Jump to content

Balance install tips?


Recommended Posts

Hi,

I’m working on a simple pocket watch movement and am having a very hard time getting the impulse jewel into the pallet cock fork and then getting the pivots into the jewels and every thing staying in place, especially the impulse jewel. 
I’ve performed this several times on other watches, but this one is just being a pain ( not that they all weren’t a pain). 
Im a novice and would appreciate any tips, tricks you guys use to make this more simple. 
Thanks much,

Bill. 
the below photo is before I installed the pallet cock.  
CECA0535-D0C9-4E63-9650-664B82D63711.thumb.jpeg.72b712ed1c304d70a7bebb6c78737245.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi What I doand hav little trouble is to align the fork to the out stde edge of the watch pick up the balance on the dangle and slip it in to the fork and then lower into the lower jewel, usually works but not always, just takes a steady hand and patience. I suppose we all have our own way of doing it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 Depending on the movement, you might instal just the train gears and its bridge first, you would have access to gears from both sides of the bridge, next test the train and if its alright proceed with putting in the barrel  and its bridge then. Sometimes you might need to loosen the screws to the train bridge a bit to slide the barrel in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You do not need to fit the balance with the impulse jewel between the horns on the pallet fork. I don't know anyone who does that.

Try setting the fork to one side or the other. Then bring the balance into position and drop the lower pivot into place, but rotated 90 degrees, so the impulse jewel is well outside the fork, in the direction you set it. Now carefully rotate the cock into position and get the upper pivot into it's hole.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • I've bought brands like Citizen, Seiko, Titoni, Tissot, Roamer. Strange thing is many of them were using ST96 movements. I'm not sure if the ST96 is original to that model or whether it was a replacement movement.  All the watches with nice looking dials were obviously refurbished, after-market dials. And all of them had over-polished watchcases. Some of them had non-original hairsprings, rejewelled pallet forks, watch crystals that don't fit and glued in with a generous amount of glue. One of them was totally not working because the pallet jewel was loose to the point that it almost fell off. But the sellers were very nice. The seller of the non-working watch gave me a complete refund. Some of them gave partial refunds. I would say don't by luxury watches on the internet, regardless of the country the seller is from. Don't believe the "serviced by master watchmaker" statement. Have realistic expectations. ( Do expect the occasional complete junk.) Do expect to do a complete overhaul and major repairs. Otherwise, watches from Mumbai are great. For clocks.... I'm not so sure.
    • In 2020,I picked up an Orient Mako II online. It ran at +15 seconds per day and after 3 years of resets more than weekly, it was time to crack the seal and take a shot at regulating it. Not having a timegrapher, I used a spreadsheet to track the time, referenced the Canadian NRC website, wore the watch between adjustments, and used the back end of some tweezers to lightly tap the regulator daily until it ran to within one second per day.   Two months later, it’s still running to within 1 second per day when measured over a week or longer, while daily variations are up to 9 seconds per day. For my purposes, its overall stability is surprisingly good. Is this method of adjustment “better” than adjusting to 5 positions using a timegrapher, since during the adjustment period the watch is already in the environment in which it’ll be used? Rob in Winnipeg 
    • Nice file  Just got old pocket watch in and tools,  can I get it back together or should I give up.  we'll see  thanks for the info
    • @HectorLooi Yes, I would say that Mumbai has the highest liquidity in terms used watches. How was your experience with these used watches and what watch brands did you buy used? I have always found the vintage luxury watch segment in India a bit shady. Quite a few are genuine watches with genuine matching parts but just not from the same one.
    • Interesting interpretation of "traditional". I would say that Loctite is definitely the up-to-date and appropriate stuff to use, however, it is a relatively modern solution. Before the advent of such esoteric solutions I believe that the "traditional" thread locker of choice may well have been a sugar solution. Once applied the water would evaporate and the sugar would crystalise, locking the threads tight.
×
×
  • Create New...