Things to check for when repairing pocket watches that are running way to fast.
Thirty seconds a day is not a great deal of time. Even the normal regulator can handle over a minute, though we like to keep it near the center. The meantime screws can handle several minutes.
You still need to check out the watch for problems such as a bent or scored balance pivot. (This would follow the balance from watch to watch.)
The first thing you do is time the watch dial up and dial down. You also note the action, which should be nearly a turn and a half (270 degrees) under a full wind. Anything that inhibits the action of the balance usually caused the balance to run fast and the action to be low. When this happens in one dial position and not the other, it usually means the problem is the lower pivot or something similar. There are exceptions, like a mushroomed pivot may not show until that pivot is on the upper side.
Here are 20 dial up-down problems
There are about 20 sources of such errors
1. dirt or thick oil in one or both balance jewels
2. Burred or marred balance pivot(s)
3. End of one balance pivot flat or rough and the other polished and rounded.
4. End of both pivots polished, but not the same shape
5. Pivot bent
6. Hairspring rubbing balance arm or stud.
7. Hairspring not flat or level
8. Overcoil rubbing under balance cock
9. Over coil rubbing center wheel.
10. Balance pivots fitted too close in jewels
11. One pivot having excessive side shake and the opposite fit well.
12. Escape or pallet pivots bent or damaged
13. Balance end stone pitted or badly out of flat
14. Over coil rubbing outside coil, at point where it curves over spring.
15. Balance arm or screw touching pallet bridge.
16. Balance screw out too far, touching bridge or train wheel.
17. Safety roller rubbing dial plate or jewel setting.
18. Fork rubbing impulse roller.
19. Guard pin rubbing edge of safety roller.
20. Roller jewel long and rubs guard pin.
If the watch has good action, but is just fast, then you can adjust it with the meantime screws. If the action is much less than a turn and a half on a full wind, in one or both dial positions, then something is wrong and must be corrected before turning the meantime screws.
Thirty seconds a day is not a great deal of time. Even the normal regulator can handle over a minute, though we like to keep it near the center. The meantime screws can handle several minutes.
You still need to check out the watch for problems such as a bent or scored balance pivot. (This would follow the balance from watch to watch.)
The first thing you do is time the watch dial up and dial down. You also note the action, which should be nearly a turn and a half (270 degrees) under a full wind. Anything that inhibits the action of the balance usually caused the balance to run fast and the action to be low. When this happens in one dial position and not the other, it usually means the problem is the lower pivot or something similar. There are exceptions, like a mushroomed pivot may not show until that pivot is on the upper side.
Here are 20 dial up-down problems
There are about 20 sources of such errors
1. dirt or thick oil in one or both balance jewels
2. Burred or marred balance pivot(s)
3. End of one balance pivot flat or rough and the other polished and rounded.
4. End of both pivots polished, but not the same shape
5. Pivot bent
6. Hairspring rubbing balance arm or stud.
7. Hairspring not flat or level
8. Overcoil rubbing under balance cock
9. Over coil rubbing center wheel.
10. Balance pivots fitted too close in jewels
11. One pivot having excessive side shake and the opposite fit well.
12. Escape or pallet pivots bent or damaged
13. Balance end stone pitted or badly out of flat
14. Over coil rubbing outside coil, at point where it curves over spring.
15. Balance arm or screw touching pallet bridge.
16. Balance screw out too far, touching bridge or train wheel.
17. Safety roller rubbing dial plate or jewel setting.
18. Fork rubbing impulse roller.
19. Guard pin rubbing edge of safety roller.
20. Roller jewel long and rubs guard pin.
If the watch has good action, but is just fast, then you can adjust it with the meantime screws. If the action is much less than a turn and a half on a full wind, in one or both dial positions, then something is wrong and must be corrected before turning the meantime screws.
