Job Number 220016, of Setting and Cannon Pinions

The owner noted that the lever does not lock in out position when setting, you have to hold it. Many lever mechanisms have a second spring that pushes the lever out for this purpose. This watch does not. I thought I'd try to improve it anyway. It is the tension of the setting action itself that pulls the clutch (and thus the lever) back.

What a can of worms that turned into... 

Nothing is worn or broken on this movement. The only way to alter setting tension is the friction of the cannon pinion. But it turns out there is a *very* narrow range of tightness wherein the clutch will not slip in setting, and the the hands will still turn when running. There's nothing I can do to make it better, and it took too many attempts just to get it working - back to where I started. 

You can only adjust a cannon pinion so many times.

I really should have left well enough alone. I just hope it will be alright now.

If the cannon pinion is loose enough that the setting action does not disengage the lever from setting mode then the cannon pinion slips when the watch is running and the hour and minute hands do not move.

The clutch and the intermediary gear it turns in setting do not fully line up in the vertical. That's just how the movement is designed. It slips there easily, when setting, if the cannon pinion is too tight. 

The album for this project is here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uPCp4erae19SGjQP9

Job Number 220016

This watch was returned to me. The dial has somehow lifted up causing the setting lever to retract fully under the dial, and popping the second hand off. Fortunately the second hand was not lost.

All I can to is set the dial back in place and snug the screws again. Nothing is broken.

The album for this project is here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uPCp4erae19SGjQP9

Job Number 220016, Waltham Vanguard

This one is a Waltham Vanguard model, 16 size, 23 jewels, made about 1948. It's one of Waltham's best railroad grade products.

This is Waltham's motor barrel, jeweled on a 23 jewel watch. The bearing is literally a full depth cylinder for the arbor. Beautiful bit of work there...

No problems with this one.

The album for this project is here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uPCp4erae19SGjQP9

Job Number 160118

Here are typical winding/setting parts from this 1899 model Waltham. Many, many Walthams use this "shipper" arrangement. There are more parts here than other makes used, and it's a bit harder to assemble, but the design does work well.

Testing the new balance staff, prior to adding the roller table and hairspring to the balance assembly...

The is a Waltham, 15 jewels, 16 size, 1899 model, grade 620.

See the album for this project here.

Job Number 160215, Waltham 1894 Model, Grade 220

The first challenge with this next Waltham is another case screw with the head broken off. Fortunately it wasn't too much trouble to get it out.

 The mainspring looks fine...

This is the "shipper" mechanism for winding/setting. It's found on many old Walthams and is a little different. It has more parts and and is a little harder to assemble than the design used on other common American watches, but it does work a little better too.

These parts are all related to winding. What part goes along with these but isn't shown?

The answer is posted here.

This is a 12 size movement, 15 jewels.

This one has an unusual swing-case. Swing-cases are more commonly found for larger watches.

Job Number 180068

This one is an American Waltham "No. 620", 1908 model, 16 size, 15 jewels, made about 1913.

The teens into the '20s are sort of a golden age of American watches in my opinion. The technologies used in their manufacture had developed nicely. Everything works, everything fits. And yet there is still a great deal of decorative finish. This era produced many fine watches, at reasonable prices for consumers.

Excellent workmanship, everything is in great shape, almost no tool marks.

There is a small issue with winding/setting. In setting mode the shipper spring that pushes the clutch (upper left) toward the middle to engage setting is a little weak with age (old steel). The clutch has a tendency to "skip" against the idler gear (under the round cap), that in turn moves the minute wheel, which in turn forces the cannon pinion (center) to turn, slipping on the center shaft. The minute hand rides on the cannon pinion, so this is how the watch sets.

The first thing one might do about the skipping is to loosen the cannon pinion so the watch sets easier. In this case though the cannon pinion is in excellent shape. It's grip on the center shaft is perfect. I don't want to ruin that. If a cannon pinion is too loose it will slip all the time, when the watch is running, and the hands will not move even as the watch ticks away.

In the case, it turns out, the issue is greatly reduced. The stem depth has been previously adjusted just right so the arbor maximizes the push of the clutch in winding mode. I'm just going to leave well enough alone.

Another option would be to re-tension/harden the shipper spring with heat. It's a judgement call, but my general philosophy with these antique watches is to do as little as possible. Leave no footprints, as it were.

Job Number 180062

This one is a Waltham 1899 model, 16 size, 17 jewels, made about 1907.

Here's that classic Waltham motor barrel.

And the Waltham shipper, with all the associated keyless works components...

Ticking nicely...

Job Number 180046

This is a Waltham 16 size, 17 jewel  P.S. Bartlett, 1899 model, made about 1901. It's nice to see this one as relatively few of these were made.

Here is the classic Waltham motor barrel.

Clutch, etc...

Shipper...

See the complete album for this project here.