Information Please!

From The American Horologist magazine, July, 1944

Information Please
Directed by 
W. H. Samelius, Chairman 
Science of Horology and Technical Advisory Board

HRG: I have an Illinois 60 hour Bunn Special watch. Please advise if this watch should be wound every 24 or 48 hours?

Ans.- In all watches the maianspring power delivered varies throughout the running period of the watch. By designing the watch to run 60 hours, the variation of power during the first 24 hour period is less than the variation of power during the latter 24 hours so for that reason, as the mainspring delivers more constant power for the first 24 hour period, it is advisable to wind the watch each 24 hours. If you accidentally omit winding the watch after the first 24 hours, it naturally will keep running until the end of its running time, but the time piece is very likely to take a different rate during the latter part of the run, therefore, we repeat, to obtain a constant rate, it is best to wind your watch each 24 

JIT: When a watch is marked adjusted to heat and cold, 5 positions and isochronism, what is meant by isochronism?

Ans.- The word "isochronism" is derived from the Greek word meaning "equal time." As applied to a watch or timekeeping instrument, the term "Isochronism" means that the time or rate would be constant throughout the 24 hour period, that is, it will have a constant gain or a constant loss for each hour of the day. Theoretically, a balance and hairspring should oscillate at the same rate whether the arc of motion is low or high, meaning that the balance should return to center in the same length of time, regardless if the arcs are unequal during the 24 hours due to the variation of power. The resistance of the hairspring must be equal to the force of the balance. As all hairsprings are not isochronal; it is some. times necessary to test several hairsprings before one is found that will prove itself isochronal throughout the range of balance arc. The length of the hairspring has a great deal to do when striving for isochronism.

HMU: A friend informs me he always puts oil on a roller jewel? 'Is this good practice?

Answer - Oiling the roller jewel is bad practice as the oil soon turns black or will thicken or gather dust, which will soon have effects on the watch. If oiling the roller jewel was the proper thing to do, I am sure all watch factories would adopt that method, however, up to date, you will find all watches as delivered by the manufacturers, are left with the roller jewel dry.

YKG: When inserting teeth m clock wheels, is it advisable to use hard solder?

Answer - When inserting a tooth in a clock wheel, a dove tail slot is cut into the rim, a wedge filed to fit the slot and held fast by spreading or riveting the wedge to place. If hard solder· is used, the heat would take the hardness away from the teeth of the wheels when they would very likely bend over and cause trouble when the wheel is put into service. It is even advisable to avoid using soft solder when inserting teeth into clock wheels.

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, an HOUR glass was standard equipment in the church, so the sermon wouldn't last too long. 

Information Please!

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, January, 1946

WMck - Will dipping watch parts in cyanide leave any bad effects?

Answer - If the parts are guilded and left in cyanide solution too long, the solution will dissolve the gilding, leaving the plates dull and dark. When dipping watch parts in cyanide solution, the parts should first be cleaned in naphtha, the naphtha washed off in soapy water and then rinsed in clear water. Give a quick dip in cyanide. You must bear in mind that cyanide only removes tarnish and if the tarnished surfaces are not perfectly clean, void of oil Or grease, the cyanide will not attack the tarnish. After the cyanide dip, parts should once more be thoroly rinsed in warm soapy water or warm water to remove the cyanide. Cyanide solution itself is slimy and cold water will not give a thoro rinse. After the parts are thoroly rinsed, they may then be dipped in alcohol and dried in warm sawdust. This may sound like a long procedure, however. to get good results, the above care should be taken when using cyanide. Cyanide is poisonous and the user should be cautious not to allow cyanide to come in contact with any cuts or sores. He should also be cautious not to inhale cyanide fumes.

AEW: When was the minute and second hand first used?

Answer: The minute hand (concentric with the hour hand (was first applied by Knibb and Quare and other English clock makers about 1670. No definite information is at hand when the first second hand was applied, however a clock built by Tompion of England employed a second hand constructed by him in 1676 A.D.

BW: How do you test a watch for isochronism?

Answer: The isochronal test for the watch is made by winding a watch fully, setting it on the second and then checking the time each hour throughout the 24 hours. This will show how the rate varies as the watch runs down. If the watch shows a constant gain or loss, each hour throughout the 24 hours, we can then say that the watch is adjusted for isochronism. Checking the watch or making alterations to cause isochronal rates can some times be accomplished through the regulator pins, by opening or closing, then again by reforming the overcoil, changing the elasticity at the bends of the overcoil. It may be necessary to fit a new hairspring. which may be a trifle longer or shorter. The object is to create the resistance of the hairspring to equal the force of the balance, so the balance will be returned to the zero point the same duration of time whether the arc be short or long.

MElNc'D: How can I improve the tone or sound of the gong in a mantle clock? When the clock was new it had a clear tone, but now the tone is very dull.

Answer: May I suggest you examine the leather buttons in the hammer. The leather ages with time, sometimes becoming quite hard and occasionally seem to deteriorate, becoming soft and falling apart. When the leather hardens, you will have a harsh tone or metallic sound. If the leather has softened or becomes spongy, you are likely to have a very soft tone. If the leather lining in the hammers are all right check the support that holds the gong. See that the gong is well secured to the support and that the support is rigidly secured to the base board. See that the base board is held firmly. Sometimes the base boards dry out so they become loose or possibly the base board or soundingboard may be cracked.

ABP: I am about to purchase a watchmakers lathe, motor and staking tool. Will you kindly advise which is the best lathe. 

Answer: The writer is not in a position to mention makers names or comment on their quality. I would advise you to rely on the judgment of an experienced watchmaker who might accompany you on your shopping tour and from his experience of handling tools will recommend what is best to purchase.

TNB: I am thinking seriously of going to school to learn the art of watch repairing. When my course is completed, does the watchmaker have to supply his own tools and material, or does the employer supply them.

Answer: A journeyman watchmaker is expected to have his own kit of tools such as small hand tools, a well equipped lathe with an electric motor, staking tool, etc. However, he is not expected to supply repair parts or any materials necessary to carryon the work. The employer usually is equipped with a cleaning machine, and furnishes the cleaning fluids. He also has a demagnetizer, friction jeweling outfit and crystal grinding machine. A machine for fitting non-breakable crystals, a timing machine and a buffing machine should be supplied by the employer. This applies where a watchmaker is working on a straight salary or commission.

