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Posted

I've done numerous overhauls involving KIF trior, elastor and Ultraflex, as well as the Novodiac systems. I have done many many overhauls with Incabloc. This particular ETA 2671 has given me a very difficult time. When I unlatched it from the mainplate to clean the jewel it immedialtely sprang away which is not supposed to happen, and indeed has never happened with other incabloc shocks I have unlatched. I've broken a few in the early days, yes...but they don't just  bounce freee upon unlatching. OK, so I recovered the darn thing and figured out how to secure it back onto the plate, but it slides out quite easily. Worse yet, I CANNOT get the arms to bed down far enough, and inward enough to secure themselves! I have tried everything I know: cling wrap and using a clean metal oiler, holding it with rodico and  super fine brass tweezers, using needles that have the points filed down, removing the endstone to see if maybe it just needs clearance to secure...nothing works. It doesn't matter if the stone is in the setting or not. The longer I try the more I fear I will simply break one of the arms off as I continue to try to push it simultaneously inward and down far enough to catch. Could it be deformed or something? I've stepped away from it because it is already a couple of hours and my mind is separating fropm reality at this point! Please excuse the pictures and yes the jewel and spring are dirty at this point.

 

J

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Posted

Well you're asking us if it's deformed. Is it deformed ? You're the one that could answer that... Don't you have a similar spare to replace it with ? I wonder if it's not slightly bigger than it should be... I do know that these existed in various sizes, right ?

Posted

This is the spring that was secured in the movement, but I don't know what is going on. I doesn't look deformed to me. It lays flat if I take it out and the arms are where they should be.  I asked here to see if anyone else has had this issue with ETA incabloc spring in this particular caliber. I know there was a posting last year about someone that had a similar problem, but they managed to get it to latch. I guess I will continue trying until it breaks or locks. It is no use as it is (unlatched) right now anyway.

J

Posted (edited)

I would put the movement into a transparent zip lock bag, or at put some transparent plastic over the movement and use that to pressure the spring downwards and then just use the tweezers until I get it working. It's how I sometimes deal with stubborn incabloc systems.

Edited by Chopin
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Posted
29 minutes ago, Chopin said:

I would put the movement into a transparent zip lock bag, or at put some transparent plastic over the movement and use that to pressure the spring downwards and then just use the tweezers until I get it working. It's how I sometimes deal with stubborn incabloc systems.

Chopin Thank you!  I can't believe it, but I had the spring backwards in its setting! Its a wonder I didn't break it. After answering your last post I thought "maybe I reversed it and now think that its correct." Maybe I'm getting too arrogant or cocky in my skill level by thinking "oh of course I know all about shock system...blah...blah..blah...." I should have realized when it was sliding out that it was incorrectly positioned. I am humbled now. Thanks again Chopin for dislodging my thinking out of its default mode.

 

Feels good to be human!

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Posted
I would put the movement into a transparent zip lock bag, or at put some transparent plastic over the movement and use that to pressure the spring downwards and then just use the tweezers until I get it working. It's how I sometimes deal with stubborn incabloc systems.
I wouldn't go any further yet. See whether a replacement spring is available for this calibre. It may of had a incorrect size fitted.
Even if you do manage to fit the spring with force, it may be so great on the top cap jewel that the shock protection system is not functioning. Those jewels need to move incase of impact to protect the balance assembly

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Posted
I wouldn't go any further yet. See whether a replacement spring is available for this calibre. It may of had a incorrect size fitted.
Even if you do manage to fit the spring with force, it may be so great on the top cap jewel that the shock protection system is not functioning. Those jewels need to move incase of impact to protect the balance assembly

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Arrrh you've just solved it

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Posted
43 minutes ago, Tim said:

You do know the two balance cap jewels usually have a different thickness, yes?

Yes I do. The balance cap jewels were not swapped out, however.

J

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