Westclox, my first pocket watch repair

[Neverenoughwatches]

First pocket watch under my belt, listening to the tic-toc is so satisfying.  The timing is all over the place as is the trace, but i managed to capture a photo of the tg rate at 0 seconds per , so I'm avin that one . Taking bets as to the amount of power reserve and timing in my pocket.

[rehajm]

What’s it like pendant up?

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, rehajm said:

What’s it like pendant up?

Still looks like a pocket watch only stood up

[Neverenoughwatches]

Pleased with how this has turned out, the quality is poor , a few modifications needed , mostly around the hairspring and getting it to breathe unobstructed. I thought i could install the balance with the top plate on by unscrewing the bottom bearing for the balance. Very awkward indeed, i even filed a lip off the bottom plate where it penatrated  but that still didn't give enough room to install it safely. In the end i unscrewed three plate screws and wedged paper between the top plate and bottom pillars to enable me to just sneak the balance between the plates. On top of that some adjustment to the time setting lever parts that wouldn't allow the pendant to pull out easily. Only getting around 18 hours of run time , but in that the movement had gained just one minute. The time set is stiff as is the winding mechanism,  with no reference I dont know how it should be. I need to have a crack at another one...............but which ?

[rehajm]

14 hours ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Still looks like a pocket watch only stood up

How amusing for you…

[Neverenoughwatches]

9 hours ago, rehajm said:

How amusing for you…

Only joke rehajm only a joke, dont take it personally 🏳.  I didn't check any other positions reason being it wasn't important to me what the tg reading were, not with something like this. But pandant up would have made more sense with it being the watch's main uasage position.

[Neverenoughwatches]

Next one in line ,  younger 60s 70s Ingersoll Triumph similar layout and design but just as poorly built as the Westclox .  Whats wrong with this picture  ?

[mbwatch]

I find the Ingersoll movements to be the most friendly dollar movements to work on (over Ingraham and Westclox). Though the keyless design is weirder and requires standing a rectangular winding pinion plate into two foot holes against spring tension to get the plates together while also aligning all the pivots, the mechanisms work better than that stupid sliding bar thing you found in the Westclox and similar in Ingraham.

I don't think I have seen an Ingersoll as recent as 60s/70s though. I've only worked on 20s-40s.

Edited September 24, 2024 by mbwatch

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, mbwatch said:

I find the Ingersoll movements to be the most friendly dollar movements to work on (over Ingraham and Westclox). Though the keyless design is weirder and requires standing a rectangular winding pinion plate into two foot holes against spring tension to get the plates together while also aligning all the pivots, the mechanisms work better than that stupid sliding bar thing you found in the Westclox and similar in Ingraham.

I don't think I have seen an Ingersoll as recent as 60s/70s though. I've only worked on 20s-40s.

The westclox had a similar winding pinion set into a plate The pendant doesn't remove on this one, fixed into the case but is split with a bottom half that is spring loaded and connects to the top half of the stem by two cutouts in each half. To get the movement out of the case i had to slide a hoop of copper wire between the winding pinion and clutch to seperate the two halves of the stem. I have to work out now how to lift the pallet fork so it doesn't rub on the safety roller, i think bending the fork up is my only option.  The 60's production is a bit of a guess, considering the condition of this, looks like its been stuck in a drawer hardly used , probably this fork/roller issue.

[mbwatch]

49 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

To get the movement out of the case i had to slide a hoop of copper wire between the winding pinion and clutch to seperate the two halves of the stem

Oh that's unusual. The older ones had a similar design (if I get your description) but the pendant just had a wide protrusion that fit loosely into a slot on on the springy winding pinion, like a fat screwdriver blade. So the movement could be dropped right out because the two were not affixed, and to put it in you just turned the crown until the two slotted together.

[Neverenoughwatches]

1 hour ago, mbwatch said:

Oh that's unusual. The older ones had a similar design (if I get your description) but the pendant just had a wide protrusion that fit loosely into a slot on on the springy winding pinion, like a fat screwdriver blade. So the movement could be dropped right out because the two were not affixed, and to put it in you just turned the crown until the two slotted together.

Yep thats what i have mb,  my description probably misled . I wasn't sure how well the movement would come out as the spring has a lot of tension, the copper spacer hoop kept the two pieces of the stem and pendant seperate, all i had to do was lift the case up free once the four securing screws were removed.

[Neverenoughwatches]

Bending the fork slightly up to clear the safety roller.