Bulova A-11 running very fast

[JWJONZ3]

I finally got my Bulova A-11 running but alas it is running fast. Very fast. It is multiple minutes a day, and adjusting the regulator lever all the way to the "s" side results in a still too fast movement. It is not magnetized, and the hairspring is even with nothing stuck together. What else should I check to find the issue? I can loosen the balance weights, but I need to know the proper way of doing this. Hypothetically if I were to loosen the weights, could they loosen themselves even further? Any thoughts or advise helps. Thanks!

[jdm]

I suspect that there is more than just a rate issue. To be helped to a proper diagnostic you should post timegrapher (or equivalent app) pictures, and an audio file of the sound it makes.

BTW, we have a section where most people likes to introduce themselves before asking questions.

 

[oldhippy]

I would remove the balance from the cock and regulator, so you just have the balance and hairspring, touch the h/s with your clean finest oiler and see if the coils stick, do this a few times. Demagnetise the whole movement as well as you tools, if they are not anti- magnetic. Make sure the h/spring is moving between the regulator no matter where the regulator is set, it should bounce between.  Do not play around with the balance screws. Playing around with those is a last resort.    

[JWJONZ3]

This is from a Timegrapher app so take it with a grain of salt. Also let me know if I need to change a setting for more accurate reading. 

[bsoderling]

Hi,

Also a Timegrapher app user I note that the q-numbers are below 50%, indicating that the values are not to be trusted.

When I have this problem I usually need to ensure that the mic is positioned right over the pallet fork , with the case back removed, where I presume the sound is generated.

I then go down with sensitivity to the point where the detection starts skipping over ticks and go up a bit again. Most of the time I have the noise filter activated.

This procedure usually gives me q-numbers close to 100% on all readings.

When I have had movements running really fast, with the curves going top to bottom multipe times on the screen, making it look like noise, I have worked around that issue by adapting the BPH setting manually to a higher value that gives me (more or less) horizontal curves on the screen. That obviously doesn’t change the movement in any way but at least lets you analyze the curves as such for anomalies that shouldn’t be there.

/bsoderling



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