Accutron 218 Oiling

[JayW]

I'm hoping to get some advice about oiling a 218 Accutron. The jewels appear to be friction fit and I seem to have the impression that it's not usual to remove them for service. Is that true? If so, then my difficulty is getting oil into the cap, or the right amount. The pivot size is about 0.05mm or so, and my smallest oiler, while it starts to enter the hole, get larger and the oil touches and is sucked onto the donut hole. I did manage to get a reservoir into the cap on one, but mostly I think I'm putting in too much oil. I filed down an oiler to try to get one that fits in the hole, but the filed down part doesn't take oil (maybe I have to do a better job of cleaning it first? Is that true?) Or maybe I just have to learn how to reduce the amount of oil on the oiler? I did put the pivot in the hole to see if I was moving any oil into the cap region, but I think there is oil there. By the way - I'm using a spare bridge, that hasn't been cleaned, just to practice.

Well, instead of rambling more, if someone has advice about this, I'd appreciate it. Some photos are attached to help see the situation

 

[gmorse]

Hi JayW,

By the way - I'm using a spare bridge, that hasn't been cleaned, just to practice.

Quite apart from roughbarked's comments above, the cleanliness or otherwise of the jewels can affect how the oil behaves on contact with them.

Regards,

Graham

 

[penjunky]

Or maybe I just have to learn how to reduce the amount of oil on the oiler

Hi JayW

Mr excess oil used to be my middle name. But, I found a way to better control. Since my hands shake I started holding my oiler with both hands to help sturdy it, then I would let the oiler rest on the side of the oil cup, slide it down the side until it barely hit the oil then remove it, slowly for small holes, a little faster for larger holes. Now often times I don't get enough but practice takes care of that. That really made the difference for me as for better control of the amount of oil I pick up.

Of course it's always good practice to follow through with the above mentioned suggestions, these guys are really helpful.

Good luck

Roger

 

[Chris Radek]

You're right, those jewels aren't meant to be taken apart. They must be cleaned by a good ultrasonic. You can see they have "vents" around the hole jewel to let the ultrasonic scrub the cap jewel.

Take a piece of suitable brass rod about the length of an oiler, drill a hole in the end, and shellac in any wristwatch balance staff with a pivot of about 9. You can even use one that has the other pivot broken off. Now you have a poker. On mine I angled the staff to one side, so when I use it under the microscope, the handle isn't in the way of seeing.

Put a drop of oil from your smallest oiler in the sink of the hole jewel, and poke it through with the poker. It will jump in and form a bubble under the cap. Flip it over and check the bubble under the microscope, and if you want it bigger, do the same thing again. If the bubble isn't round and pretty, it wasn't clean enough, just toss it all right back in the cleaner and run another cycle.

If you have a Bergeon 7718-1A oiler, disregard all the above and use that instead!

 

[JayW]

Thanks guys for your really helpful advice. I'd like to follow up on some of your points please, to help me to better understand.
1. I will clean the part and try again to see if the oiling behavior changes.
2. A 'very fine' oiler, I believe has an end of 0.18mm ( Berg. 7013-N, 5423-A ) - still too large for this application, I think (depending on the goal - see point 5.)? Do you know of a smaller one - can you provide a link? I have reds, blues, and a couple of black oilers. My auto oiler is much too large also, maybe there's one with a finer point?
3. What's 'blacksmithing'? After filing the oiler down, should I harden or anneal it? What should I do to help it accept the oil?
4. I'm assuming, from the responses, that I won't get detention for trying to oil through the hole. Is that true?
5. I guess a more specific question is what should I be trying to do? Should I be trying to go completely through the hole, without touching oil to the donut sides (like playing the game operation)? (I don't know if that's possible, for me, even though I'm pretty steady.) I think (?) that this is different than putting the right amount of oil on a cap stone, where you have a target and can see what you've done. OR, will it be the case, that with a cleaner part, the oil will flow, by capillary action, from the donut hole into the cap region and build up a reservoir (so I shouldn't worry about oil touching the sides as I go in)?

 

[JayW]

Chris - I just saw you post. You may have already dealt with some of my questions - thanks. I'll read it and follow up.

 

[JayW]

Chris - really appreciate you sharing your expertise. I've read a number of posts of yours and happy for your advice.
Whoa - 7718. That seems the way to go, unless there's a less expensive alternative.
-- You're saying that the tip of the 7718 will pass through the hole? Is that true?
-- Also - are you saying that it IS possible to poke oil down into the cap - it won't just squish out the sides?
-- By the way - can you tell from my third photo if there's a bubble under the cap?

 

[gmorse]

Hi Jay,

Whoa - 7718. That seems the way to go, unless there's a less expensive alternative.

If you're doing this all day every day, the Bergeon makes sense, but if not why not just stone down a fine oiler and then polish it? You only need a short section at the tip to fit in the jewel hole, and it doesn't need hardening.

The upper side of the hole jewel is convex, and the endstone surface next to it is flat. The oil stays in place in the centre, which is the narrowest gap, because of its surface tension, which is why the jewels have to be as clean as possible. It's hard to tell whether the jewel in your 3rd picture has enough oil; comparison with a picture of the same jewel after cleaning but before oiling will give a better idea.

Regards,

Graham

 

[JayW]

Okay Graham - thanks. And I should say that I also appreciate your posts that I've read.
I'll figure out what oiler to get, but I definitely need a better set.
And I'll also try to get my filed down oiler to work - maybe just need to clean it?

 

[gmorse]

Hi Jay,

If you used a file to reduce its diameter, it may help to rub it up on an Arkansas slip or a similar very fine stone to smooth it, and of course, make sure afterwards that it's completely clean of any abrasive or metal particles.

I should add that even the 'better' oilers often need the tips shaped properly . . .

Regards,

Graham

 

[JayW]

Understood. Thanks.
My filed down piece certainly wasn't flat - so that's perhaps the 'blacksmithing' reference - shaping the piece.
I'll try that too.

 

[JayW]

For posterity - Dave C. suggested this link: Watch Oiler - Balance Jewel Oiler | Esslinger Watchmakers Oilers as an option.

And to roughbarked's point - I'm just wondering: should there be another word in place of 'filing' when you're getting down below 0.1mm?
Quite impressive what you guys are capable of.

 

[gmorse]

Hi Jay,

...should there be another word in place of 'filing' when you're getting down below 0.1mm?

It is possible to file down to that size, but there are some things which make it a little easier. The steel needs to be hardened and tempered to blue, so that it can stand up to the filing pressures. The file needs to be very fine, a 6 or even 8 cut when you're getting down to 0.2 or 0.3mm. Filing on a block of wood with shallow grooves in it and holding the steel in a pin vice so that it can be rotated as you file it will make it easier to control the process.

The other way to produce a piece of steel that's as fine as a balance staff pivot, is to turn it in a lathe . . .

Regards,

Graham