Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

Hello,I dismantled an automatic mouvement that I took from a Sewor.

The problem is that when I reassemble it, everything is okay, I put on the balance wheel which spins, but when I screw the balance wheel bridge, tjr balance wheel stops.

The pivots aren't broken, the spiral looks okay...

I don't understand !!! Can someone please help me !

Thank You !

Post Scriptum : It worked before I dismantled it :(

Here is some pictures :

930aa0af3aadca9dcb231f7d13bb0537.jpg

8087e782c53c1a4d71afedee7f0bc1d8.jpg

6faef89ff2f47c209a7acf5b94d8c3fa.jpg

Posted

Did you re-assemble the end pivot stones in the right position? check if one (or both) are upside down?

If not, might be that the handshake is to tight. If that is the case, under the balance cock just make a small scratch in the metal (making the balance cock a micro thicker) to marginally increase the space for the pivot between the jewels. This will allow the balance to rotate more freely. This is not something you would need to do often and only on very old movements, so it might be just the stones that are not er-assembled right. 

Posted
Shim the cock.
End stones are pushing on pivot.

The only position where the cock doesn't block the balance wheel is when the cock isnt fully put, but once he's well put the balance stops. Sorry if I doesnt understood what you said, I'm french :)
Posted
Did you re-assemble the end pivot stones in the right position? check if one (or both) are upside down?
If not, might be that the handshake is to tight. If that is the case, under the balance cock just make a small scratch in the metal (making the balance cock a micro thicker) to marginally increase the space for the pivot between the jewels. This will allow the balance to rotate more freely. This is not something you would need to do often and only on very old movements, so it might be just the stones that are not er-assembled right. 

I didn't disassembled the end pivot stones ! So the problem isn't from there ! I will keep your idea of making a small scratch in the metal in a corner of my head, thank you.
Posted

Hi As a starter do what Nucejo suggested and fit a shim under the balance cock. For example a dial washer or aluminium foil   just to increase the endshake on the balance staff.  What appears to be the problem is lack of endshake.

  • Thanks 1
Posted
Hi As a starter do what Nucejo suggested and fit a shim under the balance cock. For example a dial washer or aluminium foil   just to increase the endshake on the balance staff.  What appears to be the problem is lack of endshake.

Okay ! Thank you !
Posted

You showed the cock and balance assembly in second picture, that is when you had the chance to visually inspect if both pivots are intact and undamaged.

If lower and upper pivots are both undamaged and balance stops as you tighten cock screw, then end stones are pushing on pivots.

You can guage but shimming is prefered as it is not destructive. 

Place a piece of thin aluminum foil under the cock, to raise the cock.

There is a slight chance of bent pivot.

Posted
You showed the cock and balance assembly in second picture, that is when you had the chance to visually inspect if both pivots are intact and undamaged.
If lower and upper pivots are both undamaged and balance stops as you tighten cock screw, then end stones are pushing on pivots.
You can guage but shimming is prefered as it is not destructive. 
Place a piece of thin aluminum foil under the cock, to raise the cock.
There is a slight chance of bent pivot.

Okay, Thank you very much !
Posted

If it is a new movement, nothing is damaged, it might be you have not tightened the balance cock screw tight enough 

Posted
11 hours ago, AdrianNOGUES said:


No the movement is almost new !

Just because it is almost new you could have done something during the service....did you take the balance out properly? Did you you check balance staff under very high magnification? Did you peg the jewels and Possibly push them out of position? Did you reattach the hairspring to the regulator stud properly that is if you removed it from the cock during service? I would agree with shimming the balance cock but this should rarely need to be done on a fairly new movement. I would put money on a cracked jewel/bent staff ( which could happen if you seated the balance wrong when you screwed it down)  also you should check the pallet action make sure it snaps back and forth before putting in the balance issue could lie there too. Also pallet and or Impulse jewel could have gotten loose during cleaning, esp if you used IPA for long periods.

  • Thanks 2
Posted

686f2b53f63dd61cf40a541aba48cd52.jpg
Here is a better picture of the balance wheel.
I looked on the internet and some balance wheel doesnt have a thin pivot on the top and some have.
So I'm asking myself is this one broken ? It would be logic. Sorry for all the people I contradicted, and thank you for your help.

