Jump to content

Smiths/ Smiths Empire / Ingersoll / Services CAL 400 history and advise


Recommended Posts

Hi *,

I somehow enjoy the CAL 400 movement, probably because it is simple enough for me to understand how it works. Well that's what I say, but took me about 2 months to actually figure out why one of them did not do the tick and the tock. Or did some ticks occasionally. (worn pivot hole in the mainplate for the escape wheel). Now I am trying to put one together with a calendar ring.

1., I would like to know what lubrication does it need for the calendar ring and the associated parts like that little thing marked with red on the picture for holding the ring in position. Does it need anything at all?

2., Different? manufacturers seem to used this CAL 400 movement. Is there any chance there is a service manual for it? Who developed it? Whats the history for these manufacturers? Smith, Ingersoll and Services. Google says Ingersoll had a share in Smithts at one time back in the past. Is there a book or a living person who could tell the story? Andy, you must know everything! :D 

Best regards,

Lui

IMG_20200518_143219.thumb.jpg.4dead5e48a7523b92e23e35e73763424.jpgIMG_20200518_143311.thumb.jpg.ec732be5ee72be808833e33a5ce3f9d0.jpg

IMG_20200518_143205.thumb.jpg.5cb1b13457ebc12dc1262a623dfac3e6.jpg

IMG_20200518_143135.thumb.jpg.55070e40edca6bba5e2eed3804b189be.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • https://watchguy.co.uk/cgi-bin/files?showfile=Venus/Venus 178.pdf&filename=Venus 178.pdf&dir=Technical Manuals&action=documents   The hour recorder is driven by the barrel and it will only stop if it is held by the hour recorder stop lever 8690. So I would check if this lever (powered by the spring 8691) is really holding the hour recorder in the "chrono off status". I haven't worked on a Venus 178 so far, but on an Omega 861 I chose 9501 grease for the friction spring as it's moving very slow at quite high tension.
    • All I do is use a fine marker (sharpie) to put the service date on the back cover, this way it can be removed with some IPA and does no permanent damage to the watch. I'm in two minds about the whole service marking thing, sometimes it's good/bad to see the markings on the watch case back as you know it's been worked on and vice versa. However, if I took my car in for a service and the mechanic scratched some code into the housing of my engine I wouldn't be too impressed. Hence, I think my sharpie solution is a reasonable compromise.
    • hmmmm.... maybe there is a way to skin that cat 🙀 let me think on it... unless anyone else has any ideas? I left the opening in the side of the base and ring quite large to maybe allow you to grip the crown, but appreciate this may not always be possible, especially for small movements where the crown will not extend past the outer wall of the holder. I noticed this also, but after using the holder for a while I noticed that the ring/holder began to wear into shape (rough edges/bumps worn off) and the size became closer to the desired movement OD. Maybe with some trial and error we could add 0.5 mm (??) to the movement OD to allow for this initial bedding-in?
    • Hi nickelsilver, thanks for the great explanation and the links! I'll take a good look in the article.  Especially this is great news to hear! Looking through forums and youtube videos I was informed to 'fist find a case and then fit a movement for it'. But seems that's not the case for pocket watches at least?  I guess I should be looking to find some 'male square bench keys' for now. I was thinking of winding the mainspring using a screwdriver directly, but I found a thread that you've replied on, saying that it could damage the spring. 
    • Murks, The rate and amplitude look OK, and the amplitude should improve once the oils you have used get a chance to move bed-in, also I notice that you are using default 52 degrees for the lift angle, if you get the real lift angle (assuming it's not actually 52) this will change your amplitude - maybe higher, maybe lower. I notice that the beat error is a little high, but not crazy high. At the risk of upsetting the purists, if the balance has an adjustment arm I would go ahead and try and get this <0.3 ms, but if it does not have an adjustable arm then I would probably leave well alone. Just my opinion.
×
×
  • Create New...