The best and ideal packaging for shipping a cuckoo clock is its original packaging. The original box is usually custom fit to your clock and can save time and insure proper packing if available. If you dont have the original packaging that’s okay, here’s what you need to do:
STEP #1 - Secure the latch on the cuckoo door(s) as illustrated below:
STEP #2 - pull the weights up so the hooks are resting underneath the base of the clock. Remove the weights and the pendulum. With the clock still hanging on the wall, Insert a piece of flexible wire or a twist tie through all the chains as close as possible to the bottom of the clock. Bundle up the chains in a small bag, or a piece of aluminum foil and tie up the bag tightly with a rubber band, string, or twist tie. This prevents the chains from coming off the gears inside the clock and also keeps them from getting tangled up in the box and potentially damaging the outside of the clock.
STEP #3 -Take your clock off of the wall and remove the back panel. Place a thin piece of cardboard or folded paper into the center of the gong wire to protect the it during shipment as illustrated below:
STEP #4 - With the back still off, place the original bellow clips over each bellow, then reattach the back panel of the clock as illustrated below. This keeps the cuckoo and associated wires from moving around and possibly binding during shipment.
*If you don’t have the original bellow clips that’s okay. Simply bend a paper clip into a U SHAPE as shown below and slide it over each of the two bellows.
STEP #5 - For hand carved traditional style clocks, unscrew and remove the top as illustrated below.
DO NOT SHIP THIS DECORATIVE TOP PIECE - THIS PIECE IS NOT REQUIRED FOR SERVICE
DO NOT SHIP THE WEIGHTS - THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR SERVICE. WE USE WEIGHTS FROM OUR SHOP. THEY CAN ALSO DAMAGE THE CLOCK IN TRANSIT.
STEP #6 - Select a box that has at 3” of clearance around all sides of the clock. pour a few inches of paking peanuts in the bittom of the box. Place you clock inside a plastic bag and tie it shut ( a garbage bag or shopping bag is will do the job ). Lay the clock face up in the center of the box then fill the rest of the box with packing peanuts. Be sure to fill it to the top without forcefully packing it down. Wrap the pendulum in newspaper and put it in the box along with the packing slip provided by Bavarian Clockworks then seal the box with packing tape.
STEP #7 - We recommend using UPS to ship your clock for service. Once packed, you can take it to your nearest UPS store.