RGO: I have a mantle clock whose case is made of cast iron and finished black. What can I do to restore the black polish that has become dull from years of handling?

Answer: If you have one of the early American made clocks, these cases were usually coated with aspheltum varnish and baked at about 300 degrees F. A very satisfactory job can be had by rubbing the surface with rotton stone and olive oil, using a felt pad, when all scratches have been removed a lusterous polish can be had by vigorous rubbing using a flannel cloth.

JFH: I have noticed, after fitting a balance staff that a watch takes on a new rate, either fast or slow. I am very careful about trueing the balance and also for poise.

Answer: Replacing a balance staff is a major repair that has to do with the heart of the watch. Even when you say the balance is in good poise and true, other conditions may not be the same as before the staff was fitted. For instance, the balance may be a trifle larger or smaller, the larger pivot would show a fast rate, the smaller pivot slow rates. The pivot ends may be of a different shape than the original staff. Flat end pivots will cause fast rates, round end pivots will cause slow rates. When replacing the hairspring, it may take on a slightly different position such as the reg sweep in the regulator pins. Your hairspring may not be perfectly centered nor develop properly. This all has to do with timekeeping. Your tweezers or screwdrivers may be more or less magnetized. transferring the magnetism to the hairspring or balance. The end shake of the balance pivots might be more or less than the original. There are many reasons why the new balance staff you are placing in the watch may not perform exactly as the one removed. However, the change in rates will not be so great but what slight regulation will bring the watch to time.

AFH: I have trouble with the gummed paper clock dials holding fast. They seem to hold for a few days but peel off. What can I do?

Answer: The ready made gummed clock dials have been prepared with a special glue and will hold if proper precautions are made. This may be done by scrubbing the surface of the dial plate with emery or sand paper until the surface' is bright and clean. Moisten the gummed dial, place it in position and place the dial under pressure with some convenient weight for a period of 15 or 20 minutes until the gum is set. This will prevent the dial from warping away from the metal.

AFH: I have noticed that paper clock dials I get from jobbers seem to have a soft surface and are subject to finger prints and dirt. It there any thing I can do to them to aid keeping them clean and washable.

Answer: Make a thin solution of grain alcohol and white shellac, apply two or three coats until the paper surface is glossy. Allow each shellac coating to thoroughly dry before applying the next coat.

HFG: Can I reform a flat hairspring to an overcoil pattern and will it keep the same time as when it was flat?

Answer: To over coil a flat hairspring is permissible if space permits. To do a good job, the hairspring stud should be moved towards the center as well as regulator pins. The radius for stud and reg pin should be 2/3rds radius of hairspring from center. Then you can shape the flat spring to conform to the position of reg pins and stud. Usually, a flat hairspring that has been reformed will show a gaining rate but not so much but what it can easily be taken care of by the addition of a very light timing washer or by moving the regulator. 


Front and back views of unusual and fine repeater watch owned by Ira Leonard of California. Photos by J. E. Coleman, Nashville, Tennessee. 

Information Please!

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, February, 1942

Information Please!
By W. H. SAMELIUS

P.W.A.: - I have been instructed to carefully true compensated balance in the round and poise them. When this is done, I find on returning to work the next morning, after the shop has been cold all night, that the balance is out of round. Should I true such a balance again after assembling the watch?

Ans: - A compensating balance can only be trued and remain so at one temperature. If you true the balance at 70° F and leave it on the bench overnight to get cold where the temperature probably dropped 20 or 30 degrees you will find the balance rims have moved outward and the balance out of round. In other words, the brass rim will have contracted more than the steel rim and the cut ends of the rim will extend beyond the length of the arms. You will note that as soon as the room temperature has increased to the same temperature as when the balance was trued, it will become true again, or back to its normal form.

B.S.: - How can I make a simple cement for patching broken porcelain watch dials?

Ans: - In a clean vessel, dissolve pure white wax and mix with an equal amount of zinc white. When cold, the cement can easily be pressed into the broken places in the dial. Heat the dial slightly to make the cement flow and adhere to the surface. Cleanliness in mixing and a little heat will contribute to the production of a very white wax.

JR.L.: - I see in the late Elgin Catalog and bulletins, an announcement of a patented grooved balance staff which has been introduced. Without a doubt, this proves to be a valuable timesaver for the man at the bench.

The fact that the new staff can be driven out and not injure the balance wheel and that a new staff can be staked to the wheel, leaving the wheel perfectly flat, so no or very little truing is required and that the balance will remain in poise, is a great step forward, but how can I distinguish the new staff from an old staff when a watch comes to the shop for repairs.

Ans: - The difference between the regular model staff and the new model grooved staff is that the waist, or hub on the regular staff is tapered, where the new model staff has a straight hub.

P.D.: - I am having trouble in attaching gummed paper printed clock dials, so the dial will stick and stay flat and smooth and not peel off after a few days.

Ans: - The surface of the metal dial must first be prepared by removing the old paint with paint remover. Thoroughly clean the surface by using coarse sand paper. Wet the gummed side of the dial with a cloth and when ,Nell moistened, attach paper to metal disc laid on flat surface, then with pads and weights, hold the dial down tight until dry. You will then have no further trouble.

E.L.O'B.: - Would like to know what causes the cannon pinion to raise up off center post, no matter how tight the cannon pinion is put on?

Ans : - This question is often asked and the illustrations show the causes for cannon pinion raising. 

Figure No. I - shows center post tapered at the lower end so when cannon pinion is applied, it will have a tendency to raise upward and become loose.

Figure No.2 - shows center post of equal diameter from top to bottom but with the groove slanted upward instead of downward toward the base of the arbor. A cannon pinion fitted to this center post will also cause the cannon pinion to climb up and become loose. 

Figure No.3 - shows center post of equal diameter from top to bottom with the groove so shaped that when the cannon pinion is attached, it will have a tendency to work downward and remain on the post. When fitting a new cannon pinion, make sure the pinion fits freely down to the shoulder of the post. Then by inserting a brass wire in the hole of the cannon pinion, placing the cannon pinion in a V stump and with a center punch, make a small indentation or bulge that will come just below the groove of center post, as indicated by arrows.

Occasionally, we find a cannon pinion, after being placed on center post, that has a tendency to turn rather hard. This may be due to a rough hole in the pinion or rough surface on center post. In such a case, it is permissible to lubricate the center post. 

