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help needed with pocket watch not running in dial up

Blubarb

By Blubarb
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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Blubarb WRT Addict

Blubarb

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I have just finished assembling this pocket watch and I have hit a small wall.

It Runs in the movement up position ie:

olHeZKI.jpg?1

But when I turn it over so it's dial up, it immediately stops running. 

hr1wjEF.jpg?1

Any thoughts on what the issue might be? Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks in advance.

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khunter WRT Addict

khunter

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The balance wheel and or hairspring is almost surely rubbing on something in the dial up position. There could be too much end shake in the balance, or the top pivot could be damaged, bent, or broken, or the hairspring is distorted and barely clearing dial down and then rubbing dial up. 

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mousekar Member

mousekar

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I would definitely check the balance staff pivots for damage. In that sense, when the watch is dial down, the weight of the balance is on the dial side pivot and can run freely. When you flip it over, the weight of the balance would then be on the possible broken pivot and it would not be able to operate freely. This would also give you an endshake problem. Best place to start is to remove the balance and inspect it carefully.

 

 

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Blubarb WRT Addict

Blubarb

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If it is a broken pivot causing the issue, then am I correct to assume that the only solution is a new balance pivot staff? Given the age of this watch I assume that would be an impossibility and leading to the end of the road for the watch? 

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Blubarb WRT Addict

Blubarb

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On 3/1/2018 at 9:49 AM, Blubarb said:

Found the cause... 

Is it possible to straighten the pivot without breaking it?

LZnXTz2.jpg?1

Tried to straighten it with the tiniest amount of pressure and as I and others suspected it just sheered right off. :thumbsd:  I refuse to let it be the end of the road, so how do I size and find a new arbour and perhaps a complete balance wheel, hairspring with it?? 

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khunter WRT Addict

khunter

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A donor movement may be your only bet, you could take measurements of the staff you have and compare it to some source, but I suspect this is one of a dozen or so of nameless Swiss or European movements that unless someone recognizes it would be very hard to track down. 

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mousekar Member

mousekar

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Well, I wouldn’t beat yourself up over breaking the balance staff pivot, in order for the watch to keep good time in all positions, that pivot needs to be perfectly straight. The tolerances are too precise and the objects are too small. This isn’t something you could do by hand, just sighting it in. I’m not even sure if it something that could be done with a lathe, or rather it’s just not wort it. Either way, you were gonna need to replace the balance staff. I agree with khunter, that unless you can identify this movement, and even then who knows, sourcing a donor movement maybe your only option.
Sorry, wish that I could provide a better answer. Being only a hobbiest myself, I can tell you I have gained a supreme appreciation to those that do this professionally. I myself have damaged more watches then I’ve successfully repaired. I’ve learned to live with my failures!


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