How much bigger is the escape wheel? Have you checked the depths on the escape wheel with the other wheels on the train? Also have you checked the depth for the pallets?
If we are talking slightly too big you can polish the pivots. You will need a WW collet set for your Sherline, and you need small collets, 1-10 in every size. AKA 1, 1.5, 2 etc… The collets have to fit the part correctly or you will get run out when you remove the wheel to check for fit. You could in theory use a 2 or a 1 instead of a 1.5, but it might damage the collet, and it will cause the part to be out of true. Of course a watch pivot is not very long, but it could be an issue. The other way to do this on a lathe is between centers. You will need to turn two female centers, and make a dog for the wheel. Bob’s videos on polishing clock pivots show this method, just shrink it down. Slow speeds, and a steady hand. Watch pivots break easy, and while I own all of the above I dont use my lathe for this process, except for Balance shafts, and then I use Balance (balloon) chucks. My lathe is also varible speed, and a Watch makers lathe so it is built for this size of work, and it still makes me nervous. This is a last ditch type of repair if I have no other option.
You will also need a way to support the pivot while you polish. You can make a flag or a fixture to fit your tailstock. The steady rest is way to big for this type of work.
You could also buy, and if I was you I would buy instead a Pivot Polisher, or a Jacot Lathe. This is what they are designed for, and they will do the job best. Watch pivots are so small, it does not take a lot of work to get where you are going, a bow powered set of turns, Pivot Polisher, or Jacot lathe would be where I would be looking. Honestly though, I would swap the wheel, or the jewel instead. Either process to me is easier, and more reliable. Unless you just want to practice polishing pivots.
In any of the above situations you will need magnification, a pivot file, and a burnisher. Also you will need oil for the burnisher, and know how to prepare the file, and burnisher for use. I would suggest reading Decarle, or Frieds methods of operation. Setting up the lathe, and completing this process will take a lot of time, and you might never get the watch to be timed correctly, what kind of watch is it? There are a ton of escape wheels out there for American Watches. Good luck, have fun!!
Joe and Bernie have some great ideas…..allow me to come it from another angle Anthony…since your want to @adiorio110 wrote:
