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Loose Hour Hand Tube, How Do You Secure?

SSTEEL

By SSTEEL
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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SSTEEL Distinguished Member

SSTEEL

Posted
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I am coming across more, and more loose hand tubes these days with the various watches I have in for repair, and was wondering what methods you use to secure the hand tube to the hand to prevent it from spinning again?

 

I have tried broaching, pin vice etc, but the success rate is 50/50 right about now.

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anilv Distinguished Member

anilv

Posted
Posted

new hands...!

 

TBH..nothing makes it back to perfect.. metal, once expanded will always want to stay expanded.

 

Example with sheet metal (panel beaters).. it is only with applied heat and selective cooling (heat transferred from the surface to the head of the hammer/dolly) that dents can be repaired, not exactly applicable for watches.

 

If every watchmaker used proper hand-pullers and correct hand-setters then this problem would not exist! its when they get at an angle that the tube expands beyond limits.

 

Anil

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Horlogerie Member

Horlogerie

Posted
Posted

The only reliable results I have had correcting this problem is by inserting the tube into a correct sized collet, then inserting the collet in the lathe and giving the drawbar a snug twist.

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SSTEEL Distinguished Member

SSTEEL

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Good points, the issue I have is replacement hands are somewhat impossible to find with some custom models, and I'm not at the level of making my own hands just yet.

Mark Distinguished Member

Mark

Posted
Posted

Micky. If the hand is loose then I mount it in a pin vice and tighten it little by little until the job is done. I have a very high success rate this way.

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SSTEEL Distinguished Member

SSTEEL

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I have tried that Mark, and normally its ok, but for example, a hand I have right now, it has a large face polished area and I am very worried if I sneeze it anymore with my pin vice it will show a buckle in the finish.

Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

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I'm with Horlgerie and Mark on this one. I've used both methods, as us Scots say, gang warily!

Mark Distinguished Member

Mark

Posted
Posted

That's a difficult one then. I have not tried this, but my experiment mind is kicking in, perhaps coating the inside of the hour hand tube with an epoxy. The when it is fully hardened to broach it to size. This may possibly work and would be non-destructive.

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SSTEEL Distinguished Member

SSTEEL

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Its the tube of the hour hand, its loose, and the tube fits the pinion perfectly, but the hand itself spins due to being loose off a the tube, its a two part construction, the hand itself, and the tube, the tube has a lip on the underside, I could put a dot or two of adhesive on there I guess.

Geo Distinguished Member

Geo

Posted
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If you have a lathe and a staking set, you could make a mandrel to allow you to nip it up with a suitable punch. It certainly wouldn't take much to tighten it.

I just had a second thought, could you work some loctite retainer into the joint then clean off the excess? Once set then fit the hand. If it worked there would be little chance of any blemishes on the hand.

HorologicalHobby Watch Enthusiast

HorologicalHobby

Posted
Posted

If the hour hand is too frangile to work, maybe try expanding the hour wheel with a thin punch on a staking set? Unless the hour hand tube is loose on the actual hand, which I would fix with some epoxy or superglue on the underside of the hand.

ricardopalamino Distinguished Member

ricardopalamino

Posted
Posted

Its the tube of the hour hand, its loose, and the tube fits the pinion perfectly, but the hand itself spins due to being loose off a the tube, its a two part construction, the hand itself, and the tube, the tube has a lip on the underside, I could put a dot or two of adhesive on there I guess.

Hmmm interesting . Two part construction , so the hand on the hour hand slips on the on the tube that pushes down on the pinion . Like the rivet that binds them has come loose . So as was suggested you would have to stake it back together or use something like lock tite or [eek] epoxy .

Could the tube be split ?

 

post-808-0-26930400-1428137952_thumb.png

SSTEEL Distinguished Member

SSTEEL

Posted
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Correct, tube not split, just loose, well it was, not anymore :)  I put a couple of dots of adhesive on the underside, and all good :)

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