Hand sizes....Cannon pins...etc.

[archibald]

I'm trying to buy some hands from an overseas seller--and on top of our language issues, we're grappling with my utter idocy when it comes to how watches actually work. I asume the fractional numbers on the cards I'm being offered (e.g. 20/100) have something to do w/ the pin sizes the hands fit on, but the seller says that as long as the hands are the right length, most of them will fit on almost any movement because they're made to be sized individually. So....what I'm wondering is: Do they make hands that are made to be individually sized? And is there a web site that lists the correct sizes for various movements, so I don't have to bother y'all anymore? Plus, the last thing anyone wants to end up with is a tube that's too small....

As always, thakns to the RWG brain trust for your help.

[HauteHippie]

The canon pins are stepped. The hour, minute, and seconds hands have different hole diameters to match the steps, and that's what is being specified when you see 110/65 for example. Typically you buy the correct hands to fit a movement and the movement specs (such as ETA) specify the sizes. You *can* get into broaching the hands to fit a movement (when the hole diameter is smaller than the pin you want to fit to), but I'd say "no thanks" to that. Of course The Zigmeister would probably say "no sweat" to that, though. Here's a neat vintage hand broaching tool :

[archibald]

The canon pins are stepped. The hour, minute, and seconds hands have different hole diameters to match the steps, and that's what is being specified when you see 110/65 for example. Typically you buy the correct hands to fit a movement and the movement specs (such as ETA) specify the sizes. You *can* get into broaching the hands to fit a movement (when the hole diameter is smaller than the pin you want to fit to), but I'd say "no thanks" to that. Of course The Zigmeister would probably say "no sweat" to that, though. Here's a neat vintage hand broaching tool :

Thanks, chieftang. So, 110/65 means 1.1mm and .6mm. That makes it a snap.

BTW, probably this thread is famous among modders, but in case anyone is looking for the hole sizes of the 7750 variant's here's the link:

http://www.rwg.cc/members/index.php?showtopic=12309.

Does anyone have the sizes for the Lemania 1873 off the top of their heads...