Wonky Hands

[Gary]

Hi All!

 

I have just finished disassembly and reassembly of an old Marvin watch I purchased. Now ticking and running with a quick quarter wind. However, it seems the hour hand may be a bit wobbly and at some time contact the hour hand causing an issue. Am I correct this may need tightening? Fault finding is on going learning for me.

 

Thanks,

Gary

[WillFly]

Hi Gary - you wrote: the hour hand may be a bit wobbly and at some time contact the hour hand causing an issue

 

Did you mean to say the minute hand may be a bit wobbly?

 

If the minute hand is wobbly then it may be a loose canon pinion which needs tightening - or the minute hand may be set too low and catching on the hour hand as it passes it - or the minute hand may be loose on the pinion and need bushing.

 

I'm sure there may be other reasons as well!

[Gary]

Yes Will. Sorry, didn't catch that earlier. Seems the hour hand after a few rotations becomes higher on one side and catches the minute hand. Will try to post photos later but I am going to take the hands off again tonight and take another look. 

 

Gary

[Gary]

3015_Marvin 540 (2)png.pdfAlso, another question. This movement seemed to have a missing jewel cap or at least I thought. However looking at the diagram of the movement and the shading it may as though not have two but only one. Any thoughts? 

[Willyrover]

If you nudge the hour hand with a toothpick does it turn loosely on the hour wheel or does it grip tightly? It should be fixed fairly tightly onto the hour wheel. 

 

If it slips you need to close the hole in the hand in very small increments until it grips the hour wheel. 

 

For flat hands like most minute hands use a staking set with a flat punch and stump. A few gentle taps "spreads" the metal enough to close the hole slightly.

 

Hour hands with a "tube" extending from the hole you'd have to close the tube slightly. I've used a staking set for this as well but it takes a little improvising. 

[Willyrover]

A 15 jewel watch would have cap jewels on both ends of the balance staff. 

 

Looks like 5439 and 5443 hold the cap jewels.

 

In fact I have never seen a jewelled balance without cap jewels on both ends. 

Edited March 24, 2015 by Willyrover

[anilv]

Just a thought...is the dial washer present? If it is does it have a nice curve?

This can cause the hour hand to touch the minute wheel.

Anil

[Gary]

If you look at the diagram on the right, the dial side, the cap jewel, seems the cap jewel on the right side of the movement doesn't look to be included?? At least the shading is different. Thoughts?

 

Thank you as always.

 

Gary

[Geo]

Just a thought...is the dial washer present? If it is does it have a nice curve?

My thoughts too Anil.

[Gary]

I think there is no dial washer present. Just thought about that...don't remember seeing that upon reassembly.

[Willyrover]

[Gary]

All,

Thank you for the direction! I replaced the dial washer and have tried repositioning the hands. They are still not quite right. The hour hand has a cylinder type hole and the edges are shaggy and has a lot of burrs. I tried last night to clean it up and tighten it with a pair of cuticle nips I have for small jobs. All was working well for a few hours under glass and I recased the movement and now it stops running. Going to be ongoing I think. 

 

Willyrover, thank you for your post above. This is a 15 movement so I am assuming it does not include that jewel cap for the escape whee pivot. That clears that up and it wasn't missing a piece. 

 

I do think I may need some new hands. These have the dauphine look but not sure if they have the cylinder type hole on all dauphine hands?

 

Thank you again! I am very grateful for this forum and all the help you generously bestow upon us!

 

Gary

[Gary]

Photo- I have  issues uploading photos sometimes. Dialogue box that tells me I don't have permissions. 

Here is the wonky handed watch! :sick:  :sick:

[Willyrover]

If it ran well under glass but stops in the case maybe the sweep second is touching the crystal? Or the minute hand is catching on the hour hand as it passes?

 

Or the dial washer is creating too much friction between the hour wheel and the underside of the dial?

[Gary]

I must admit my dial washer did have quite the curve! LOL

[WillFly]

I have a Marvin Hermetic - with a slightly different dial but obviously from the same stable - and the hands are quite different. It may be (and I could be completely wrong here) that the hands on yours have been replaced at some time. It's no big deal because Dauphine hands are also nice - but the hands being replaced might just explain a looseness if they weren't quite the right size.

 

http://www.willswatchpages.com/marvin-520.html

[Gary]

I like your taste Will! Mine needs cleaning up and polishing but I haven't progressed enough in skills to tackle this one!

[anilv]

The numbers on the dial looked well lumed and coupled with the 24hour secondary numbers, this is usually indicative of a 'military' styled watch. Therefore my thoughts are that the hands are not original to the watch as lumed dials need to go with lumed hands!

 

I read that you tried to 'crimp' the hand tube using nail-cutters... Gripping boths sides on the hand 'tube' and squeezing will result in two tights spots around the circumference and the hand will pivot on these. What you're aiming for is good grip all round. A pin vise can be used to apply pressure equally around the tube but if you're stuck with nail cutters then grip one edge and give it a gent tweak inwards and work your way around. Only a microscopic amount of movement is required. If you can see it then it's too much!

 

Ideally you would need new hands..it would make a world of difference!

 

Anil

[Gary]

Anil,

I thank you for your post. I am going to have to agree. When  I had the movement out of the case the hands seem large in comparison to the watch dial. I think I am going to find some thinner hands and more appropriately proportioned for the dial. 

Gary