Information Please!

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, February, 1946

HGG - Can you tell if there is an easy method to determine the full diameter of the pinion to fit any given wheel without extensive calculating? I want to select a 6 leaf pinion to fit a wheel. Is there any easy formula that I can follow and get a smooth running gear?

Answer: The correct way to arrive at the proper diameter for a pinion is by mathematics, however, you asked for an easy method and one that is practical so the following formula will prove helpful and satisfactory for all practical purposes.

The full diameter for a 14 leaf pinion should equal the distance of 6 teeth from point to point on the driving wheel. For a 12 leaf pinion, the diameter for pinion should equal the distance from tip to tip of 5 teeth. For a 10 leaf pinion, the diameter should be 4 full teeth. For an 8 leaf pinion, the width of 4 teeth measured at their points deducting 1 space. For a 6 leaf pinion, the distance of three teeth measured from the point. If these measurements are carefully followed, the pinion will be usable.

RHY: What kind of grease is used to keep moisture away from crown and stems in waterproof cases?

Answer: Riggs Gun Grease is used to pack in the pendant and around the stem. It also acts as penetrating oil when the steel parts are badly rusted.

JC: Recently I purchased a package of diamond dust, expecting to use it for resurfacing and polishing pitted cap stones. I find the powder too coarse. Is there anything anything I can do to take out the coarse powder?

Answer: Procure five small glass vials of about 1 ounce 'capacity, mark vials from 1 to 5. Fill dial No.1 with clock oil and thoroughly stir diamond powder into clock oil. After ten minutes pour off the oil into bottle No.2, allowing that to stand 45 minutes, repeat and pour off into bottle No.3, allowing it to stand 24 hours. Repeat and pour oil into Bottle No. 4 allowing it to settle for 24 hours and finally pour remaining oil into bottle No.5 and allow to settle until clear. You will now have 5 grades of diamond powder. No. 3 and No.4 for fast cutting and No.5 for polishing.

ECB: Please explain the use of different watch brushes, at what stages are they used, purpose of each brush and cleaning, of bridges and cases?

Answer: As a rule the watchmaker is equipped with three grades of watch brushes, fine, medium and coarse. The fine brush may be used for brushing sawdust or other fine lint from train wheels or plates of the watch that has passed thru the sawdust method of drying. The fine brush may also be used for dusting the dial without danger of damaging the hands. The medium brush may be used for brightening the watch plates that may be spotted or slightly tarnished, especially after the cleaning solution has failed.

By charging the brush very lightly with rouge, a vigorous brushing will brighten the plates. The balance wheel can also be greatly improved by using the brush charged with rouge. A stiff brush can be used for brushing and brightening cases or bands. This brush should also be charged with rouge. A stiff brush is also used for brushing clock plates, wheels and pinions, using naphtha for solvent. 

It is suggested if you are using new brushes that the bristles be run across some rather coarse sand paper so as to take the sharp corners off the end of the bristle, or the brush may be run across the sharp edge of broken piece of glass, which will serve the same purpose.

PD: How can I true a solid balance wheel in the flat. I seem to have more trouble with solid balances than the cut balances.

Answer: When trueing a solid balance in the flat, the first move is to check the level of both arms. If they are not of the same level, bend the arm up or down until you get desired results. Check the rim between the arms. If they are not of equal height, carefully twist the arm until the rims are level. When twisting the arms, care must be taken that you do not bend the arms up or down throwing that section of the balance out of flat. With a little practice, you will soon accomplish and conquer what may seem like hard jobs, when in reality it is very easy compared to the split balance.

MEC: You ask if the only way to bring the dial position and pendant position to correspond in a wrist watch is by shaping the ends of the pivots.

Answer: There is a limit to how much time you can alter the rates by altering the balance pivots and in many of the small watches the balance pivots are quite large, consequently showing a fast rate in the pendant position over the dial position. By flattening the ends of the balance pivots, you will increase the dial position, however, there are times when the balance pivots are so large that you cannot control or bring the two rates close together, unless small pivots are used which would then give you a slower rate in the pendant position which would compare favorably to the dial positions. Many of the factories deliver their watches with a tolerance of a minute to 1 1/2 minutes plus or minus in 24 hours. 

Information Please!

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, March, 1942

HES :- How is a watch adjusted to positions, what makes the time between the side positions differ if there is as perfect a poise as possible, on the balance. Is it possible to adjust a watch to six positions?

Answer :- To fully answer your question would just about fill a book, however, you say the balance is in perfect poise; and the rates vary when watch is on edge. These variations can be caused by many other influences besides a balance that is not in poise. For instance: The hairspring must be perfectly circled to the collet, the overcoil formed so the spring develops equally in all directions and contracts equally in all directions. The regulator pins must be close and the spring perfectly flat. Sharp bends where the spring is fastened to the collet must be avoided and the hairspring pinning point in it's proper position. It should be pinned so if we drew an imaginary line thru the center of the balance when the watch is held with the pendant perpendicular, the spring is pinned on this horizontal line and to develop up over the collet. This may be either to the right or to the left. The balance pivots must be truly cylindrical and both pivots finished flat on end, being careful there is no burr on the edge of pivots. The hole jewels must be equal size and thickness, olive shaped. The corner freedom for jewel pin as it enters and passes out of the fork slot, must be equal on both sides.

The guard pin close but in no case or position should it contact the safety roller. The end shakes in your balance, pallet arbor and escape pinion must also be very close and all three of equal amount. The escapement must be set so there is a safe drop lock and some slide. Ordinarily, if your total lock and slide is equal to 1/5th the width of the pallet stone, you will have a satisfactory escapement. See that the draw, or draft, is ample by slightly lifting the lever from the banking screw and if the lever does not return to the banking screws, it will indicate there is insufficient draft and if that is the case, the guard pin will drag on the safety roller, causing a variation of time in different positions. The roller jewel must be a close fit, well proportioned, by that we mean two fifths of the diameter being cut away, leaving a flat face. A jewel so proportioned will not present a sharp edge as it enters or passes out of the fork. Examining the balance pivots with the ordinary eye loupe does not show the small defects that go to make trouble when timing a watch to positions, we recommend using a microscope, as the least irregularity on the surface of the pivot or it's contour will be detrimental to timekeeping qualities.

