit the chimes. make up some circuit to give lights and sounds when a photocell is hit with a light pistol. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/9 "2012-06-18T16:29:55Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Get a new [movement](http://www.klockit.com/). Then make it run backwards. Or make it one very narrow porta potty. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/10 "2012-06-18T16:40:19Z")
Remove the clock face and its place put a picture of your grandfather. Use the inside space to store photo albums, scrapbooks, and other memories like a hope chest. Turn it into a gumball machine. Put shelves on the inside and use it for guest towels in the bathroom. Make some wooden arms for it and turn it into a character from Disney’s version of Beauty and the Beast. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/11 "2012-06-18T17:06:35Z")
make up a face and some solenoids, driving electronics, mp3 player and do a Grandfather Clock as was on Captain Kangaroo. ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/12 "2012-06-18T17:55:49Z")
Fish tank ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/13 "2012-06-18T18:42:24Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > My wife and I were driving home the other day when we saw a HUGE grandfather clock on the side of the road, in front of our neighbors house [he’s a woodworker]. It had a sign on it that read: FREE. So it finally earned its freedom and you went and captured it. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/14 "2012-06-18T19:02:58Z")
Seriously though, [aquarium](http://media-cache-ec8.pinterest.com/upload/283445370267695531_Uu0Uigx9_c.jpg). Just make sure it’s well attahced to the wall. And don’t put big fish in there, tall plants, tiny fish. I’ve also seen them hollowed ou tinto a lovely bookcase; but I can’t seem to find a picture of one. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/15 "2012-06-18T20:02:57Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > So it finally earned its freedom and you went and captured it. We did. But we will treat him with lot’s of care… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/16 "2012-06-18T20:09:09Z")
Hollow it out, mount it on the wall sideways and turn it into a book case/shelf. Just make sure that the front door hinges are on the top so that it automatically shuts instead of falling open. Then you could rotate the face 90 degress and put a small electric movement in the top so that it still tells time. ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/17 "2012-06-18T20:40:25Z")
Cocktail cabinet. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/18 "2012-06-18T20:49:59Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > Make it Digital. It doesn’t even need to tell time. Just have it flash 12:00. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/19 "2012-06-18T21:01:53Z")
> [@Minnie\_Luna](#): > > Fish tank Yep! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526/20 "2012-06-18T21:42:27Z")
I’d just put in a modern movement, with old-timey hands. The pendulum won’t swing or anything, but it would basically look and function as a clock. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-some-clever-things-to-do-with-a-grandfather-clock-minus-the-movement/625526.md?page=2)