Bulova 11BLC....Where did this come from?

[noirrac1j]

Mcass

I just looked at your video again and it looks like the yoke is not properly positioned with the setting lever: Look at the yoke in this picture. Do you see where it meets the setting lever? Check your bulova to see if it looks like this:

Edited April 21, 2016 by noirrac1j
typo again

[mcass]

I'm trying to figure out this whole setting lever setup. I cant really figure out wheat the mechanics of the system are to tell if the are operating correctly at all. There is a spring underneath everything that doesn't appear to do anything.

[mcass]

FIXED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ricardopalamino]

3 hours ago, mcass said:

I'm trying to figure out this whole setting lever setup. I cant really figure out wheat the mechanics of the system are to tell if the are operating correctly at all. There is a spring underneath everything that doesn't appear to do anything.

Atta boy ,....the spring is for the yoke that JC noticed was not properly positioned......

Edited April 22, 2016 by ricardopalamino

[mcass]

Well I got the second hand pinion in and hands on, cased her up, and well.....she stopped. It seems I am running into difficulties inserting the stem and crown I think. I say this because while waiting on the parts for this one I started on a Poljot 3105 and am having similar issues. Gear train seems to run smoothly, balance wheel and pallet fork engaging and operating escape on both movements. Once I put the stem in though, I have winding issues and setting issues. A little surprised with the 11BLC though as I had it running fine for a couple of days. Needed to regulate for sure but havent quite made it that far. Hopefully Ill have time tonight to play with.

[ricardopalamino]

It sounds like you haven't figured out the setting mechanism yet that others have given their opinions on . The way you have described the winding and setting is definitely wrong . It's great that you have it running now , and once you've tackled the setting / winding issues you'll have a runner .

[mcass]

Well that is what is a little surprising Ricardo. I had gotten it to working properly before putting it into the case. I was able to get it to push and pull just fine. I was able to get it to wind from the correct position and set from the correct position. Pulled the stem to case, reinserted it, and then the problems. Basically I can't get it to pull now nor will it wind.

[ricardopalamino]

Hmmm, just possibly when you inserted the stem You inadvertently pushed the clutch at the wrong angle and the yoke came out of the groove in the clutch gear . This is a common problem that most hobbyists have come across at one time or another and we learn to be more ginger / precise in installing the stem . If this is the case you can try installing the stem at an angle and wiggle it about a bit to se if you can coax the clutch wheel into position so the yoke slides into the clutch gear groove correctly . If not then you have to remove the hands , dial , calendar works and inspect and correct what ever is happening with the setting mechanism . Whatever , don't get discouraged or impatient . This is part of the learning curve and you have done well so far . 

[mcass]

Finally....got it going. May need to regulate it a little but so far so good. It may be running a little slow but I can play with it. Pretty excited to say I have officially restored my first watch. Here are the before and after pics.....

[ricardopalamino]

Very Nice....Congratulations on restoring your first watch...

[noirrac1j]

Outstanding! Congratulations...you are now official watch repair aficionado.

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[mcass]

Polishing the crystal was actually more difficult than tearing down and putting the movement back together....LOL. I used flitz polishing paste on the crystal and just rubbed it with my fingertip for literally about 4 hours.

[mcass]

As a matter of fact, if you look at the before pic near the 7 and 8 you will see two very deep spots. They looked like the crystal had been burnt and melted. I was actually able to get those two spots out by polishing with my flitz and finger!

[noirrac1j]

I use polywatch which can give an uneven result if I'm too aggresive with the buffing.

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[mcass]

Just thought of another question...How would I find out if this is the original crown? For some reason it seems to me like it be a replacement. Also if indeed it is, how would I go about finding another that would be like the original or one that is signed?

[ricardopalamino]

http://www.ebay.es/itm/Bulova-oceangrapher-17-jewels-11BLC-for-parts-repair-101593-/131647609204

[mcass]

OK I wore it for a day and am having some issues still. Its definitely running slow which I'm pretty sure I can work through. The problem I am seeing that I am unsure about is it seems that maybe there is some drag on the balance wheel. is there a way to adjust it up or down or the tilt? I hope this makes sense...

