Hi JD, we like your video, we are watchmakers and have been doing this work for 25 years for friends and family, we are actually micro-machinists. It is nice to have you here, and to have discovered your channel here on RU-vid, you are very patient, a lifetime of patients is required to do this work to say the least. This is just a quick hello we will subscribe now and see what you are up to currently.
Hi Jd, I reviewed your video again today. I just wanted to thank you as I had forgotten about the pivot gauge for determining the correct fit of the pivot to the tool. This gauge makes this determination much easier than "guessing" what the pivot fits into the tool! Thank you again.
Thank you for your excellent tutorial. I recently acquired a Jacot tool , it was in a poor state of repair, but have tidied it up and now with your explanation I will be able to put it to good use. as hobbyist clock repairer the squaring off the end of the pivots will not be necessary and that helps as that part of the old Jacot has been broken in all cases - but the rest will be of use now I know how to use it and its limitations, fine for clocks but not so good for watches. So thank you for the in depth explanation and detailed closeups. a great video.
Great video . I bought one of these tools many years ago in France. .At that point i didn't even know what is purpose was let alone how to use it . I have a good idea now.
I realize this is an old, old video, but I just wanted to say, great video, JD. You always show the baby steps I like. Every detail. BUT...I am going to give my opinion some may not like, but I am saying it anyway: someone needs to make a modern motorized device for doing this instead of relying on these antiquated contraptions. Necessity is the mother of invention, and since watchmaking has pretty much died out as far as innovation and advancements in tool technology goes, we're left with the old ways. Besides, they no longer make these tool, do they?. If they did, Bergeon would want $50000000 for it. How old are these Jacot tools like the one you have?.
Thank you for this informative video. For pivots that contact with cap jewels ( ie most balance wheels ), the pivot end needs to be slightly domed rather than completely flat.
great video, from what I have seen, the way this is powered is to use the pulley system from the watchmakers lathe, NOT the motor, but the intermediate system, and put it's crank handle in that spindle, and turn by hand, like an old singer sewing machine, or like the aforementioned singer, use a cast foot pedal system ( using the 'file' like you would in large scale in bench work, two handed).
Hello JD. What a great video ..... I really appreciate you giving out this info!! Also, what type of Jacot tool are you using? .... What is the instrumental music playing in the background? I have heard this before on some of your other videos. I really like it!!
JD, This is a nice video. Thanks for putting it up. Take a look at Tom McAlister's drive set up for his Jacot tool. It looks like a better way to drive the part than the manual methods. david
JD the way it is designed, from what I have seen from Steffen Erich Pahlow's site is that the rabbet on the base of the tool can fit on a pedistal, for the older lorch and other lathes, it is like a wine glass stem, with two flat screws holding the lathe bed to this plinth, this jacot tool has the same rabbet on the base, as these smaller lorches do, so my thinking is this is how they mount to the motor unit, and use their rubber belt to drive the dog on the tool.
Cool video and useful for showing the setup of the tool. I am a novice like yourself, but I think that your theory of flattening the pivot ends is incorrect, or at least doesn't apply to escapement parts. I realize the wheel you have in the tool isn't a balance and may or may not ride on a cap jewel, but on any pivot with a cap stone you want a domed end surface to minimize the friction in the dial up and dial down positions. The pivot end should have has little contact area as possible, which is achieved by making the ends into a dome shape. Adjusting a watch for position sometimes involves making the ends slightly flatter to reduce rate in dial up or down by adding friction, but generally speaking I believe you strive towards a rounded, polished end. I love your channel, BTW.
hugeshows Thank you very much for the comment. I now know this as well and rounding out the parlance staff pivot is a necessity. I actually need to do this today on a movement I was repairing, as the amplitude is poor when the balance is putting friction on the lower jewel I just replaced. Hoping to fix this by reducing the pivot slightly and rounding the pivot end. I will keep adding videos until someone says they hate my videos:)
@@JDRichard Good luck and if you find that rounding the pivot isn't helping, check the depth between the hole jewel and the cap jewel. If it's too much endshake there, the pivot can start to rub the flared part against the hole jewel.
