Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

I’ve been searching for all three hands for a 1934 Westclox Dax pocket watch a friend gave me but have had no luck. 
the hour hand hole is huge @ 2.35mm and no one seems to carry hands that size. 
the watch is in bad shape but I’m cleaning and rebuilding it anyway, mostly for practice.  
I’ve looked at eBay for a downer watch but they all are too much $$.

Any suggestions?
 

Thanks,

Bill. 

Posted

Evening BillM,

Have you a picture of the Dax? I've recently got working an Ingersoll "Junior" from around 1910 and over Christmas an Ingersoll "Crown" from the 1940's.

Did Westclox make movements for other brands? I only mention it as Ingersoll and Smiths in Wales were associated many years ago and I was able to chop and change parts to get the "Crown" working again. It may be a case of being able to hunt down a cheaper less known version. Alternatively if you're not fussed about the exact hands I'm sure you'll be able to use hands although cosmetically different from another Westclox model.

Good luck 

Posted

Evening Bearman, 

Here’s a photo of the watch. I just finished putting it back together after a badly needed cleaning.  
I do not really care if the hands are not original, I just can’t find any the right size. 

I have no idea if Westclox mad movements for other brands.  
 

I’ll probably end up buying one of the Westclox watches off eBay, I just need to find one cheap.   

0880763D-892E-4107-BB2A-56AE04C76856.jpeg

36FE7AA7-2BB9-46BE-8DBE-7C67D69D930F.jpeg

  • Like 1
Posted

Hello BillM, By coincidence I had a Westclox "Pocket Ben" arrive in the post today. I won't upset you and say how much I got it for!

I think it's from the 1920's 30's it still works which is great. I also noticed is has the same movement as yours, no doubt the hands from this one would fit yours. I do know Westclox changed the movements on later "Dax's" and "Pocket Bens". If you can track one down of a similar vintage I'd think you'd be ok.

20220112_180530.jpg

20220112_180630.jpg

Posted

Bearman, well that’s at least encouraging, thanks. 
i just purchased this one off eBay ( got it at best offer for $15). So I won’t complain, a set of hands alone would cost that. So hopefully these hands fit. 

Bill

 

DA8148B0-243D-4D5C-80C7-E88067743FB9.png

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • it would be nice to have the exact model of the watch the or a picture so we can see exactly what you're talking about. this is because the definition of Swiss watch could be a variety of things and it be helpful if we could see exactly the watch your dealing with then in professional watch repair at least some professionals they do pre-cleaned watches. In other words the hands and dial come off and the entire movement assembled goes through a cleaning machine sometimes I think a shorter bath perhaps so everything is nice and clean for disassembly makes it easier to look for problems. Then other professionals don't like pre-cleaning because it basically obliterates the scene of the crime. Especially when dealing with vintage watches where you're looking for metal filings and problems that may visually go away with cleaning. Then usually super sticky lubrication isn't really a problem for disassembly and typically shouldn't be a problem on a pallet fork bridge because there shouldn't be any lubrication on the bridge at all as you typically do not oil the pallet fork pivots.  
    • A few things you should find out before you can mske a decision of what to do. As Richard said, what is the crown and all of the crown components made of . Then also the stem .  The crown looks to have a steel washer that retains a gasket. So be careful with what chemicals you use to dissolve any stem adhesives or the use of heat. You might swell or melt the gasket unless you are prepared to change that also . The steel washer maybe reactive to alum. Something I've just used to dissolve a broken screw from a plate. First drilled out the centre of the screw with a 0.5mm carbide . Dipped only the section that held the broken screw in Rustins rust remover. This is 40 % phosphoric acid. 3 days and the screw remains were completely dissolved, no trace of steel in the brass threads. A black puddle left in the solution.
    • I suppose this will add to the confusion I have a roller jewel assortment. It lists out American pocket watches for Elgin 18 size and even 16 size it's a 50. But not all the various companies used 50-50 does seem to be common one company had a 51 and the smallest is 43. American parts are always interesting? Francis Elgin for mainsprings will tell you the thickness of the spring other companies will not even though the spring for the same number could come in a variety of thicknesses. But if we actually had the model number of your watch we would find it probably makes a reference that the roller jewel came in different dimensions. So overlook the parts book we find that? So it appears to be 18 and 16 size would be the same sort of the arson different catalog numbers and as I said we don't have your Mongol know which Log number were supposed to be using. Variety of materials garnered her sapphire single or double but zero mention about diameters. Then in a section of rollers in this case rollers with jewels we do get this down in the notes section Roller specifications but of course zero reference to the jewel size. I was really hoping the roller jewel assortment would give us sizes it doesn't really. But it does show a picture of how one particular roller jewel gauge is used  
    • Seems to still do it through my mobile data, I use an android phone almost exclusively, but I'll double check it. Thanks mark Strange, I'll try my laptop that utilities edge. I've been on site half hour since I got home, it hasn't done it yet. Thanks John
    • At work, I'm on MS Edge, not through chose, on my phone, chrome, no issues with either. 
×
×
  • Create New...