The 99%

[maitai11]

Hi Guys,

No, I’m not talking politics…I’m talking percentage of my first pocket watch completion! Here’s the update, and a problem:

– The watch was ready for casing earlier today. While I did find a screw with the appropriate threads to replace my lost dial screw, I could not immediately use it due to the head being too big. As you know, these screws have a slot, but are the same size of the hole. I’m not quite sure how I’ll handle this one…suggestions welcome! No, I’m not paying $15.00 plus shipping for one screw, haha.

– I had some really fun times casing this first watch. learned a lot, and put all kinds of fingerprints on the dial – which have been removed (Thank you, Rodico

– I removed most of the dent on the outer case with my dapping block. Looks good!

– OK, here’s my problem: The hour hand is free-wheeling at certain points while making adjustments of time. The tip (nor, any other part of the hour hand) is NOT touching the dial or crystal. I have tried to remove and replace several times. Can anyone please give me some things to try and get it back to normal? I don’t ever remember reaming the hole that connects to the hour wheel (joking) – essentially, it is exactly as it was when I removed it to disassemble the watch. HELP!!!

– I glued the chip back in place onto the dial, and that’s all I’m going to be doing with this particular watch dial.

– Other than my hour hand moving freely, that’s about it! I look forward to hearing from you guys. Take care.

Best,

Tim

[chris mabbott]

Tim,

The screw, you have the options of…

1. Waiting until you find a proper one.
2. Spending 15 bucks
3. Buying a scrap movement that is the same
4. Reforming the head best you can without a lathe.

If you have a dremel tool, you can buy an adjustable little drill chuck, clamp the screw in it, rotate, then use a file to decrease the size. You might also need a slot file to redo the slot.

The hand:
if you’ve removed it so many times, you may have stretched it so that it doesn’t sit tight on the hour wheel post or you haven’t pressed it far enough in place? Without seeing it, I can’t say.
Maybe the hour wheel is moving and loosing mesh, possibly the setting mechanism is not returning to neutral?

[willofiam]

Hey Tim, great job. As far as the dial screw as Chris mentioned you can use the 2 you have and when you get a spare throw it in there. I think it would be o.k. as it is your watch, if it were a customers then I would get one for sure. As for the hour hand, do you have to lightly press it on? if so then it isnt the fit there. Did you put the dial washer back on? it could be that it is disengaging from the minute wheel pinion as you adjust the time, if I remember correctly this watch had 2 dial washers on it when you disassembled it, could be there was a problem with it in the past and thats how the previous smith corrected it. Sounds like your having some fun, William

[maitai11]

Thanks, Guys –

Good pickup on that 2nd spring washer, William. I think I’ll try that – even though one seems to be working fine.

And thanks, Chris, for all those options.

Best,

Tim

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