Ratchet wheel won't turn once pallet fork installed

[jimboski93]

This is my first watch service/repair.  I am stuck, and so is the ratchet wheel.

I am servicing an FHF/ST 96-4 movement, and really enjoying it so far.  I found this video below on youtube of someone servicing this movement, so that has been helpful to follow along in a step-by-step fashion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dzry7qZass&t=773s

I just installed the pallet fork.  I am pretty well convinced the pivots are in both jewels, but now the ratchet wheel won't turn.  In the video, at 12:43, when the repairer has finished installing the pallet fork, the bridge, screwing it down, oiling the jewel, he turns the ratchet wheel clockwise, and you can hear the click and tell there is a wind in the watch.

When I do the same, I put my screwdriver in the ratchet wheel screw and turn clockwise, but the ratchet wheel won't turn.

In fact, even when I've removed the pallet fork bridge (but leave the pallet fork installed), the ratchet wheel still won't turn.  

And to be clear, the ratchet wheel turns as I would expect just before this step, and I can see the various wheels spin, including the escapement.

 

Any thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CYCLOPS]

have you tried with the crown wheel removed, maybe it is binding, I can't  see how the pallet/bridge causes the ratchet wheel to freeze up, make sure the square of the barrel arbor is in the square of the ratchet wheel properly 

[rjenkinsgb]

It sounds like something wrong within the barrel?

If the movement spins from touching the ratchet wheel screw with no pallet fork, the wheel train appears to be OK - but the mainspring or arbour is presumably somehow seized in the barrel, so cannot be wound?

 

[Neverenoughwatches]

Maybe a daft question but is the click in correctly? 

[JohnR725]

On 10/4/2024 at 3:51 PM, jimboski93 said:

When I do the same, I put my screwdriver in the ratchet wheel screw and turn clockwise, but the ratchet wheel won't turn.

this is a bit peculiar for several reasons?

First when I was in school I was taught to reassemble the basics of the keyless parts first. As you have a calendar you do not install this until much later on. But you can't get the stem and its associated components in first as you really going to need them.

Then when you put the gear train together makes it a lot easier to wind the watch rather than the screw head which is not a good method especially on the Swiss watches. Seiko some Seiko's cannot be wound from the crown as are an automatic watch only the air ratchet wheel screw head is specifically designed that you can wind the watch. A lot of times with Swiss watches the screw head will break off. Then you have the other problem of how to let the power off where it's much easier to have a stem and crown versus trying to break the screw head off letting the power off.

On 10/4/2024 at 3:51 PM, jimboski93 said:

In fact, even when I've removed the pallet fork bridge (but leave the pallet fork installed), the ratchet wheel still won't turn. 

if you remove the pallet fork what happens?

 

 

 

 

 

[Nucejoe]

Show an image of the click type in your watch.

There are two types of click, one design  goes under the ratchet wheel.

The other design , click sits level to and next to the ratcher wheel .

Which design is in your watch?

Edited October 14, 2024 by Nucejoe
Add foot note and spelling

[nevenbekriev]

We need picture of what is inside the barrel.

From what You describe, the conclusion is that the barrel arbor is somehow stuck in the barrel. What the pallet fork does is to block the movement of the wheel train. But it is part of it's normal function and the train doesn't need to rotate to allow for ratchet wheel rotation, unless the spring is already wound to the end.