This is one of a couple techniques I use in repivoting. Shown in this video is a 4th wheel of a Zenith pocket watch. I use a standard American style 8mm collet holding lathe for the whole process, to repivot and finish the new pivot.
C. Mullebrouck As watchmaker repair, and collector of Roskopf pocket watches, I highly appreciate very much your knowlege. You are an Artist with the big A.
I work often with a .5mm drill bit, never thought id see an almost .3mm pivot being made after the relevant hole being made. As i also work with small things😂 hobby model trains. Very interesting the tools used, great video thanks for showing
Wow! Very clever method! And the concentricity looks pretty impressive for such a tiny part! If you haven't already done it, I'm very interested in how you made your carbide drill!
Inspired by your video I am trying to pivoting an escape wheel of Marine clock but the job is very critical to me as I am now 70+ n doing with hand made drill .
Superb video. And very useful explanations. It took me a lot to figure out what to do about the wobble out effect you mentioned. If you were here 3 years ago it would have saved me a lot of time really. also waiting for you to reveal the secret of making carbide drills thinner than 0.3mm
Nice video, thanks for sharing! I was taught that diamond rubberized abrasive might embed diamond particles in the pivot and cause excessive jewel wear over the time.
A very legitimate point. Aware of this when using the old diamantine or sapphirine powder on a wood lap, I for years finished pivots with a jasper stone. Recently though I became familiar with another watchmaker who did his final touch up with a cratex style rubberized abrasive. The finish he achieved was better, so I reconsidered. The way to think of it is this, the abrasive will embed itself in the softer material and cut the harder material. If the rubber already has the abrasive in it, it shouldn't embed in the steel pivot unless you are rubbing it so much to as to heat things up and produce a lot of rubber/eraser shavings. A quick swipe or two at the very end, then properly cleaning it should eliminate any potential of contamination. I am aware of instances of worn jewels where diamond or sapphire powder was used for polishing a pivot. I am not aware of cases where other solid or fixed abrasives have caused wear. I guess time will tell.
Nicely done. That jewel hole gauge is brilliant. Will have to keep an eye out at the two markets the Australian Antiquarian Horological Society hold each year and ask around :) I'm a member. With the sapphire file, did you put a texture across it with Carborundum paper or some such? It caught me out for a bit, trying to work out what I was looking at, as I could see the object you were working on.....but could also see the edge of the file 'through' the work :D Cheers
I textured the sapphire file with finest diamond lap I had. Good luck finding a jewel guage. Most people here in the states who deal with used tools don't know what they have. I've bought them as cheap as $10, but have no problem selling them for $100 on ebay. It's all about knowing what you have and how to use it.
Wow, how do you hold your hand so steady to work on such fine details? Do you have any tips or techniques you could pass on to try? Also very interesting video. Thanks for sharing.
Very nice and precise work, a question. I've been looking for that Jeweling Gauge online but have a hard time coming across one. Is there a specific brand name associated with this tool? Any info is much appreciated.
There are different kinds of jeweling gages. Which kind are you looking for? The tapered pin variety for measuring inside diameter? Or a pin set of different dimensions to also measure I.D.? Or a plate with different sized jewels for measuring different pivot sizes?
Excellent question. In smaller wrist watch wheels and all balance wheels, it should be .01mm. Train wheels in pocket watches like this I accept as much as .02mm.
@@repivot2253 Thank you for youre answer sir! Back in the, well almost black and white tv days. I was a toolmaker. Have recently picking up on my watchmaking intrest. Starting on service wristwatches for my own enjoyment. And trying to learn more on tooling and maschining repairs. Have a Simonet lathe that is similar to the Schaublin 105. But needs a little overhaul. And dusting off.. Bit to big for most work. So Im hoping to find a resonable 6 or 8mm collets lathe. Really like youre efforts making youre own cutting wheels ect! 👌
After butting your watch together does the wheel you repaired center itself between the plates. It seems like there might be some drag where the staff end because it is flat.
Do you think a notch for the drill in the tool rest, properly adjusted of course, would help to guide the drill straight into the arbor? I’m sure I’m not good enough to freehand it in as straight as you did.
Freehanding a concentric hole into the end of a spinning shaft is surprisingly much easier than it sounds. Of course, it does require some practice and a soft touch, but even the tiniest bit off-center and you can feel it through the tool. Doing it this way, you’ll find yourself breaking far fewer drills, so long as you’re going slow and paying attention to the feel of the tool. And he is right, clearing chips very frequently is extremely important.
The jewel guage sometimes refered to as an Obama guage can be found occasionally on eBay. Expect to pay $100 from a seller who knows what he has. Sometimes people won't know what they have and you may get it cheaper. Also if there are local watch collector clubs or meetings you may find it among the vendors. Most people don't know what its for.
If you strike the center like I demonstrate in this video that will help get the drill started on center. Be careful so within the cut center you don't have a little bump. This will throw the drill off center. The center you strike should be a perfect concave cone about the diameter of the drill or less. If you do have this and the drill cuts off center, the problem is your drill bit. Only one side of the center is cutting. Resharpen you drill bit, making sure the angles on both sides of center are equal. Good luck. That's a deep hole. I'm not familiar with the material you are drilling.
I have an antique english high grade M I Tobias pocket watch movement with a broken center wheel staff and I don't know if it can be repaired or needs a new one
It is possible to repivot the center wheel, but might be quicker to replace the whole pinion if you can find a matching one. I would be willing to try if you are willing to wait months for its completion.
@@repivot2253 I actually have two english pocket watch movements, the one I've just told you about and a John Moncas whose mainspring barrel cover doesn't close tight and it pops out everytime I wind it up, so, I don't know what's wrong with the piece
Blued steel would be too hard and brittle, very difficult to cut. Piano wire is hardened, but then tempered enough to be cuttable, but still strong enough for the job.
@@JDRichard for several years my dentist saves the old dull bits for me. When I came in for a cleaning every 6 months, there'd be a little baggie of them for me to take home. I have a lifetimes supply now. I'm sure if you Google carbide dental burr, you'd find a source.
@@repivot2253 Very good approach. I have a dentist appointment on Thursday and will ask if they have any leftover bits...or simply buy some new ones:). Thanks by the way.
