Job Number 220002, Continued

This 16 size, grade 374, Father Time movement came in reported to have a non-functioning up/down indicator. On taking it apart I found the entire up/down mechanism inexplicably missing. I have never seen these parts for sale.

Miraculously, a source turned up with a cache of NOS parts for this complication. They weren't cheap, but they're here and it looks like it will all work.

The parts will work, but there is one problem. The stack of gears that transfers motion from below the mainspring to the dial side is too tall. The barrel bridge does not sit all the way down in place. The part that solely (as far as I can tell) dictates that height is the pinion 'G'. All the other parts have a fixed size and the arbor of the assembly just floats at the lower end so it doesn't care.

On close examination, I noticed that part G is really rough on one end in particular. On the other end it flatter, but does have a barely notable lip on the hole. These ends should be polished smooth.

I think this part is unfinished and it is by design that this piece should be reduced for the particular movement during final assembly at the factory since each movement could be just a bit different and this assembly needs to fit to a higher tolerance than other parts under that bridge. 

Here is the slight gap, visible at the left end of the upper plate as it sits on the up/down assembly. It seems like the pinion needs to be shorter by that amount.

I need to study the whole thing more and think about it before doing anything though.

Meanwhile, here's more parts from this movement that are getting hard to locate. The mainspring for Elgin's motor barrel hooks at the edge of the spring end. This the only time they used ends like this, on 16 and 18 size motor barrels. These springs are still around, but have become more expensive.

That hook attaches to a machined-in raised portion at the end of the slot at the outside edge of the barrel.These barrels are really, really hard to find if that hook area breaks or wears. It looks like a tab cut as part of the slot that could be duplicated, but it is isn't. It is manufactured into the floor or the barrel. I have not been able to succeed at repairing one of these in a way that would last.

When I first started watchmaking around 2000, I had 3 or 4 of these barrels. They all have been used in repairs. I did not at the time realize how scarce they would become.

By the way, most of my project get a single blog post. Some, like this, will have more than one. To look for project posts, use the search box with the job number. See all the posts for this project here. 

The album for this project is here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1S13eWk9AjXT1qce8