An update to an old post of mine from last month

[Timelord]

Last month I posted for some assistance on an issue regarding to having to remove balance to get movement working ?

 

Well  I believe I owe it to all you guys, especially to those replying with possible solutions.  
 

Upon going through it with a fine tooth comb, I found the culprit!  It was the bent base of the pallet fork as seen in this image. I have circled it in a fine blue circle,  I straightened it and it now works good!   Just thought it would be something to watch out for, if ever one is a similar situation as it wasn’t so obvious at first   Thanks for your help guys!  

[automatico]

"I found the culprit!  It was the bent base of the pallet fork as seen in this image"

 

Cool!  As they used to say out in LA.   (pre Gov Gruesome Newsom)

 

I had a pallet fork war with a Rlx cal 1210 a while back...broken arbor.  I broke it.

Got an oem replacement ($) but it would not fit, too small in the waist.  (?)

Bought an assortment of Bulova pallet arbors, found a good fit.  Lost it.  (!)

Passed over a few PFs evidently made out of 'unobtanium alloy' while on the hunt'.  ($$)

Finally found one 'affordable'  PF on the Bay after looking every day for a couple months.  

[Timelord]

On 2/26/2024 at 12:21 PM, automatico said:

 

I had a pallet fork war with a Rlx cal 1210 a while back...broken arbor.  I broke it.

 

I have done that too on occasions.  The first time, I said I would not do it again, but it still happened, especially if you think it is in the pivot after rocking it back and forth, only to slightly fall out of place when placing the bridge.  Even when you check it with the bridge on just before tightening the screw, you will still find that it can go out of alignment.  That has happened to me as well !!!  However, 99 out of 100 times no problems.   

 

Finding a replacement is not always easy regardless of if it is labelled to be the same by supplier.  I have had that problem too!!!    Felsa 690 and Felsa 692 are an example on top of my head, as they are factory labelled to be the same but one has a thinner pivot than the other!  Even an eta 2836-2 has the same seconds wheel part number  as the 2824-2 but the former is slightly higher to counteract the day wheel.

 

What is worse is trying to find nylon case back seals that came with older 1950/60s watches.  Sure enough they are all rubber now!!  but I have a case where the back seal sits just below where the case thread rim presses on when screwed down.  If it is a rubber seal, it will not work as rubber compresses and deteriorates.    If you close the back without this hardened seal, the rotor hits the inside back..  At first I though that it had the wrong back on it.  but old school watchmaker said to me that the hardened  seals were tempered  for this measure!!!