Jump to content

Making a Hampden Balance Staff

jdrichard
 Share

Recommended Posts

jdrichard Distinguished Member

jdrichard

Posted
Posted

I disassembled a Hampden Pocket Watch and was removing the roller table when I noticed that the roller table has a built in lip where the balance is friction fit on. I was using the wrong technique thinking this was a conventional roller table. Now that i have it all apart, with a small twist in the balance, i need to cut the balance staff on my lathe. Here are the shots and the plan. Will update as i go along.f6147a2366a8d112ce0481928619f900.jpge71bf60fdcc8aefb503ec476e991c42f.jpgc0ea08af4341f98ae250b2ebdf5bef73.jpg9aa6c9d77ab9e9239d903d1c0ac2ac37.jpge7676805b805dac6e3164c99a9410f52.jpg19afd34867432d32cf871bd7870db592.jpgb0d18db1b7db09dab6eceae3b78e8b5f.jpg2fd63e90994a820f5a4af555b817f05e.jpg0036d97b3f6e7f733ee11f57d8d46ef9.jpg

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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

jdrichard

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Now need to measure the old part at it’s largest diameter and pick the piece of blued steel that i will use6373777cc089dbcedc3158862c1571bd.jpg
This is followed by getting the right collet for the job.b58b64f7ba3b5fb3edd8bcf7eb5ca385.jpgThen i need to fit the stock into the collet and measure about 1/2 inch for the cut off.72cd6e33a7c3d1650e994cbf04846e49.jpg
I then cut the piece that i will use and put it back into the collet and make sure it spins true. This is done bu taking a small piece of peg wood and riding it along the bottom of the stock until it has no wobble. I am then ready to cut it down to the first diameter.
a4a9d474038056d05017deea3ee062d4.jpg
I prep the stock and get ready to measure the first cut.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MrRoundel Super WRT Addict

MrRoundel

Posted
Posted

That sure is a different sort of roller-table setup. I'm not a huge fan of Hampdens, but they do have some nice pocket-watches. Since I only have a couple of them, I haven't bought the book that is available for them. That said, it might be more for collectors than watchmakers, so it may not have mentioned this design.

The images look good. I look forward to watching your progress. I have a 18s 23J Hampden Special Railway that needs to have a staff turned for it. You might just motivate me to sharpen some gravers and have at it. Thanks for sharing. Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jdrichard Distinguished Member

jdrichard

Posted
  • Author
Posted
That sure is a different sort of roller-table setup. I'm not a huge fan of Hampdens, but they do have some nice pocket-watches. Since I only have a couple of them, I haven't bought the book that is available for them. That said, it might be more for collectors than watchmakers, so it may not have mentioned this design.
The images look good. I look forward to watching your progress. I have a 18s 23J Hampden Special Railway that needs to have a staff turned for it. You might just motivate me to sharpen some gravers and have at it. Thanks for sharing. Good luck.

Just need to dig in and start cutting. I don’t really like the design and the double roller: safety, just barely fits on the top of the staff.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jdrichard Distinguished Member

jdrichard

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I have often wondered why Hampton named their watches so close to Hamilton.  vin

Marketing angle. It is a nicely made piece. The roller table has a large diameter for an S12 movement. Also need to shellac the impulse jewel back on as it was lose so i removed it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Link to comment
Share on other sites
vinn3 Distinguished Member

vinn3

Posted
Posted
55 minutes ago, jdrichard said:


Marketing angle. It is a nicely made piece. The roller table has a large diameter for an S12 movement. Also need to shellac the impulse jewel back on as it was lose so i removed it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

having worked on both, I find Hamilton superior.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • jdm featured this topic
jdrichard Distinguished Member

jdrichard

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So in this step, I cut back the stock for the Roller Table; remember that the Balance Is also friction fit onto the roller table. I fit the table in by hand and left just enough diameter to friction fit the roller table.719b7f42cfd0b709fd3e74e300a632c6.jpg
1ff61f2a506de9468ae46796d856a133.jpg
Then I took the original part and placed it up against the new part to determine where the largest diameter ends and where the safety roller fits
476697025ce9ef1bd2f8f8d0603a4460.jpg
The next step was finishing the upper pivot on the hair spring side. I measured the old balance staff pivot using my pivot gauge ruler.09e5765e49de2d2a1e26787707fa704b.jpgIt fit nicely into a .12 millimeter jewel hole. Then I worked on the pivot with a ruby stone to shave it down to .15 mm, leaving enough for the Jacot Tool burnishing and sizing.76a5d8156f3fef6b3704e262f4289309.jpgf91f3b44c1e47093d75e6ca8cd0b9e65.jpg778ab4ad0f01050b3aaf00385c953afd.jpgThe last job was to work the inside pivot a bit before cutting off the balance staff and reversing it in the lathe.7e01fcdc92596d440c96f26bd6737ff0.jpg
Again, my setup. Will finish the other pivot tomorrow. And then Jacot heaven.9dbd87cce9446222f5ad43566f93a4da.jpg4322a2453f1040697c94399ba21a5cce.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jdrichard Distinguished Member

