Balance staff help needed

[YosemiteSam]

Hello everyone,I apologize for any mistakes, but English is my second language,I have a question about balance staff, I have a pocket watch with a broken staff, it's an Enlish lever movement, I managed to get balance staff, and I don't really know what kind it is, maybe someone of you will tell me more about it ?
I am grateful for any help.
Kamil

 

[Chris Radek]

Hi Kamil, welcome to the forum.

Your staff will need to be repaired or a new one made. Some watchmakers will drill the bad end and install just a new pivot, but this staff is so simple it may be easier to remake the whole staff by copying the old one.

The jewels should be checked for damage too.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Hi Kamil, welcome to the forum.

Your staff will need to be repaired or a new one made. Some watchmakers will drill the bad end and install just a new pivot, but this staff is so simple it may be easier to remake the whole staff by copying the old one.

The jewels should be checked for damage too.

Thank you for your answer, unfortunately I don't know anyone in Ireland who could do this for me

 

[gmorse]

Hi Kamil,

The BHI publishes a list of qualified repairers and there are three listed in Ireland who should be able to help you, and if they can't there are plenty in the UK who can.

These staffs are mounted in the wheel in a brass collet, and that often needs to be replaced at the same time as the staff, so that the balance wheel runs true.

Regards,

Graham

 

[YosemiteSam]

Hi Kamil,

The BHI publishes a list of qualified repairers and there are three listed in Ireland who should be able to help you, and if they can't there are plenty in the UK who can.

These staffs are mounted in the wheel in a brass collet, and that often needs to be replaced at the same time as the staff, so that the balance wheel runs true.

Regards,

Graham

Thank you Graham

 

[SmithyMoarra]

you can cut your own w a lathe and also can buy balance staffs on ebay... or parts movements maybe one have a good staff?!

 

[Daniel Reuben]

Also take note of the position of the roller jewel and the end of the hairspring with relationship to the balance (including the rim which is filed - at least you have a photo) so it can be reassembled exactly. Once all assembled the hairspring collet is not accessible to turn to adjust beat and the roller is not easily demounted with a normal roller remover due to the hairspring girth.

 

[gmorse]

Hi Kamil,

Once all assembled the hairspring collet is not accessible to turn to adjust beat and the roller is not easily demounted with a normal roller remover due to the hairspring girth.

This is a problem with undersprung levers, with the balance spring collet being between the wheel and the roller, and I suspect that it was an incentive to introduce oversprung balances.

The necessary tools are a 'hub puller' type of roller remover like this, (the central plunger has a safety centre to avoid pressure on the pivot),



and a small piece of old mainspring filed into a hook shape, to rotate the collet from the side.



With this you don't have to remove the roller to adjust the collet.

Regards,

Graham

 

[YosemiteSam]

Hi Kamil,


This is a problem with undersprung levers, with the balance spring collet being between the wheel and the roller, and I suspect that it was an incentive to introduce oversprung balances.

The necessary tools are a 'hub puller' type of roller remover like this, (the central plunger has a safety centre to avoid pressure on the pivot),

View attachment 765022

and a small piece of old mainspring filed into a hook shape, to rotate the collet from the side.

View attachment 765023

With this you don't have to remove the roller to adjust the collet.

Regards,

Graham

Hi Graham, thank you very much for your help, could I ask you if you had the opportunity to ask how much it would cost me to get such a balance staff in the UK?
Regards Kamil

 

[gmorse]

Hi Kamil,

Have you contacted the repairers on the BHI list in Counties Armagh, Down or Galway to see if they can help? If so, and they're too costly or can't take on the work, please send me a conversation.

Regards,

Graham

 

[YosemiteSam]

Hi Kamil,

Have you contacted the repairers on the BHI list in Counties Armagh, Down or Galway to see if they can help? If so, and they're too costly or can't take on the work, please send me a conversation.

Regards,

Graham

I wrote to Galway some time ago but no one replied.

 

[gmorse]

Hi Kamil,

I've sent you a conversation.

Regards,

Graham