Loose collet on cylinder

[watchfellow]

Hi everyone,

I have a (hopefully not too stupid) question. I have a cylinder escapement from a small carriage clock which someone had used glue on the collet to hold together. I dissolved the glue in acetone and am working on straightening the hairspring as it is bent. However now that the glue has dissolved, the collet will not hold the balance wheel.

I am confused about what I should do next as this is a little above my experience. I know that I need to tighten the collet, but I am unsure of how to do so safely, or even if it should be done before the balance wheel goes in or after. I have seen "collet closing tools" like the Bergeon 3007 but I am not sure if that is only for smaller wristwatch balance wheels. 

If anyone has any tips or advice it would be much appreciated!

[Nucejoe]

If collet ID is way bigger than OD of the collet shoulder ( OD where the collet fits on the staff), I re-glue since collet may break as you try to tighten it.

[Watcher]

The Bergeon collet closing tool takes collets up to 2 mm diameter.  But from your photo I have the impression that there is insufficient gap to close the collet. Best solution is to fit a new collet of the corret size. Second best is to glue with Loctite 638 - a professional solution according to Loctite.

[clockboy]

The correct way is to close the collect is using a staking tool closing punch. The problem with glueing is it then becomes a non movable collet and getting the watch in beat becomes a bigger problem. 

[oldhippy]

I agree with clockboy. Use a staking tool. 

[Nucejoe]

install balance wheel and cock in place, tighten cock screw. 1.Turn balance wheel till you see the escape wheel start to move. 2. clock&anticlock with balance wheel, to see this interval within which escape wheel interacts and responds to turning of balance wheel, mid-point of this interval is your TDC (top dead center), immediately passed TDC, impulse is ready to be delivered to the oscillator, which point if marked on balance wheel would fall on a line that goes through balance-escape pivots. Now the escapement is in beat. Mark the limits of the said interval, it's midpoint with respect to a fixed point on manipulate or else as you wish. Next mark on balance wheel, where stud positions when escpemwnt is in beat. Remove the balance wheel, glue collet shoulder, place collet on such that stud is where you marked. please Don,t hesitate to ask anything that may not be clear.