jdrichard

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Flipped the staff around in the lathe and started working on the other side 9684781528680c0adca46845b1f8b8e2.jpg
Once i finished the pivot, i started polishing it down to .15mm with a ruby stone.9ef2f06fd2d50df893761a2e0d1fd8b1.jpg
It is now ready for installing the table and Balance and then to the Jacot for final pivot work.
036b31949f5fb3f5ed622d6b537d107c.jpg
Oh, I also did a trial fit of the pivot on the movement; lower balance Jewel. Needs to go down in diameter.1793b5c6222901baa5ed5b84b102cd45.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 11 months later...
jdrichard Distinguished Member

jdrichard

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I'll be happy to move this thread to "repair walkthrough" as it get completed with more detailed steps and pictures.




Flipped the staff around in the lathe and started working on the other side 9684781528680c0adca46845b1f8b8e2.jpg&key=477334afafb5e5d792f27537818a15be00c2d435848ac04cb6aa46732d0cf8f1
Once i finished the pivot, i started polishing it down to .15mm with a ruby stone.9ef2f06fd2d50df893761a2e0d1fd8b1.jpg&key=904e103a1e8be505a7b6cf381025e60e846041c05fdb72db4d088debf1d29be5
It is now ready for installing the table and Balance and then to the Jacot for final pivot work.
036b31949f5fb3f5ed622d6b537d107c.jpg&key=8626c2ae06583cfef9729da9a6fbb0c4bcce59000416ca62d935079c316751c7
Oh, I also did a trial fit of the pivot on the movement; lower balance Jewel. Needs to go down in diameter.1793b5c6222901baa5ed5b84b102cd45.jpg&key=00b5c040f87b5f2d9038bce0c6e73df2deed7b54bf9fd70d5e40909faef8b525


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

You should probably move it to watch repair howto

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

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

    • Randy55
      Introduction

      By Randy55 · Posted

      Welcome to the group Stirky. You can search for just about every subject in the craft here. Don't be afraid to ask if you can't find the answer that may have already been covered ( some ad nauseum LOL ). You don't have to buy Bergeon to get good quality. There are many decent mid-range tools available that will last you a lifetime. Cousins would be a good place to start . Cheers from across the pond ! Randy
    • Jon
      What are these Seitz B-Jewels?

      By Jon · Posted

      I picked up a similar amount of these jewels some years ago in a watch and clock fair. Every now and then they come in handy. This week I've got a rubbed in bombe jewel in the balance cock that is cracked and needs replacing. Very handy to have a vintage assortment of these type of jewels!
    • Stirky
      Diagram for 6497 motion works

      By Stirky · Posted

      Thanks Jon.
    • Jon
      Diagram for 6497 motion works

      By Jon · Posted

      Great diagram with the teeth and pinion count. Simple way to reduce the speed of the hour wheel by the 12:1 minute wheel. Genius and yet so simple. Always good to reinforce the principal by what you have done in your drawing. Keep doing that. I had a drawing on my wall for years showing me this which is very similar to the drawing you have done. Here's a formula to work out the beats per hour of a watch movement. The movement's BPH is dictated by the wheel teeth and pinion count and the hairspring being vibrated to the correct BPH by finding the pinning up point on the hairspring using a vibrating tool.  The reason in the formula there is X2 on the top line is because there are two pallet stones.
    • DDean
      Incabloc Lyre Spring & Low Earth Orbit

      By DDean · Posted

      So I just wanted to say "thank you" again.  The angle is the key bit it seems and yes, it did basically just fall, or float, back into position when I got it lined up just right. I had meant to add that now that I see how it goes in, I totally see how it came out in the first place, and that whomever cloned the original movement didn't pay much attention to the fine details around the setting or how it interfaces with the balance cock or the "rings" on the regulator and/or stud carrier arms.
×
×
  • Create New...