Hi, I was wondering if in addition to you using your file to finish up the end of the pivot, would be to use "00" grade emery paper to polish the pivot end?
Hi JD, love your videos. I've recently taken up the hobby, been working on a bunch of Elgin 12s 7 jewel movements -- only the balance has jeweled holes. Low amplitude < 180 deg. is a common characteristic, even after cleaning. I thinking that polishing the pivots on wheels might help, so a Jacot tool seems to be in my future -- thanks for the tutorial. But what about polishing the pivot holes, how would that be accomplished? BTW, I'm a fellow EE, I've found others in the hobby --- interesting that we gravitate to this sort of thing. Best regards, Dan
@@JDRichard Thanks, in some cases the pivot holes are a bit rounded out, or even oblong. I'm aware of a couple of solutions: one being doing a bushing (requires a lathe and skills I do yet possess), the other is "closing the hole" with a staking set which i do have. MIght you have a video on the latter?
Great video,thank you.Is it possible to polish balance pivot on ladies very small watches? I was trying ,and broke pivot. If any one done it,please advise.Thank you.
I think you can burnish a small pivot. Use plenty of oil to prevent overheating the pivot. As well. Choose a deep pivot trough to ensure only a small percent of the pivot is exposed.
Excellent video. 1. Where can I find a nice Jacot Tool like yours? 2. What grit level is your file for polishing the pivot ends? Thank you for this excellent educational video. Keep em coming!
rgoidel I picked up my Jacot tool on ebay...just keep looking. The file you can buy at Cousinsuk on line. Around 100 bucks but worth it. Thanks for the compliment.
thanks for another great video jd so I got myself a jacot, not as nice and shiny as yours haha..how should I clean it, in my ultrasonic tub? what should I clean it with? also, what size burnishing stone are you using and where can I find one? thanks again!
Hello JD Richard, Is it possible to use this tool to drill a hole and remake the pivot? For example, repivoting the escape wheel on a platform escapement? I'm guessing this tool is mostly for polishing the pivots? Thank you so much for the video!
The short answer is No. You really need to pick up a pivoting lathe, or attachment. The trick is to align a very small pivot drill with the shaft to drill the hole and that cannot be done on a jacot.
Would this tool be practical for most American wall and mantle clock pivots? Gilbert, Ingrahm, Seth Thomas, Sessions? I am not doing microscopic watch repairs nor do I ever plan to. Please let me know if this tool would cover these basic clock pivots. Thanks.
Hi, did you go to watchmakers school or are you self taught? I was trained by a man when I was a little boy. He had a stroke and he was right handed but he needed my and other kids help literally being his left hand. I got the bug then and now have a complete shop. I have nine lathes from 10 mm to 6 mm. I have a complete Derbyshire set up with cross slide, milling machine, countershaft, idler pulley of course with motor and foot pedal. I only have three set up. All the best, Sean
Sean Mooney I am self taught and have 10 lathes, 6 with Borel stands and counter shafts. Got the big only 4 years ago but have done 10 years of study in a very short time
@@JDRichard You did a great job explaining the Jacot tool. I have been doing work on clocks lately. I am much older than you and my eyes aren't what they used to be. It is pleasurable to be back into the shop. I will have everything cleaned and oiled and ready to go for the first of the year. All the best, Sean
Sean Mooney Good for you. I am almost 60 and am also a closeup magician and a guitar player for 50 years. I am an electrical engineer by degree and like hard to learn hobbies.
@@JDRichard I guess I'm not that much older than you then. I just turned 61 this month. I am so looking forward to getting the shop opened up. I won't be able to work full time because I have a disability. I like to consider myself "differently able." I can't wait until I can enjoy my favorite hobby again. All the best, Sean
Hello, At 6:08 you are referencing the shape of the burnishing tool. Perhaps it is a trapezoid: a quadrilateral with only one pair of parallel sides. Just trying to help. Thanks so much for this extremely helpful video. Best, Scott
