First time pocket watch service

[bsoderling]

Hi guys,

 

Summer coming to an end and time to switch hobbies a bit...

 

Decided to attempt service on one of the old pw’s I have collected over the years.

 

It’s a simple small cylinder movement, so shouldn’t be to difficult.

 

But as a first, there are things new to me.

 

Not sure how one is supposed to remove the cannon pinion, if that’s what is needed. There are no edges to get a grip.

 

Or does this come a part in some other way?

 

Photos are attached.

 

 

 

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[watchweasol]

A Nice little cylinder movement,  One way to remove the canon pinion without the proper tool is to use a pin vice and using a vertical lift as any side ways movement could either bend or snap  The shaft.     the folowing link will explain the procedure         thttps://wahawatches.com/how-to-safely-remove-the-cannon-pinion/#

[bsoderling]

Thanks,

I usually don have a problem with these when working on common wrist watches. I use my modified nail clipper (just filed a circular hole between the cutting edges) but that relies heavily on there being some kind of recess or edge on the cylindrical part of the pinion. If not, as with this one, it just slips as you try to pull straight up.

Won’t a pin vice also slip ? I don’t have one, otherwise would of course try... :-)

Doesn’t the tools in the link also depend on a ”grip” to work?

I was thinking of getting my hands remover tools in under the pinion teeth but that only work from one side and will likely bend the wheel shaft if I try to pry the pinion upwards.




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[nickelsilver]

On this watch there is a pin that goes all the way through the center pinion. The canon pinion it very tightly fitted to it on the dial side, the square at the other side is for key setting. The end of the pin is sticking out the top of the canon pinion, the minute hand fits there. A sharp tap on the protruding bit will knock it through enough that the canon pinion will lift off. The pin can be pulled out the rear of the center pinion now.

[Nucejoe]

Is removal neccessary? If no side shake, I just leave it where it is.

[HSL]

There has been a question about this one a couple of times, here you can see the previous post.

when you come to the barrel it should be a post about that one too.. 

[bsoderling]

Cool...:-).

I have the staking set and will give it a try.

And should that fail there’s always the option to leave it and just eat that feeling of being sloppy again. It does happen to me, too often... :-)




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[HSL]

Just make sure the wheel goes free in the staking set.  Just realized one really cant see the movement is on a metal ring while on the staking set. One need some space to drive conical pivot out from the cannon pinion.
Otherwise its a nice piece to practice on. 
You are lucky the finger on the Geneva stop work still is whole, that one usually is broken off.

[bsoderling]

Thanks for pointing that out! Another one of those stupid and too easily made mistakes.

I read something about that stop function. Clever device...and I guess that finger has to take all the force when one is trying to ”overwind”. No wonder it breaks off...




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[HSL]

I think the finger/pin breaks just because one doesn’t think about this being a cylinder escapement, since it doesn't have any pallet fork locking the train it will run like a carousel on steroids when taking of the balance bridge and balance. When starting to run it is hard to stop since there is no key in place to prevent the mainspring to unwind. One just has to keep ones fingers the pin holds when it comes to a stop.  But this is just a wild theory!

[jdrichard]

I have in the past tapped the top of the center wheel pinion with a stake to loosen a cannon pinion that I was having a real hard time removing. A dangerous move for sure.


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[bsoderling]

Hi again,

Mission completed, a light tap on the end sticking out from the pinion worked and the pinion came loose.

Next item... there is no screw holding the h/s stud in the bridge. Is that also just press fit and need to be pushed out from top side?

I suppose I would tap or push on the round part in the photo?

This is delicate stuff and not easy to manage with the wheel hanging in the h/s. The jewels on the main plate were really grimy so I presume it’s the same here.

If worst comes to worst, I might take the easy (sloppy..) path and just put the whole thing in the ultrasonic as it is and hope it cleans well enough.






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[nickelsilver]

It's a pain, but you have to unpin the hairspring to get the balance off. I've never understood how not fixing the stud with a screw saved enough money to make it worth leaving off. Last one I did needed a new hairspring and I just took a few minutes and drilled and tapped for a stud screw and replaced the stud!

[bsoderling]

Ouch...that hurt!

I have unpinned a couple of wrist watch movements and managed to get them back again. But it’s not something I enjoy. Will have to think about this....

I worked for many years with a guy doing fine mech designs. Many times I had the feeling his designs came out as they did with the purpose that he would be the only one able to service them later on, as a kind of work insurance.

I suppose the watch industry back then may have worked along the same lines?




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