Examining the cap jewels carefully for any pit marks from wear and also see they are set perfectly flat. Hone cap jewel is flat and the other cap jewel out of flat, the watch will invariably show a gaining rate when running on the out of flat cap jewel.

To get best results and a most constant rate, a 1 1/4 turn of the balance or, 450 degrees, is desirable. Changing the strength of the mainspring to obtain the proper balance arc is advisable.

Generally watches are adjusted to five positions, namely dial up, dial down, pendant up, pendant right and pendant left. The greatest error between any two positions lies between the pendant up and the pendant down, due to position of pinning point. The sixth position would be pendant down and as the watch is not carried that way, that position is disregarded.

A.P. :- 1 have heard our head watchmaker telling about cutting a contrate wheel for a Swiss watch.
Tell me what make of Swiss watch has contrate wheels, or are they to be found in complicated watches only?

Answer :- A contrate wheel is one that has two sets of teeth, that is, a gear wheel that have a ring of teeth, standing at right angle to the plane of the wheel, while the other set of teeth are on the periphery of the wheel. You will find contrate wheels on all new model American watches and many Swiss models, they are cataloged as Crown wheels or main wheels. 

Information Please!

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, April, 1942

]S: - 1 have been a subscriber to the American Horologist for several years and enjoy reading questions and Answers. Here is one I have not seen answered yet: I sometimes find a cannon pinion that is tight all the way down; until it just gets to place then it is loose. Please advise how to remedy this trouble. 

Ans: - The illustration shows a center arbor with a groove, or relief. As you state the cannon pinion goes down tight part way and then becomes loose when finally seated. If is it a cannon pinion that is not slitted for tongue tension, you will have to insert a brass wire into cannon pinion, laying the cannon pinion on small V-block and with center punch, create a bulge inside the pinion high enough so it just goes over the edge of recess in center arbor. In other words, the bulge, or tongue in cannon pinion tube must come down just below the slanted, or tapered groove of center pinion. If this does not remedy your trouble, I would advise procuring a new center arbor. The illustration shows, one side of the cannon pinion Fig No.1, where the bulge of the cannon pinion rides free in the recess and Fig. No. 2 where the bulge in cannon pinion rides below the edge of groove of center arbor. The February issue of American Horologist also. deals with this subject.

FS: - Occasionally I want to remove engraving from inside of rings, also from top of signet rings. How can I do this easily and quickly?

Ans: - For removing engraving from the inside of rings, first use half round file to cut dawn the engraving. Then use round ring buff or emery stick in lathe to smooth off file marks. Follow this up with a felt buff charged with rouge.

Far facing off signet, make a wooden wheel about 4" in diameter and 1/2 to 3/4" thick. One that will fit the arbor of your polishing lathe. Charge one side of wheel with tripoli, the other side with rouge. File out engraving from signet ring, press signet ring against side of lap that is charged with tripoli. This operation will remove the file marks and leave the surface flat, when you can finish the job by polishing the surface of the ring an the apposite side of lap which is charged with rouge. Use a moderate speed in polishing which will bring excellent results. Where a quantity of rings is to be faced, a lead lap is used.

RW: - 1 have a fine French clack with an Onyx case. The onyx is very dirty and somewhat discolored. Can you tell me how I can clean and restore the onyx to. its original appearance?

Ans: - Make a paste of plaster of paris and benzene. Apply a coating of this aver the surface of the onyx. As the benzene evaporates, the grease and dirt will be drawn into the plaster of paris, which is then rubbed off. If there is considerable grease in the onyx, the process may have to be repeated. To polish the case, dissolve beeswax in benzene. Apply and polish vigorously, using a flannel cloth.

WO: - At a meeting, one of the speakers referred to a "Clock Watch."' Is this a trade term for some special timepiece?

Ans: - The term "clock watch" takes its name from similarity of construction to our common alarm clock. That is, the clock, which is non-jewelled and in many cases, has lantern pinions, and the balance unit is supported by a balance arbor with cone pivots running in hollow steel screws.
We might say a "clock watch" is a clock reduced to pocket size.

PL: - A friend of mine has an antique verge watch, key wind, chain drive. He says it has a Shagreen case. Please tell what a Shagreen case is made of?

Ans: - Shagreen is a leather made from skin of sharks. By wetting the leather, it becomes soft and pliable and was used to cover the outside of watch cases and many other articles. It was dyed in various colors, watch cases were usually covered with dark brown, dark green or black leather. 

HA: - I recently made a trade and secured an old American Clock, something I have always wished for. After setting it up to run, it continually gains time. I have lengthened the pendulum to the limit, added weight to pendulum, but to no avail, it still gains time. Can you suggest what I can do to make this clock keep time?

Ans: - In building wooden clocks, the wheels were pressed and glued fast to the arbor. Some of the wheels were merely pressed into place without glue and with age, they sometimes work loose. If you will examine each wheel, it is very likely you will find one or more of the wheels loose on their arbors. Sometimes, we have found the small pin that holds the escape wheel fast to it's arbor, has fallen out, allowing the escape wheel to slip. This should solve your problem.

PD: - The watchmaker who held the place before I came here, held the position for some 25 years and he I evidently never threw away a thing. He left a lot of worn out files, drills, broken punches, etc. Is there anything I can do with them. 

Ans: - There is. Broken gravers, too short for turning may be just right for engraving, carving, chasing or stone setting, by slightly altering their shape. The files may be softened by heating red hot and allowing them to cool off slowly by burying them in ashes. You will then have the finest steel for making springs and various other parts of the watch or pallets for clocks or other clock work. Broken punches may be softened by heating to dull reel. When cooled, they may be redrilled, hardened and tempered to a dark straw.

No doubt many of your drills could be resharpened and used, or they could be annealed to a rich blue color and used for turning staffs. The old man saved them because he knew all this and of the value to use the old files, punches, etc., for other purposes, where they would again be useful.

Information, Please

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, July, 1946

GMH: Can you give a combination of wheels and pinions for a Grandfather Clock with a very slow pendulum? Pendulum is about 4 or 4 1/2 feet long.

Answer: To construct a clock with a pendulum such as you wish to employ, I suggest the following train:

Main wheel to have 144 teeth, center pinion 12 leaves, center wheel 96 teeth, third pinion 12 leaves, third wheel 90 teeth, escape pinion 12 leaves and the escape wheel 25 teeth. This combination will call for a pendulum 56 3/10 inches long and will beat 1 2/10 seconds per swing of pendulum.

