Making the micro regulator adjustments

[GeorgeC]

I would like to hear the various techniques for making the fine regulator lever adjustments and beat adjustment, when available on the upper side of the balance bridge.

If you get within 0.8ms in beat, what are you doing to get it tweaked to 0.1 to -0.1 ?  I use a double loupe magnification on my reader glasses and sometimes seem to go too much one way and then again too much in the other direction when fiddling with this.

Thanks,

George

[m1ks]

Most likely, most of us are like yourself, it's like a dance.

I try to brace my hand and use a twisting motion with the tool rather than a push to move in very tiny increments.

Also I recommend restarting the timegrapher after an adjustment and allowing a few seconds for the amplitude to settle.

[GeorgeC]

Great thought.
To prevent any marks from a tool such as a metal screwdriver, I could fashion a plastic pixie stick or a piece of peg-wood to a flat end and give that a slight twist for control. Thanks


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[aac58]

10 hours ago, m1ks said:

...Also I recommend restarting the timegrapher after an adjustment...

Why do you recommend restarting it? I'm going to buy a timegrapher, and I was thinking in a weishi 1900 instead of the 1000, just because I've read that the dot lines in the graphic are dual color, helping in setting the beat error as you will notice if you've gone too far in the adjustment. But if restarting is a recommendation then I don't see any advantage against model 1000.

Edited June 24, 2019 by aac58

[watchweasol]

M1ks    Is spot on, you need a steady hand and progress slowly.  Using a plastic tool is usualy better as it leaves no scratches or marks   

[GeorgeC]

1 hour ago, aac58 said:

Why do you recommend restarting it? I'm going to buy a timegrapher, and I was thinking in a weishi 1900 instead of the 1000, just because I've read that the dot lines in the graphic are dual color, helping in setting the beat error as you will notice if you've gone too far in the adjustment. But if restarting is a recommendation then I don't see any advantage against model 1000.

My reason for restarting:

I am using the 1000 model and after attempting to adjust beat error, with a +-3 s/day watch as an example, I may be trying to adjust beat where the graph will have one line on the top edge of the display and the other on the bottom.  I can stop/start the machine and get the graph back in the middle of the display for better reading.

[aac58]

Thank you GeorgeC, I see the point in this example. So restarting won't be an every time need, just in some occasions when that happens, right?.

[GeorgeC]

Right.  M1ks points out that you have to let the machine run a few seconds to let the adjustment and human intervention of the watch to flush out to get an accurate reading once again.

[m1ks]

Apologies for not clarifying re the timegrapher but first, I should also have mentioned, I use a piece of pegwood, (one end a point, the other a flat edge like a screwdriver) to adjust the regulating arm, for the aforementioned potential problem of leaving marks.
Restarting isn't necessary at all, just that it seems to take longer to pick up the difference if left running than if you press stop then strart, I haven't timed it, it just seems that way to me, but either way, you'll need to allow a few seconds for the beat to settle back into a smooth rhythm.
The dual coloured lines are useful, and even restarting will still work, you just note whether the blue or the yellow line was uppermost. I find it useful because if you go from a small BE like 0.5 to 0.3, you could 0.3 on the opposite side and the lines are so close you can't tell on the screen so the split colour helps.

[aac58]

Thanks for the clarifications, very helpful.

[GeorgeC]

That is a great option, I haven't used a timer that had the colored lines.  Very nice.

[anilv]

Instead of pushing on the regulator, try little sideways taps. Here a screwdriver works better than pegwood. Little taps, not hard knocks. This works for me when chasing the last few ms.

Good luck.

Anilv

[praezis]

9 hours ago, anilv said:

Instead of pushing on the regulator, try little sideways taps. Here a screwdriver works better than pegwood. Little taps, not hard knocks. This works for me when chasing the last few ms.

Good advice!
Problem is the higher sticking friction against lower sliding friction. The force needed to break the regulator arm free is higher than the force needed to move on the sliding arm. Pushing, you cannot avoid to push too far.

I made a tool (slotted brass rod with a big radio button on the upper end) for better feeling:  the mentioned problem gets a bit smaller but is still there.

Now I mainly use a screwdriver with brass blade and tap with the back of my tweezers.
Thus you always apply a limited amount of energy and overshoot can be avoided.

Frank

[GeorgeC]

Another idea that may work, when the regulator arm extends over the cock-plate, would be to have a brass screwdriver blade size 60 or 80, and place the edge just under the side of the regulator arm and pry the arm in the direction desired by raising the screwdriver handle up in a leveraging method. 

I don't have a watch currently to show an image of but I've put this image together.

Edited June 27, 2019 by GeorgeC
edit image text explanation

[vinn3]

you might be interested in the old book way of timing,   set the lever to zero and bend the spring to bring it into time.  also re arange the balance weights. then run it thru the time graph.