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Length of Pendulums

One-second pendulums are long enough for all but turret clocks, and longer than two-second pendulums should not be used. The very long pendulums used by the old clockmakers for turret clocks in order to get, as they expressed it, "dominion over the clock," were unwieldy and unsteady from the action of the wind and other causes. The requisite "dominion" is now obtained by making the bob heavier.