The following is also a combination you may use: Main wheel 120 teeth, center pinion 10 leaves, center wheel 80 teeth, 3rd pinion 10 leaves, 3rd wheel 75 teeth, escape pinion 10 leaves.

You could also use a 25-tooth escape wheel. This will employ the same length pendulum 56 3/10 inches long.

Different pendulums can be used if you follow the following formula, using the same train as called for above:

Escape Wheel teeth     Vibrations per hour    Length of pendulum

25                                 3000                           56.3 inches

26                                 3120                           51.8 inches

27                                 3240                           48.1 inches

28                                 3360                           44.7 inches

29                                 3480                           41.4 inches

30                                 3600                           39.14 inches

The only pendulum that will show seconds is the 39.14-inch pendulum.

All others will beat slower than a seconds beat, and consequently will not indicate seconds on the dial. The 56.3 inch pendulum swinging at 1.2 seconds per beat will swing 50 times per minute and the seconds bit, or dial, will have to be calibrated into 50 marks instead of the regular 60 marks. It is understood that whatever escape wheel yon may select, a special pallet will have to be made for that particular wheel.

HGE: Can you give any standard for side shake and end shake applicable to railroad watches?

Answer: In general practice, the following shakes are used:

                            End Shake          Side Shake

Center pinion      .02 mm                .015 mm

Third pinion        .02 mm                .015 mm     

Fourth pinion      .02 mm                .015 mm

Escape wheel      .02 mm                .01 mm

Pallet arbor        .015 mm              .0075 mm

Balance staff      .02 mm                .0025 mm

Barrel                 .02 mm                .015 mm

Barrel arbor       .02 mm                .015 mm

     

SHW: How can I determine the proper size drills to be used before threading a hole?

Answer: To determine the proper size tap drill for any tap, divide 1 inch by the number of threads to the inch. If your tap is not marked, you will have to count the threads. The result will be pitch, or distance from tip of one thread to the tip of the next. Then multiply the pitch by .649. This will give depth of thread. Multiplying depth of thread X 2 will give depth of two threads or the amount to be subtracted from full diameter of your tap.

RHS: I am told it is not necessary to poise a balance wheel after fitting a new staff if the wheel is well trued in round and flat. Is this true?

Answer: Regardless of how well you true the balance wheel, it should be tested for poise as you have no assurance that the wheel was in poise before you fitted the new staff. When poising the balance, the roller table is attached. In all first class shops, poising the balance is a "must." Your reputation depends on how well the watch runs after you have repaired it and no watch can keep close time in different positions unless the balance is in poise. That is your first step for building your reputation. After that, the hairspring must be perfectly centered, leveled and its development in and out from center equal in all directions. It doesn't take a customer very long to discover his watch is keeping better time after the watch has been repaired by a workman who will poise the balance and correct the hairspring.

JOC: How can a person tell the time from the bells of a ship's clock?

Answer: The striking mechanism of a ship's clock is constructed so as to strike 8 bells at 12 o'clock, 4 o'clock and 8 0 'clock. . The clock strikes each hour and half hour and one bell is added each half hour until 8 bells are reached, when the clock once more strikes one bell again, thus:

At 12 :30 strikes Ding.

At 1 :00 strikes DingDing.

At 1 :30 strikes DingDing-Ding.

At 2 :00 strikes DingDing-DingDing.

At 2 :30 strikes DingDing-DingDingDing.

At 3 :00 strikes DingDing-DingDingDingDing.

At 3 :30 strikes DingDing-DingDing- DingDing-Ding.

At 4 :00 strikes DingDing-DingDingDingDing-DingDing.

4:30 to 8 and 8 :30 to 12 o'clock, same as above.

RCB: I want to build a decimal clock showing 100 minutes to the hour. The 4th pinion is to turn 100 revolutions to 1 revolution of center wheel instead of the 60 revolutions of 4th pinion and 1 revolution of center wheel. Will you give me the combination of teeth and leaves of pinion necessary?

Answer: You can use the following combination: Center wheel to have 80 teeth, 3rd pinion 8 leaves; 3rd wheel, 70 teeth and 4th pinion 7 leaves. Or any two reductions where the ratio is 10 to 1, suitable for the space allowed between centers.

YAM: Can you give formula for determining the correct driving weight for a Graham Dead Beat escapement, having seconds beat pendulum? 

Answer: There is a formula for making these calculations which would give you the approximate weight. However, there are many factors entering the problem to be met up with, such as the size and condition of pivots, the bearings in the plate and condition of the gearing which all have something to do with the free running of the train. So, instead of going into mathematics to get results, the quickest and best way would be to suspend a container at the end of your cord and gradually fill container with buckshot or sand until you have enough power to drive the escapement. Then, continue adding weight until your escapement shows some slide. It is an easy matter then to weigh container, using the same amount of lead or cast iron for making up finished weight. The brass tube filled with lead of equal weight will then fill your requirements.

APO: Can you tell me anything about the Mozart Watch Company?

Answer: The Mozart Watch Company was founded in 1864 at Providence R. 1., and capitalized at $100,000. It was to manufacture an unusual watch having three wheels, invented by Mr. Mozart. After two years, the model was discontinued and a regular model watch designed by L.

W. Cushing of Waltham. The name of the company was changed to New York Watch Company, and the plant was destroyed by fire in 1870.

JGD: Quite often, after cleaning a watch, I find the hairspring coils have a tendency to stick together. I test for magnetism but none is apparent. Can you suggest what might be the reason for the coils sticking?

Answer: You state there is no magnetism in hairspring. Can it be possible the cleaning solution is old and also the rinse? In time they become impregnated with oil, then as the parts go thru the drying operation some of this thin film of oil is left on the hairspring, becoming sticky and causing the trouble. If your cleaning solution is in good condition, the rinses fresh, you should have no further trouble.

RMC: I have trouble setting roller jewels. I have tried shellac and other cements but somehow the roller jewel becomes loose and falls out of the roller. Can you advise what the trouble may be?

Answer: After selecting roller jewel of proper size, it should be dipped in alcohol to thoroughly clean the surface. The roller table should also be thoroughly cleaned, removing any other shellac or cement. Then when setting a new roller jewel, use new cement or shellac, not applying any more heat than is necessary to cause the cement to flow freely, as the cement will then adhere to the dry surfaces. Overheating the cement will cause it to become hard and brittle and lose its adhesive qualities.

