Jump to content

Busted curb pin hole

JohnC

By JohnC
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

 Share

Recommended Posts

JohnC WRT Addict

JohnC

Posted
Posted

Hi all, this is a picture of an 1883 18s Waltham regulator. I have the pin, but just sliding it in is not an option since the lip of the hole has been broken off. If I slide it in it goes too deep - almost out the other side. What do you advise? Thanks.

IMG_20210427_150929787_HDR.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KarlvonKoln Distinguished Member

KarlvonKoln

Posted
Posted

I was thinking about the stakes we use for hole closing.  Now, jewel holes and hand holes are fairly large compared to the little pin hole in your Waltham's regulator, but the principle would be the same, if you have a hole-closing stake.  BUT...(caveat)...you might find it easier and better to fabricate a new set of pins if they are so loose as what you say.  And easier still would be to locate a regulator from a matching movement that had its pins solidly in place already, and save those other ideas for if the replacement cannot be found.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
nickelsilver Distinguished Member

nickelsilver

Posted
Posted

In almost all cases the pins are tapered, as John says, and the holes are usually straight as the pin conforms to its size as it's pushed in. The holes are just holes. If the pin worked loose, which can happen when manipulating them, the one real solution is to insert a new pin. I have millions so have never ordered but the supply houses do sell assortments. To install, place the regulator on a bench block with the pin holes over a hole, slide in pin, grip just above the hole with stout tweezers and press some more, trim (hairspring cutting tweezers are best) leaving maybe 0.10-0.15mm proud, then press again. Now you would usually repolish the regulator to get them flush, but you can trim any excess with a razor blade. Trim the length at the hairspring side and it's done.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

Posted
Posted

I consider the overall condition and worth of the watch, if well, it might be well worth replacing the regu arm with a new one. 

I also hate to see a staking set get damaged when trying to close a hole on $5 regu arm.

What I hate the most, is to help someone ruin a watch.?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
nickelsilver Distinguished Member

nickelsilver

Posted
Posted

I don't think a little tap from punch on this will hurt the punch at all. I am about 100% certain that in closing the hole, even a tiny bit, a sharp lip will be formed in the hole, which will neatly shave the pin as it's pushed in and the pin will be as loose or looser than before.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JohnC WRT Addict

JohnC

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Guys, thanks for all your comments. At the suggestion of a friend, I ended up ever so slightly flattening the wide end of the taper pin using a knife-edge punch (the same as you might use to tighten a cannon pinion). It now frictions nicely and isn't visible because the flattened part is fully in the hole. I've got the pins adjusted so the watch should run. If it's problematic then the hole is undamaged, so I can just source a new pin.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JohnC WRT Addict

JohnC

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

PS Sorry @JohnR725 I mean the edge of the hole. You can see it in that image on the right-hand-side of the hole. It was just widened enough by the corrosion to prevent a good friction fit.

And @Nucejoe don't worry, this was a $50 watch that hasn't run in probably 50 years. It has been previously butchered by an absolute idiot. I am only doing good things for it.

Edited by JohnC
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • rjenkinsgb
      Accutron 218 transistors

      By rjenkinsgb · Posted

      Many would disagree: https://www.rohm.com/products/faq-search/faqId/234 https://uk.farnell.com/c/semiconductors-discretes/transistors/bipolar-transistors/pre-biased-digital-bipolar-transistors https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/bipolar-transistors/8232832P?gb=s https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/bipolar-transistors/0580240?gb=s (RS don't have a specific category, but over 1000 "digital transistor" items).  
    • Hawaiikook808
      Seitz Tool - Help determine if Seitz or not

      By Hawaiikook808 · Posted

      Thanks, ManSkirtBrew.  I started looking for a setup like yours and ran across this.  It was about half the price of the JKA Feintaster (depending on what auction you were in), and it's a Bergeon.  I bought it because I thought the price was fair (eBay - Buy it now), and I'm a sucker for vintage tools. It also has a table, so it should be easy to use for measuring jewels. I wonder if the the contact points can be changed out. Bergeon seems to manufacture new tables and accessories for the contemporary dial version. What do you guys think of it? I'm sorry this post seems to have taken a detour. I'm new here so let me know if I should start a new topic.
    • nevenbekriev
      Winding pinion making

      By nevenbekriev · Posted

      This is a flying cutter, usual one. The cutter itself is shown in the pictures in the first message, it is made of broken tungsten carbide drill bit. I asure that all the angles of the cutter are as they should be. I have video - little older one - that I made when onse making the same kind of winding pinion for a Poljot 2200, which is even smaller than this one. It is not easy to see in the video, but the tool rest moves about 1mm towards the object in Y direction and then returns back untill cutter is rotating. Then the spindle is rotated one tooth ahead and everything repeated untill all teeth are cut.
    • Trav2004
      Help Identifying movement

      By Trav2004 · Posted

      After a bit further research could it possibly be an AS 970?
    • Bonefixer
      FHF70 balance jewels settings

      By Bonefixer · Posted

      Latest project was a non-running ebay purchase with an FHF70 movement. I stripped and cleaned it, reassembled it, and got it running. So far so good, nothing damaged AFAIK.  I was oiling the top jewel on the balance (the one in the cock) which was a slightly unusual shock setting. I removed the spring (3 leaves) which was part of a chaton holding the cap jewel. This left the hole jewel behind which I retrieved with rodico and then lost it. I was taking it off the rodico, very gently as I thought, with tweezers, and then it just disappeared.  Fast forward a week, I got a donor movement, non-running, with the plan to just take the shock jewel that I’d lost. It was the same movement but had standard incabloc settings, and was steel rather than copper/brass.  I changed the cock and balance complete and it ran, not very well. I switched the lower jewel setting, cleaned and oiled both jewels and the replacement balance. Without the pallet fork the balance swings very nicely with a puff of air. With the fork in place, balance out, it flicks side to side nicely with power in the mainspring.  Put them together and it doesn’t run. The impulse jewel sits in the fork and it stops.      Any suggestions how I proceed? In case you didn’t follow that I have 2 FHF70 movements, nothing broken as far as I can tell, but mixing up the balance wheels and jewel settings results in a non runner. 
×
×
  • Create New...