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Mainspring Arbour Ratchet wheel Screw will not Loosen

jdrichard
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jdrichard Distinguished Member

jdrichard

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Disassembling for servicing a 21 J Hamilton Pocket Watch and the Ratchet Wheel Screw, that screws into the mainspring arbour is so tight or ceased that I am afraid to  turn it harder for fear of the screw head shearing off. Any advice. I have the plate off with the barrel currently attached.

HELP:)

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Neverenoughwatches Distinguished Member

Neverenoughwatches

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On 6/6/2023 at 4:02 PM, jdrichard said:

Disassembling for servicing a 21 J Hamilton Pocket Watch and the Ratchet Wheel Screw, that screws into the mainspring arbour is so tight or ceased that I am afraid to  turn it harder for fear of the screw head shearing off. Any advice. I have the plate off with the barrel currently attached.

HELP:)

Heat, lubrication penetration and vibration. Hot oil in a jar in an ultrasonic,  sounds like an interesting experiment.

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LittleWatchShop Distinguished Member

LittleWatchShop

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On 6/6/2023 at 10:02 AM, jdrichard said:

Disassembling for servicing a 21 J Hamilton Pocket Watch and the Ratchet Wheel Screw, that screws into the mainspring arbour is so tight or ceased that I am afraid to  turn it harder for fear of the screw head shearing off. Any advice. I have the plate off with the barrel currently attached.

HELP:)

Any update on this?

I had a similar issue with a Waltham that used a two-piece arbor.  Ultimately, I broke the head but was able to get the remaining screw out.  Here is the thread. May not be much help. 

I would probably chuck the arbor in a lathe and then, using a chuck-holding tailstock, chuck up a screwdriver blade.  Bring the blade into contact with the screw on the arbor--a tight fit.  Lock the tailstock.  Then, by hand, rotate the headstock spindle to unscrew.  Using the lathe just keeps everything aligned and in tight contact.

 

 

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Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

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 Phopheric acid in Coca-Cola breaks molecules in oil/ fat , (thats how it helps digest food). Coke gains access to molecules embeded deep as it breaks the ones in the front.

Give it 48hrs to complete its  job, a few minutes in untrasonic wouldn't do the same.

 

 

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Nucejoe Distinguished Member

Nucejoe

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2 hours ago, jdrichard said:

Update. The ultrasonic cleaner got the screw out but seemed to damage the look of the ratchet wheel???

Ultrasonic will also damage  SOME  balance pivots.  Damage seems to be due to vibrations , not the cleaning solution.

 A research a member with good microscpoe can do is; to put bunch of damaged  balances ( the kind on which staffs are not replacable)  in ultrasonic and show us image of pivots before and after ultrasonic bath.  

 

 

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jdrichard Distinguished Member

jdrichard

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59 minutes ago, Nucejoe said:

Ultrasonic will also damage  SOME  balance pivots.  Damage seems to be due to vibrations , not the cleaning solution.

 A research a member with good microscpoe can do is; to put bunch of damaged  balances ( the kind on which staffs are not replacable)  in ultrasonic and show us image of pivots before and after ultrasonic bath.  

 

 

I actually have not use my ultrasonic for watch straps and cases. I think the cavitation tuned the look of the ratchet wheel.

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