G.AG: Which is the better and quicker method for grinding pivots to size - oilstone powder, corrundum powder or diamond powder?

Answer: We prefer to use a very fine grade of oilstone powder and oil, using an iron grinding slip for grinding the pivot to size. The oilstone powder will not imbed itself into the balance pivots, which is liable to happen if you use carborundum or diamond powder. Pivots that become charged with either of these two abrasives will soon cut the balance hole jewel and cap jewel.

RWT: I find when working on some 7-jewel Swiss watches, that shortly after oiling them the pivots appear to be dry and when testing the watch on a timing machine, it shows very irregular and spotted lines. After reoiling the watch, letting it run for some time, and testing the watch on timing machine, I find the lines are cleared up. I am curious to know if the plates are porous, absorbing the first application of oil.

Answer: The· writer has heard of some research work along this line, experimenting with porous metals. You no doubt are aware that the auto industry uses self -oiling bearings for special parts of its power unit. The metal is made of very porous material being filled with special lubrication under great pressure. Bearings thus treated will remain lubricated for a long period of time and it is possible you have run across some watch plates that have porous material. Naturally, when you clean the watch, what lubrication was in the holes was absorbed. It will require an extra application of oil in order to fill the pores in the metal.

JOC: Will you enlighten me on meantime screws, and how much regulation one can expect when turning them in or out from the balance wheel?

Answer. The balance wheel contains three kinds of screws-the large screws are the balance screws, the smaller head screws such as half head or quarter head are the timing screws, and the screws with the long thread 'and square head are the meantime screws used for final regulation.

When fitting a new hairspring, it is sometimes necessary to add a small amount of weight, such as a quarter head, or even a pair of heavy washers to bring the watch close to time, say within two minutes. It is then the meantime screws may be used to bring the watch to correct time. This is done by turning the meantime screws in or out. Turning them in will cause the watch to run fast and the reverse when turning them out.

When using the meantime screws, be very careful to turn the opposite screw an equal amount, otherwise the balance will be put out of poise, destroying position rates. The use of these meantime screws should not be abused, turning them out too far' so they may be loose or strike other parts of the watch. The following table will give you the approximate results you can expect from the average watch.

Size     Turns of screw             Sec. per hr.

18-16  1 full turn, 2 screws    3 seconds

12       1 full turn, 2 screws    2 seconds

6/0      1 full turn, 2 screws    5 seconds

18/0    1 full turn, 2 screws    5 seconds

Watches employing four meantime screws should only be turned one-half the amount shown on the chart for the same results.

Information Please!

From The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine, October, 1946

AB - Is there some form of electricity in the human body that will throw a watch out of timing? I think there is, so I ask, "Am I right or wrong?"

Answer: There is no electricity in the body that effects the running or timing of a watch. However, it does occur that the same watch does not run exactly the same for different persons, due to the fact that the habits of these different persons are not the same.

Some persons are careless about regular winding, and carry a watch in a pocket where the watch receives considerable shaking up. This same watch in the hands of another person might receive little, if any, abuse. Thus, a watch is generally regulated to the habits of the wearer.

JM - I am familiar with the expansion balance, and how adjustments are made for temperature rates. However, I do not quite understand how temperature adjustments are made where a solid balance is employed. 

Answer: Our modern solid balance wheels have a very small temperature error. However, corrections are made by moving the timing screw away from the balance arm, or toward it. In the solid balance, the arm expands or contracts slightly. Due to this expansion or contraction, the wheel becomes what we might call "egg-shaped," This means that the rim itself will pull in toward center when the arm expands, causing a change of rate. Moving the screws toward the arm will correct the rates, depending an whether the watch runs fast or slow between the two extreme temperatures.

ART-Can you offer any suggestions as to haw to true and level a hairspring while in the watch?

Answer: The following diagrams illustrate the method of leveling and circling the spring. 

Information Please!

From The American Horologist magazine, March 1941

Information Please!
Directed by
W. H. SAMELIUS, Chairman
Science of Horology and Technical Advisory Board

A.C.B. - Why are the dots placed on the cover of the barrel and the barrel proper of Swiss watches.
What are they for?

Answer - When fitting a cover to the barrel, the barrel proper is cemented in the lathe and trued to the hole. The cover is then snapped on and the hole in the co v e r is then bored to the proper size. The indicating marks are then p lac e d on the cover and barrel so the assembly will be the same at all times.

This procedure assures us that the barrel will run perfectly true in the round and flat. In other words, the barrel will be perfectly upright.

R.W.A.- I have a watch where the cannon pinnion is lost. The minute wheel has 30 teeth, the minute pinion, 8 leaves; the hour wheel, 32 teeth. How can I determine the proper number of teeth for the cannon pinion?

Answer - While the minute hand revolves once per hour, the relation between the minute and hour hand is 12 to 1. That is, the cannon pinion must make 12 revolutions while the hour wheel goes once. As there are 32 teeth in the hour wheel and the minute pinion has 8 leaves, that would be a 4 to 1 ratio. Then, as the minute wheel has 30 teeth, we would have to have a pinion that would equal a three to one ratio and one third of 30 teeth would call for a 10 leaf cannon pinion.

T.E.W. - What is the quickest way to close holes in barrel which are not much worn and should properly be closed. 

Answer - Select a stump with a slight hollow cone center, one that the bossing of the barrel will almost drop in flush. Then with a wide flat punch, drive the bossing down into the hollow center, contracting the metal, or closing the hole. You can then ream and polish the hole with a round broach.

P.E.M. - Can you tell What makes a watch gain dial up and dial down and keep time pendant up?

Answer - You will undoubtedly find that the ends of the bal pivots are flat which always cause the watch to run fast due to the friction causing a short arc or quick excursion. If you slightly round the end of the pivots, the friction will be brought nearer to center, allowing the balance to take a longer arc, causing a losing rate.

S.O. - I have several oilstone slips which have become rough and grooved. Can I restore a smooth surface.

Answer - The oilstone slips may be rubbed down smooth on a plate glass using medium emery and water and for final finish use flour emery with water.

R.S. - I have trouble in getting a bright cut on platinum and other metals. What do you recommend 

Answer - When bright cutting, the graver should be polished with the cutting edge, that is, so the polished lines run parallel with the cutting edge. Some engravers use ordinary laundry soap dissolved in turpentine, with a consistency of vaseline, dipping the graver in this mixture for lubrication, will give a bright cut. 