Posted
1 minute ago, AdrianNOGUES said:

+33s/d, 204 of amplitude, 0.0ms beat error

the reason for asking the question is if I was running before it should be running again and you shouldn't have to put shims under the balance wheel that correct for I have no idea what?

then your first picture was taken at the wrong angle as it's really hard for me to see what I think I'm seeing? It almost looks like the balance bridge is not down all the way it's up a little on the right-hand side? you should make sure the balance bridge is down tight and parallel and that the balance wheel can still spin before you put the screw in

 

  • Like 1
Posted
54 minutes ago, JohnR725 said:

the reason for asking the question is if I was running before it should be running again and you shouldn't have to put shims under the balance wheel that correct for I have no idea what?

Absolutely. I was surprised to see that this kind of advice given promptly when the practice is generally frowned upon.

Posted
the reason for asking the question is if I was running before it should be running again and you shouldn't have to put shims under the balance wheel that correct for I have no idea what?
then your first picture was taken at the wrong angle as it's really hard for me to see what I think I'm seeing? It almost looks like the balance bridge is not down all the way it's up a little on the right-hand side? you should make sure the balance bridge is down tight and parallel and that the balance wheel can still spin before you put the screw in
 

I agree with you ! Thats why for me the aluminum foil etc etc is the last thing I want to do ! For me I need to solve the problem, not avoid it !
On the picture, you're right, the cock wasn't down all the way because it was the only position where it allowed the balance wheel to spin, it was straight though (not one side more engaged than the other)
Posted
Absolutely. I was surprised to see that this kind of advice given promptly when the practice is generally frowned upon.

Me too, it's not a good solution when you know that after you, watchmaker will have to solve the problem, the only thing it does is avoiding it to make it much important later :(
Posted

Your photo is not that clear, but unfortunately it looks like you have lost your top pivot. It should be the same as the bottom pivot.

  • Like 1
Posted
Your photo is not that clear, but unfortunately it looks like you have lost your top pivot. It should be the same as the bottom pivot.

Ok... sad but thank you for your help :(
Posted
17 minutes ago, Michael said:

Your photo is not that clear, but unfortunately it looks like you have lost your top pivot. It should be the same as the bottom pivot.

Indeed, well spotted. 

  • Like 1
Posted

Hi    The fitting of a shim is NOT a fix its a diagnostic aid in as much as to slightly increase the end shake of the balance when trying to determine the problem, and once proved on way or the other, then removed and look to rectifying the problem.   I have had watches where the end shake was adjusted by digging a divot in the plate there fore raising the the balance cock and increasing the endshake also had them with shims in to do the same both left as a permanent fix    Not reccomended.   

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Very interesting! I answered the mail from Longines, explaining that I was a bit disappointed and that I wouldn't ask for a costly confirmation for a watch which isn't a high-end one ... and I received another email explaining that they couldn't not certify the authenticity of the watch, but they could specify that, according to the serial number on the caliber and to their handwritten records, the watch was produced in 1938. Great! @Mercurial I will take the measurements and will keep you informed. Thank you all. This forum is incredible 👍
    • Good stuff, thanks!!!  I'm going to save it and re-read your post and watch the video again.  I have a few follow-up question:  My understanding is that the spring vibrates or breathes between the the two regulator pins. When the pins are fully open the effective spring length is from the stud and theoretically no rate adjustment can be made by moving the regulator arm. As the pins are closed the spring gets closer to one side of the regulator block but doesn't touch a pin. You can still move the regulator carrier the entire terminal curve without upsetting the coils.  The rate can now be adjusted using the regulator because the effective spring length can be modified.  My question is: Does the hairspring bounce off and touch one of the pins as it breathes? Is that why the effective hairspring length is adjusted by moving the regulator?  And follow-up: How is amplitude affected by the spring between the pins? Does fully open pins, dial up position = max amplitude?  When spring adjusted to 1/2 width still = max amplitude? When I have crown down gravity is pulling the spring against one of the pins and I would expect rate to go up and amplitude to go down. Is that correct?
    • A quick Google for Longines 25.17 found several similar watches - like this one with writing on the case back similar to yours https://benjaminmarcello.nl/product/longines-cal-25-17-tank-from-1938/
    • Apps like Watch Accuracy Meter can be inaccurate, and will read some watches better than others.  What daily rate does Watch Accuracy Meter give you if you check the Longines once it’s been running for 24 hours? Best Regards, Mark
×
×
  • Create New...