Fusee English Lever Pocket Watch Reassembly - Part 1

[Profundus]

As promised, here's the reassembly of the watch who's fusee I posted photos of:

 

First, here's the bottom plate with the fusee, centre wheel, lever, escape wheel & 4th wheel in position:

 

 

and the fusee ratchet paw on the top plate:

 

The plates are joined & pivots located in their holes & pins replaced. (This watch was a non-runner when I got it & the lever had a rather badly bent pivot which I straightened & I'm hoping this was the only problem stopping it running):

 

 

At this stage it's best to fit the 3rd wheel bridge, solely to protect the 4th wheel pivot which also has it's hole in the bridge:

 

 

Next fit the barrel:

 

 

and the barrel bridge:

 

 

Next the fusee chain needs fitting - the hook end goes in the fusee & the pointy barb end in the notch on the barrel

 

 

Apologies but it's not possible to photograph the actual chain fitting, but after fitting fit the blued steel barrel ratchet, add some tension (say half a turn of the ratchet) then screw in the ratchet click to hold it in place:

 

 

 

Now fit the 3rd wheel & replace the bridge:

 

 

At this point it's worth winding some chain onto the fusee & check that the lever snaps to & fro with a little movement of it with a cocktail stick...this shows that power is getting through the train. Then the balance wheel can be fitted - the staff has a safety roller & jewel peg like a Swiss lever escapement:

 

 

Here the balance cock has been fitted & it's ticking nicely

 

 

Part two will come later when I'm satisfied all is well which will take a few days of windings...I'm not 100% happy with it at the moment as after running for a minute or so it kept losing power to the lever & stopping...having said that, after some fiddling it's running now...it could be that the fusee is not giving maintaining power...if it continues to play up I'll have to strip it down again & investigate....anyway, hope that was interesting!

 

 

 

 

 

[Geo]

You're doing an excellent job David, both on the watch and the walkthrough. I have two pocket watches that were my fathers, this put me in the mood to do a bit of antique horologising! :)

[Profundus]

Thanks Geo! Touch wood it's still running.....

[bobm12]

Great walkthrough! Keep them coming!

 

Cheers

 

Bob

[clockboy]

Great post really interesting.

[autowind]

Fascinating,  nice to see such an old watch given a new lease of life.

 

I'm sure I read that children used to make the fusee chains as they had good eyesight,  maybe someone else could confirm this? 

[Geo]

I'm sure I read that children used to make the fusee chains as they had good eyesight, maybe someone else could confirm this?

It wouldn't surprise me if they were involved Roger, fusee chains were made using cottage industry in the early days. Edited March 2, 2015 by Geo

[Profundus]

That's true so the story goes....frequently by candlelight I heard!

 

I once repaired a broken one by re-riveting links & suddenly developed enormous respect for whoever made them....even with a decent light & a loupe my thumb looked like a raspberry afterwards from hitting it & the swear-box was full.

 

I believe there's a book called "The chain gang" describing the fusee chain industry which I'll treat myself to one day.

[MortenS]

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing :)

 

Morten

[frenchie]

Funny, I'm working on one right now. Both the mainspring and the hairspring are broken, not sure how to source parts for such an old watch, but it's part of the fun :)

 

Anyways, do you do anything to the chain before putting it back ? Is lubrication of any sort necessary ? How about cleaning ?

[Profundus]

Hi!

I tend to pick up old movements off eBay to harvest parts from, it's the only real way. There's a website oldwatchparts that sometimes has parts. I've made the odd simple part from filing an old bit of steel but wheels, staffs I wouldn't know where to start with!

The chain I soak in petrol for 24hrs then oil with clock oil...I wouldn't know if that's "correct" as such but it seems to work. A really stiff chain needs longer soak & slow gentle working in of oil afterwards. Be careful & work the oil in with the edge uppermost otherwise the chain can become concave.

Hope that helps!

[oldhippy]

A nice step by step with good pictures. The pivots on these watches are very important in order for them to run well they need to be burnished. Don't expect the balance to rotate the way a modern watch would these old pocket watches are quite slow in rotation. 

I always cleaned the chain in the watch cleaner and I would oil it by running it through an oiled piece of old clean cloth.

[canthus]

Nice pics and well done.  Getting the main plates together is very tricky indeed and much patience is required!  I know as I broke a lever pivot on mine and still not got a new staff made.

I found the following book very helpful for all stages or disassembly and assembly of this type of movement. It has a full chapter on English Lever Fusee Movement

THE POCKET WATCH by Christopher Barrow

 

 

Edited May 10, 2016 by canthus

[vinn3]

very good  show ! !