Information Please!

From The American Horologist magazine, May 1946

Information Please!
Directed by 
W. H. Samelius, Chairman
Science of Horology and Technical Board

ERS: What is elapsed time and what is a dead beat escapement?

Answer. Webster defines "elapse" slip or glide away. Special instruments were made for. the armed forces to show elapsed time. The timepiece has the conventional 24 hour dial with hour minute and second hand. A small dial showing hours and minutes is placed midway from the center of the large dial and the outer diameter of dial.

The hour and minute hand for this smaller dial, or elapsed time dial are controlled by a start, stop and flyback mechanism, similar to the mechanism as we find in the timer watch. When the elapsed time is to be read, the hour and minute hand are on the zero point.

Pressing a button connects the elapsed time train with the regular train, thus setting the hands in motion. Pressing the button again disconnects the elapsed train from the regular train and locks the hands from further motion. Thus, the hours and minutes read from the elapsed time dial is the time accumulated from the starting of the mechanism to the stopping, or the time accumulated from any given point to destination. After reading "elapsed time" the button is pressed once more when the hour and minute hand return to zero position. All this takes place without interfering with the mean time train, or the mean time as shown on the large dial.

The deadbeat escapement was invented by George Graham at the beginning of the 18th Century. It has proved to be very satisfactory for seconds beat clocks such as regulators or clocks employing long pendulums. The deadbeat escapement is designed to give the pendulum a very short arc, around two or three degrees. A short arc of two or three degrees is advantageous in eliminating the circular error that occurs in pendulums taking greater arcs. The escape wheel has pointed teeth, the points leaning forward about 10 degrees. The locking faces of the pallet are ground concentric to pallet the arbor, so when the tooth comes to rest on the locking face of the pallet, the tooth will remain as the pallet or locking face swings into the wheel. The only resistance we have is the pressure of the tooth against the pallet which is constant regardless of the amount of slide or run. There is very little oil adhesion. Usually the dead beat escapement has 30 teeth where the seconds beat pendulum is employed and the pallet embraces 8 teeth. The object of leaning the teeth forward 10 degrees is so the very tip of the tooth rides the face of the pallet, eliminating oil adhesion and I friction.

AK: I hear about hairspring collets poised and also that roller tables are poised. Is someone spoofing me?

Answer: No, no one is "spoofing" you. The practice of poising hairspring collet and rollers has been carried on for many years, especially in the high grade watches. Ordinarily, the roller and roller jewel are attached to the balance wheel when the poising operation is being performed. This is putting the balance in static poise. After placing the hairspring on the balance and putting the balance into motion, we then enter into dynamic poise and even though the balance and roller may appear to be statically poised, it can still be dynamically out of poise for that reason you will find the hairspring collet having been poised by cutting away one side and drilling holes into it so the mass of weight when put into motion will be in dynamic poise. Perhaps you have heard· or know that an automobile engine or some of the running wheels will start vibrating at certain speeds. That is because the weight is not equally distributed dynamically.

HSW: Please explain the difference or meaning of undersprung spring and the oversprung hairspring.

Answer: In the earliest watches, the hairspring was attached to the balance staff under the balance wheel so it vibrated between the balance and the lower plate. This method was more or less conventional in our earliest verge watches and continued with many of the English watches and even some of our early American watches were Undersprung in this manner.

The oversprung spring is the conventional spring as we have it today, the hairspring being attached over the balance and between the balance bridge, which is a great deal more convenient when adjusting.

OP: I lost a cannon pinion for an antique watch and am at a loss to know how many leaves the cannon pinion should hawe so the hands will register properly. There are 40 teeth in the hour wheel, 30 minute wheel teeth and ten leaves in the minute pinion.

Answer. Assuming you have a 12 hour dial, the formula for finding the number of leaves in the cannon pinion will be: Multiply the number of teeth in the hour wheel by number of teeth in the minute wheel. Then multiply the number of leaves in the minute pinion by 12. Dividing the results of teeth x teeth.

(30 x 30) / (10 x 12) = 10

number of leaves for missing pinion.
Proof:

(10 x 10) / (30 x 40) = 12

or 12 revolutions for cannon pinion to one. revolution of hour wheel.

TBT: I have a French clock with cylinder escapement. I removed the escape wheel from the pinion in order to polish the pivots, somehow I lost the escape wheel. What I want to know is how many teeth it had, and how can I select the proper size 1

Answer: Generally speaking all cylinder escapements have 15 teeth. When selecting the size of escape wheel, place the escape wheel directly over the escape pivot hole so the hole in the wheel and jewel hole coincide. Then select a wheel large enough so when the tooth is passing by the balance pivot hole, the pivot hole in the' jewel will be half way up the incline of the tooth. In other words, half the impulse angle of the escape tooth should be inside the hole and the other half outside. You will find on all cylinder escapements, means for adjusting. The balance bridge is attached to a lower bridge or chariot. This chariot is attached to the lower side of the plate, having a lower balance hole jewel. By loosening this chariot, both the chariot and balance bridge can be moved forward or backward from the escape wheel so proper impulses and a safe drop lock can be acquired. The escape wheel tooth must drop on the outside of the cylinder safely close to the impulse edge. In other words, the cylinder escapement has drop, lock and slide similar to the lever escapement.

DL: I would like to know how to true a mainspring barrel.

Answer: The writer assumes the barrel is out of flat causing it to rub the center wheel or bind between the plates. It is possible that you did not replace the barrel cover to its fixed position, as in many hand made watches the parts are marked for location, that is, the cover and the barrel are marked with dots so when the cover is replaced these dots must n be opposite each other. Sometimes they are called locating marks. If this is not your trouble, more than likely the cover has been damaged and needs repairing. To repair the cover and get the barrel to run true in the flat, the following procedure will be helpful.

First see that the cover snaps safely into place. If not, you may have to undercut the snap edge of the barrel and possibly stretch the cover by lightly hammering the cover along its edge on the underside. This operation must be carefully and slowly done so as not to overdo it. When the cover has been prepared, then open the hole in the center a liberal amount and fit in a blind bushing or solid plug. Next, cement the barrel to a cement chuck that runs perfectly true in the flat and center the barrel hole so it runs perfectly true in the round. Snap the cover to its proper position, drill and bore a hole through the bushing to fit the barrel arbor. If this is carefully carried out, the barrel will run perfectly true in the flat once more. If you have a slide rest, you may use that with a boring tool which is more convenient and safer to use than trying to bore the hole in the cover by hand. 

