Wachtmaking training IV : reassembly

Let's remount the watch...

The first step is to remount the complete stem mechanism on the dial side of the main plate

A detailed pictures of how is was originaly is very helpful. The best is to have the manufacturer technical sheets that could found on the net, not for free however.

After this, we can remount the central wheel that has a special bridge here.

Once done, it is better to mount now the cannon pinion on its axe on the dial side. The cannon pinion should be firmly pushed with a nylon tool until a "click" indicates the proper location. Here is a picture taken on another caliber :

Occasionnaly one can adjust the friction of this cannon pinion by a careful litlle more strangling on it. It will give have an effect on the apparent forced exerted to move the hands. With a proper setting, one can stop the watch but a small reverse turn on the stem.

Before remounting the trains of wheels, I should recase the mainspring. There special tools to roll themm at the proper diameter, but here I should do this directly in the barrel turns by turns. I first mounted it in the reverse way, but the second time it was OK.

In fact, I proceeded several times to the mount/unmount of the barrel+train to test it. During these manipulations, I clearly became much more familiar with the handling of parts, screws with the brucelle.

Lubrification

Except the pivot of the pallet, all fast motion pivot (balance wheel, escapement) should be oiled with special fine oil (Moebius 9100) dispensed with a proper oil pick (Bergeon red color). The friction (strem, barrel axes, etc.) should be greased (Mobius 8200) with the green oil pick which is larger. Slow motion wheel could used a higher viscosity oil (Moebius 9200 or D5).

The shock protection system stones (Incabloc brand or similar) of the balance wheel pivots were previously disassembled for cleaning. They are different one the dial side and the cock. I first did not noticed this difference. The springs are very light and have no system to stay mounted on the supporting seats. I lost one definitively. After more practice I known that it is better to maintain them on the ring with a flat bar of wood covered by a soft leather ("cabron de peau" indicated on the picture below)

"Moelle de sureau" and "cabron de peau" on the left. A shock protection system (here of another French caliber) with its brass spring (lyra shaped). Reinstall these sort of springs require some training.

Without its spring the shock protector does not function and the watch is only running well on one side only...

At the Lyon's flea market, I negociated for 20 Euros a lot of watch parts very diverses In this lot, I found a compatible Incabloc spring to fix the problem.

There are a lot of different shock protecting systems with diffrent types of spring. The most handy are those where the spring stays on the supporting ring once opened. No more risk tehn to see them flying!

Return to the dial, hand set and recasing

After the test of the caliber runnig in all positions for sometime, it is returned to the dial with the co-axiak hours wheel underneath plus the small brass spring ring pressssing to that wheel. The and are presented with the brucelle and pressed with the nylon stick special for this use. The hour hand, the the minute, then the central second. Theay shoul firmly anchrored, should touch the dial or themself and perfectly parallel. here an example taken on another watch :

In this case I also relumed the hour and minute hands using Bergeon green lume.

I finally recased the whole and found a leather strap that matches the watch (18 mm wide to the lugs) :

Further minor problem fixed

To insert the oil between the two stones of the Incabloc, it is necessary to deposit the drop at the pivot entrance and make it penetrating by capillarity with a small pick :

On the cock side, we should put the cock on its back, get away a bit the balance wheel (without distording the spiral), pass the pick oil through two turns of the hair spring to deposit a drop of oil too. The main risk it to touch accidentaly the spiral and oil it. It will the cause the hair spring to be sticky and a risk to reduced it amplitude. The symptom is a suddent time gain (i.e. 3-4 min/day). I was not aware of thisproblem and it arrive after a week of use. I fixed the problem, just by a careful wash with "essence f", drying, correct oiling.

The watch is functionning every day since 2 months, regulated after 3 weeks to about +20 sec/day.

It's for sure now one of my preferred due to that small adventure! It found its legitimate place among my small collection. Here with other green-dialed specimen :