Hi.
I installed a Hampton Bay ceiling fan about 2 months ago. After a week or so, I began hearing a "tick" with each rotation---but only when the fan has not been used for several hours or overnight. The "tick" stops after the fan runs for 5-10 minutes and I can then turn it on and off all day, at any speed, and it's perfectly quiet.
I can't believe that it's a wobble or imbalance because when the "tick" is happening, I can stop the fan and turn the blades slowly by hand and hear the tick with every rotation.
Any clue what's going on here?

Slightly loosen and then retighten the blade screws. If that doesn't work, with the fan running, move the base slightly. Does this stop the noise? This is a fairly common complaint when the fan is even slightly off balance. You are hearing the ball mount shift in the socket. First, balance the fan blades, there should be a kit and instructions. Next, with the fan off, grab the downrod and lift it slightly and lightly spray white lithium grease into the joint between the hanger ball and hanger socket. Works 99% of the time. The other 1% are gremlins, possibly in the armature of the motor.

I've been successful eliminating that clicking noise by giving the ball joint a quick shot of silicon spray.

Since the noise can be made when rotating by hand at slow speed I am thinking this is not a balance issue at all, that requires a harmonic vibration. I think this is totally mechanical and would just box it up and cart back to HD.

Thanks everyone, but as ballengerb1 said, this does not seem to be a balancing problem.
It only occurs in the first 5-10 minutes of operation after being idle for several hours.
I did spray some lubricant into the ball joint area and check fan screws. And I did try the balancing kit. During the balancing process, even if I made a slight wobble worse, the "tick" did not show up because the fan had been running previously. Next morning after not running all night, the same "tick" returned for almost exactly 10 minutes---then completely quiet as usual.
I spoke to a very nice tech guy at Hampton Bay, but he made the usual suggestions and couldn't think of any reason the noise would occur for only a short period after the fan has been idle. And THAT seems to be the key question: What is different about a fan when started cold as compared to when it's been running for a short time?

When fan has run, motor heats up and expands a bit. Possible increase in clearance removes tick.

While I can picture that being a cause, if it were mine, it would still be boxed and back to HD. I'd like one that was fine out of the box, tired of crap not working right when I buy it. Also, I am confused by the OP, there is no Hampton Bay Company, fans are made for HD by a company named King of Fans.

Actually, I had visited another site which also stated that King of Fans was the manufacturer of Hampton Bay fans. When I e-mailed King of Fans, they replied that they were not and passed on a phone# for Hampton Bay. That's where I spoke to the tech guy. Is it the same company, but handling Hampton Bay as a separate entity? Who knows.

I have always based my info on a friends website Hampton Bay Ceiling Fans - Ceiling Fans N More read the short paragraph under Hampton Bay Fans. It could be one of 3 companies and they do switch off from time to time. If you heard who made 60% of all lawn tractors you would not even recognized that name either, AYP.

Some good information at that site. As for lawn tractors, it would not be surprising if I didn't know the brand names either. John Deere?

A Y P , American Yard Products.