Information Please!

From The American Horologist magazine, April 1945

Information Please!
Directed by 
W. H. Samelius, Chairman
Science of Horology and Technical Board

JHN - You say you have been using water as a first rinse in cleaning machine and wonder if any harm might result and what the advantage might be?

Ans: I can see no harm in using water for the first rinse as that will remove the cleaning solution. Then by following with the first and second rinse of naphtha, all water will be removed and drying accomplished without danger of rust. The advantages I see in this would be that you would not have to use such an amount of rinse and the rinsing fluid will remain cleaner for a longer period of time. In any case, rinsing in water the first time would be cheaper than rinsing in regular solution.

]DW: No. I - How is the distance between the end stones and hole jewels measured so as to get an accurate measurement of the oil space.

No. 2 - How can I find correct width of mainspring for any given barrel if the broken sample is missing or incorrect?

No.3 - How can the banking be opened or closed on cheap watches that do not have banking screws without bending the pins?

Ans: I - The watch manufacturers gauge the distance that the jewels are set below the surface of the setting by using a depth gauge. This; is a very fine instrument and measures to one ten thousandth inch, an instrument that the average watchmaker could hardly afford to enjoy. When the watchmaker at the bench sets a balance or cap jewel, the surplus material is cut away until the jewel is approximately .001 inch below the surface of the setting and can be checked very close by eye measurement by laying a straight edge across the setting and observing the space between the straight edge and the top of the jewel. For comparison. the ordinary tissue paper is .001 inch thick.

No. 2 - By using the millimeter slide gauge and setting the gauge to the bottom of the barrel up to the ledge seating the barrel cover. This would give the exact width of space required for mainspring. By deducting about 1/10th millimeter from the full measurement, would give the correct width of spring for that particular barrel.

NO. 3 - In watches that have solid banking pins and alterations must be made without bending the pin, the proper way is to put in new banking pins instead of bending the pins inward, enlarge the holes in the plate and put in larger pins. This would naturally decrease the angular motion of the watch. If the pins have to be bent outward, allowing more room for the lever action, new pins might be inserted that would fit the hole in the plate but the part of pin that extends thru the plate should be turned down smaller in diameter or sometimes the side of the pin could be shaved off with a sharp cutting tool In either case the pins will be left upright

DN: I would like information art how to rebush worn plates, especially wrist watches. How can I rebush these with friction jewels and be certain the train will line up as when it was new? What tools do I need and what methods do I follow?

Answer: The ordinary procedure for setting the friction jewel is to select a reamer of proper diameter for the jewel to be used and then with a friction jeweling tool, press the jewel to place. This sounds as a simple operation however, many workmen take it for granted that it is simple and when reaming the hole, use undue pressure when placing the reamer in the hole and in that way will cut more from one side of the hole than the other, causing the hole to be out of upright. To correct this error, it would be necessary to place the watch plate in a face plate of a lathe and centering the lower jewel accurately. Then screw the bridge fast to the plate, using the slide rest with a fine boring tool, boring the hole so it is concentric and the hole parallel throughout it's length.

Select a jewel of proper size to fit pivot, set the jewel in a brass wire, check hole for truth and if the hole is true, cut the brass 'Wire down to a friction fit, cutting to proper length or thickness of plate when the top of the setting is polished flat and the inside stripped, leaving a bright cut.

The jewel can now be pressed into the plate when the wheel will once more be upright and depthings correct.

CD : Your request for information or advise on how to test for short and long fork, how to find bank or drop position, how to make angular tests, how to swedge the fork when testing the escapement, altering permanent banking pins.

Answer: Space does not permit to cover all these subjects you treat on. May I suggest you obtain a copy of "It's Timing That Counts" covering all these subjects. The book may be procured from your jobber or the American Horologist direct. 

Information Please!

From The American Horologist magazine, May 1945

Information Please!
Directed by 
W. H. Samelius, Chairman
Science of Horology and Technical Board

GJS: What is the condition that causes a knocking sound in the action of a watch. In many cases this knock is quite distinct when the balance swings in one direction but little or perhaps no knock when the balance swings back. I have noticed this in some of the smallest watches. Please explain cause and remedy?

Answer: Analysing your question, I would suggest you check the corner freedom between the roller jewel and corner of your fork slot. It is possible that the roller jewel is not set square and upright. If the roller jewel is set out of square, the knocking action you mention coming from one direction only might be that the corner of the roller jewel strikes above the corner of the fork slot. By squaring up the roller jewel, the knocking sound will disappear. Then again, the banking screws may be open, giving too much angular motion to the lever so when jewel pin is about to enter, it strikes the curved part of the horn just beyond the corner of the fork. This can be remedied by closing the banks. I am assuming that the side shake for balance pivots are close and that the balance wheel is true, so the arm of the balance does not strike some slight projection of the pallet bridge or pallet bridge screw. Balance pivots with excessive side shake could also give the same trouble as the jewel pin will not enter both sides of the fork slot alike. These are suggestions I trust may prove helpful in locating your trouble.

RWH: If the upper and lower balance pivots are perfectly round and fit the jewel correctly but are of different diameters, will it effect the rating of the watch?

Answer: Pivots of unequal size will result in unequal friction and when the watch is run in dial positions, you will invariably find that the watch will show a faster rate on the larger pivot as compared to the smaller pivot.

ELS: I have several small hard oilstone slips that have become worn, the corners being rounded and the surfaces grooved. How can I restore them to usefulness?

Answer; Procure a sheet of plate glass and with some fine flour emery and water a new surface is quickly acquired. If the stone is badly scored, use a coarses emery powder for quickly rubbing down and then finish with fine powder.

PMI: I have heard about German Silver, what is its composition and is there any silver in it.

Answer; German silver does not contain silver as implied. The proportions commonly given are copper 50 percent, nickel 25 percent and zinc 25 percent. These proportions however, may be varied to suit the various uses for which the German silver is to be used. Varying the proportions will alter the hardness, ductility, mallability, surface polish, elasticity or electrical conductivity.

"So as to be certain when her husband, who works nights, gets in, a woman in Maryland has established the rule that he must punch a CLOCK."