Jump to content

Seiko 6309A Pallet fork not locking?

BillM
 Share

Recommended Posts

BillM WRT Addict

BillM

Posted
Posted

Hi there,

I am rebuilding a Seiko 6309A movement and have it all cleaned and mostly back together, however after installing the pallet fork I noticed that when I add a bit of power to the gear train the pallet fork oscillates back and forth without stopping/ locking. I installed the balance anyway and tried to get to run, but of course it will not run correctly.

Any ideas about what might be the issue here and how to fix it? 

I'm new and have not come across this before, so any help would be greatly appreciated.  

Thank you,

Bill

OK, well I figured it out, one pallet stone was slightly out of place. Not sure how it got moved, clearly I did it somehow.

I was able to move it back into place and it works fine now. 

It felt like the stone was still held tightly, so I don't think I'll need to redo the shellac. 

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

BillM

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Yes, I agree, I've never done that before, so I’m in research mode right now.  Looking at making a pallet warmer, hopefully I can just re-melt what’s there and that’ll tighten it back up.  

Edited by BillM
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BillM WRT Addict

BillM

Posted
  • Author
Posted

OK, So I made a simple pallet warmer and tried to re-melt the shellac, but the stuff just would not melt, in fact one piece came loose and I put that piece on a separate
copper plate and tried to melt it, it simply got darker and darker but did not melt.
So I guess I'll have to order some shellac and and replace what's on the pallet currently.
Great learning experience, sure hope I don't mess it up, LOL!

1D817873-81B1-4FEA-B8B8-14984B52E40F.jpeg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JohnR725 Distinguished Member

JohnR725

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, BillM said:

So I made a simple pallet warmer and tried to re-melt the shellac, but the stuff just would not melt

It don't actually know but it's very possible that your pallet fork has epoxy not shellac. Because normally when heated up it should melt there can be variations in the quality a shellac but it should melt eventually.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BillM WRT Addict

BillM

Posted
  • Author
Posted
8 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

It don't actually know but it's very possible that your pallet fork has epoxy not shellac. Because normally when heated up it should melt there can be variations in the quality a shellac but it should melt eventually.

Hmmm, ya I didn’t think of that for some reason, but makes complete sense now that you said it.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BillM WRT Addict

BillM

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I found this old container of flake shellac in my late fathers stuff and tried to melt it, strangely it will not melt, it gets soft and then turns to rubber and then just crumbles. 
I used a very controlled heat plate with a thermocouple, not just an open flame.  
it also does not dissolve in isopropyl alcohol. What the heck? 
 

8CD9B3D4-E597-424A-89A7-FD4056BBBFF1.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JohnR725 Distinguished Member

JohnR725

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, BillM said:

isopropyl alcohol. What the heck? 

Isopropyl alcohol has amusing properties. If you look up on woodworking groups there are Some people that claim it will dissolve the shellac. But that alcohol is used as the final rinse as our cleaning machine at work and it does not dissolve the shellac. But I know the shellac itself very use even the watchmakers kind varies over time and because watchmakers acquirer old stuff that can be quite a bit of time were some is better than others.

My current favorite is one of the watchmakers locally purchased a pound or so of  flake shellac from the woodworking store and gave everyone a little bag of it. This stuff melts beautifully and flows really nice. You put a little chip on top of the fork and just heated up and it flows beautifully.

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BillM WRT Addict

BillM

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, dadistic said:

Different stuff than watchmakers use. To dissolve this, use ethanol, or denatured alcohol (ethanol with nasty stuff to keep you from drinking it).

Cheers!

I have some soaking in Methanol and it’s not devolving in that either.   
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BillM WRT Addict

BillM

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I received my new shellac today and ran some tests, this stuff melts great and works best at 110c-115c (made a new pallet heater too).

Everything went well, got bit too much on one stone, but it looks ok.
I left the original "epoxy" in place and just added new shellac at the back of the stones. (some shellac flowed over and around that old epoxy). The stones now feel tight and look ok to me.
I installed the pallet and ballance and everything is back up and running. 
Thanks for the help-
Bill

P1180004.JPG

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Topics

  • Posts

    • 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. 
    • Neverenoughwatches
      Part swapper to part maker

      By Neverenoughwatches · Posted

      Oh and this almost perfect third wheel pivot and slightly set mainspring  Ah ok yes i see what you mean, good idea. I'll try that if i fluff this one up. The image isn't great quality but i like the idea though.
    • RichardHarris123
      Part swapper to part maker

      By RichardHarris123 · Posted

      Why cut the paper, cut a square around the image and grind to it. 
×
×
  • Create New...