[mcass]

Actually still have issues with them stem as well. What actually holds it in? I understand how the levers work for the most part. The piece though that the screw does in though concerns me a little though. Doesnt that lock the stem in? Even after tightening the screw, I tend to pull the stem out too far to set. Wondering if this keyless system is part of the problem with the balance too. It seems to affect something, I dont know what, and changes the movement of the balance.....

[noirrac1j]

32 minutes ago, mcass said:

OK I wore it for a day and am having some issues still. Its definitely running slow which I'm pretty sure I can work through. The problem I am seeing that I am unsure about is it seems that maybe there is some drag on the balance wheel. is there a way to adjust it up or down or the tilt? I hope this makes sense...

Hello,

There should be no drag on the balance wheel. Make sure that there is no dirt on the pivot jewel bearing or even a loose fiber of some sort that has wrapped itself around the balance staff itself--this has occured a few times even though I try to keep a very clean workspace. Clean the balance spring assembly with One-Dip or in lighter fluid (Naptha) and I used compressed air to gently blow all the residual liquid dry. The up-down that you refer to is the endshake, but that is a question of the jeweled endstones and also How tightly screwed onto the plate the balance cock is. Make sure its freely rotating before fully tightening that screw.  There is no way to adjust the tilt.

J

[noirrac1j]

22 minutes ago, mcass said:

Actually still have issues with them stem as well. What actually holds it in? I understand how the levers work for the most part. The piece though that the screw does in though concerns me a little though. Doesnt that lock the stem in? Even after tightening the screw, I tend to pull the stem out too far to set. Wondering if this keyless system is part of the problem with the balance too. It seems to affect something, I dont know what, and changes the movement of the balance.....

The stem goes through the winding pinion and the sliding pinion which is sometimes called the crown wheel. These in turn are held in place by the setting lever (that's the piece with the screw that you loosen to get the stem out), and the yoke--which goes into that grove in the sliding pinion on one end, and has littlenotches that connect with the setting lever on the other. The sliding pinion is geared with the setting wheel, which is geared with an intermiate wheel which is then geared with the minute wheel....A faulty keyless works will directly affect winding, setting in my experience, but probably not the speed of a watch. If perhaps the stem is not properly engaged that might prevent the movement from working, but probaly not cause it to run slow. 

JC

[mcass]

OK tonight just hasnt been my night. Worked on the Bulova to see what was going on with the keyless works and the stopping.In the process I lost the lever spring. Ill find it but had to take a brake from looking. Thought I'd mess with the Karja instead to see if any progress there might kick in a thought on the other. Straightened out the keyless issues on that one as well but cant get the balance to stay swaying. It goes back and forth very smooth and rythmically for about 3-4 seconds and then comes to a stop. Tickle it again and the same thing every time. The Bulova balance is doing the same thing. Two different movements and for the most part all the symptoms are the same....Ugggghhhhh!

[noirrac1j]

Easy does it.

Put them away until another time.

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[ricardopalamino]

Very good advise JC.....

[mcass]

Yep! That's exactly what I did. Put it all away, made a comfortable spot on the couch and watching the 1982 sci-fi flick Bladerunner.

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[diamondslayer]

OK tonight just hasnt been my night. Worked on the Bulova to see what was going on with the keyless works and the stopping.In the process I lost the lever spring. Ill find it but had to take a brake from looking. Thought I'd mess with the Karja instead to see if any progress there might kick in a thought on the other. Straightened out the keyless issues on that one as well but cant get the balance to stay swaying. It goes back and forth very smooth and rythmically for about 3-4 seconds and then comes to a stop. Tickle it again and the same thing every time. The Bulova balance is doing the same thing. Two different movements and for the most part all the symptoms are the same....Ugggghhhhh!

For your experience you are doing an awesome job! When I first started I broke everything! You have been able to take them apart and get them running again. It took me a while to get to where you are! Doing what you have done shows that you have the hands and eyes to keep up the trade! Don't fret because there more you know the more fun it gets. Not easy, but fun!

I agree with nori...sometimes you just have to take a break. But never stop watching Marks videos because you will get ideas and answers from them. Also, you'll need to know how to use the tools and what tools you need in the future. My problem is I still need lots of tools. And I hope it's nothing like cars where there is never enough tools...lol

Go Get'em!